Teach Engineering
Trash to Treasure!
One person's trash is another man's treasure. Challenge your class to build something useful out of the trash they throw away on a regular basis. Groups design and build a practical item from trash they collect, allowing the class to...
Chymist
Alum from Waste Aluminum Cans
Turn aluminum cans into pickles! An engaging experiment has learners chemically change aluminum into a substance with many purposes including the manufacture of pickles. After performing the chemical conversion, the experimenters verify...
American Museum of Natural History
Bio-Benefits
Kick-start a discussion of the importance of biodiversity with a colorful resource that touts the benefits of maintaining healthy ecosystems. The images stress the interdependence of all the elements of an ecosystem.
Nuffield Foundation
Microbes Ate My Homework
Now you have a new excuse not to do your homework. A long-term experiment has learners explore cellulose-digesting enzymes. They simulate how paper breaks down in a compost bin. There's no need to blame your dog for eating your homework...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Introducing Ecosystem Services
Ecosystems provide many things humans not only use but also need in order to survive. The last lesson in the series of seven introduces scholars to the idea of ecosystem services, that ecosystems provide humans with many things we need....
Little Bins for Little Hands
St. Patrick's Day Challenge Cards
Nineteen cards offer an assortment of St. Patrick's Day-themed STEM activities. Scholars choose from a variety of cards to take part in activities such as building coin towers, growing green carnations, tying a celtic knot, and more!...
Teach Engineering
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is one of several garbage patches around the world where garbage accumulates naturally. As part of a GIS unit that combines oceanography, environmental science, and life science, class members investigate...
Missouri Department of Elementary
I’m A Star!
A lesson encourages scholars to be star community members. Pupils take part in a class discussion that challenges them to brainstorm at least two ways to show responsibility within one's community. Small groups play a game in which...
Curated OER
Roundabout the Arc de Triomphe
Students recognize one of the most important landmarks of France and perhaps the greatest triumphal arch in the world. They demonstrate their knowledge of this famous arch by building a replica with recycled boxes and other craft materials.
NASA
The Cycle of Matter
An educational lesson focuses on the idea of conservation of matter through a demonstration of the water cycle, a discussion of digesting food, and the path of carbon and oxygen atoms as they change form.
Dick Blick Art Materials
Painted Story Quilt
Creating story quilts is a great way to combine art, social studies and literature. Kids select a story, a published one or one of their own, to illustrate, paint on a canvas square, embellish, and mount on a felt backing.
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
RETHINK: Bullying Prevention Curriculum
Adopt a school-wide approach to bullying prevention guided by a program packet that is designed to engage the full school, families, and the entire community. Participants are asked to consider the roles power, control, and...
Curated OER
Making Your Own Sampling Tools
Young scholars begin a class recycling project. They create data sampling equipment using their own designs and test them in the field.
Curated OER
Ecology of the Dump
Middle schoolers recreate landfills in petri dishes, observe relative biodegradability in a year-long project, and isolate a cellulose degrading bacteria while discovering the need for recycling and the serious problem waste management...
Curated OER
Floor Sculptures
Students explore visual arts by completing a recycling activity. In this botany science lesson, students examine the natural layout of plants in a garden environment. Students utilize wire, wood and other arts and craft materials to...
Curated OER
Paper Making
Students work together to make recycled paper. They identify examples of recycled materials and discover what can and cannot be recycled. They explore the history of paper making as well.
Curated OER
A Shredding We Will Go
Students take charge of a recycling project . In this environmental issues lesson, students manage a paper recycling project and use compost made from the recycled paper to beautify trees.
Curated OER
Self Portrait using watch parts and tin - Mixed media
Young scholars create whimsical self portraits using watch parts and tin - recycling. They demonstrate safety in using tools. They use a variety of materials to create a work of art , and demonstrate understanding of the elements and...
Curated OER
Build an Anchialine Pond
Students explore biology by conducting a nature experiment. In this pond examination lesson, students utilize recycled materials, play-doh and water to recreate a pond and its inhabitants. Students identify the different elements within...
Curated OER
Trash! How Cities Work: Dealing with Garbage in the US and India
Students identify how different cultures deal with the challenge of trash. Read an excerpt from a chapter book based on real life written from the Southern Indian perspective. Describe the life of a street child in Southern India....
Curated OER
Metallic Sounds
Young scholars differentiate between metallic and non-metallic sounds. In this music lesson plan, students listen to the audio clip of "March" and march in time with the music. Young scholars identify the metallic sounds in the music...
Curated OER
Chinese Instruments
Students explore Chinese instruments. For this Chinese instrument music lesson, students listen to a performance by Liu Fang and describe the sounds they hear. Students classify western and Chinese instruments according to their...
Curated OER
Native American Culture
Students read a variety of Native American Literature and discuss the main idea by answering critical thinking questions about the poem. Students use context clues to understand the feeling of the Native American culture about the Earth....
Curated OER
Water Water Water - Costume Designing
Students create costumes using recycled materials determined beforehand by the teacher in this High School Drama/Art lesson on costume designing. The example lesson is based around the title of "Water, Water, Water" but can be adapted...