Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Too Bright At Night?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explain what causes light pollution and how it can be curtailed. They consider the negative consequences of nighttime lighting, enabled by the invention of electric lights at the close of the 19th Century.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Too Bright at Night?

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students reflect upon the causes and effects of light pollution in the night skies. First, they read articles provided and then do worksheets that are provided. They work in groups to discuss their conclusions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Series or Parallel?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Physics classes that are studying electricity connect photovoltaic cells into both series and parallel circuits. Inquiry and critical thinking come into play as learners try to determine which circuit is more productive. They associate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ozone: The Earth's Security Blanket

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students work in groups to define and research the terms: ozone, troposphere and stratosphere. Students watch videos, conduct Internet research, participate in discussion groups and complete worksheets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Microscopy

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
In this microscope worksheet, students complete 15 review questions of labeling, defining and short answer after finishing a compound microscope lab. Lab included.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Everybody Needs a Little Sunshine

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Three activities introduce upper elementary ecologists to photosynthesis and food webs. In the first, an experiment is set up to determine how plants respond to different types of light. In the second, they connect organism cards with...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Greenhouse in a Bottle

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Young atmospheric scientists create models of an atmosphere with and without clouds to determine the effect of cloud cover on Earth's temperatures, as well as figuring out whether dark or light surfaces absorb more energy. You may wish...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Abiotic Limits to Purple Loosestrife Growth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners investigate the effects of soil temperature, water availability, photo period and other variables of the growth of purple loosestrife. They observe the growing conditions of plants and alter them by adding water, isolating the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Manduca

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students investigate the basic survival needs of both hornworms and humans. They compare and contrast the them by making a class list.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Environment: Water & Air

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
The introduction to the lesson mentions a sailor's limited capacity to store drinking water on his ship. Pupils then set up an overnight experiment to remove freshwater from salt water by distillation. There is a math and map activity to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ice Cube Experiment

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Students explore the rate at which ice melts. In this science lesson plan, students place ice cubes on colored index cards and place them in direct sunlight. Students observe which ice cubes melt fastest and slowest.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fertilizer Frenzy

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders design and conduct an experiment. They evaluate other's experiments. Students describe relationships between biological systems and the environmental contaminants. They work as a team to solve a problem.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is Your Blue Really Blue? [Metamerism]

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students learn fundamentals about color perception, and explain the phenomenon called "metamerism". Students learn the three basic components of color perception: light source, illuminated colored object, and the light detector.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Starring...Bears!

For Teachers K - 4th
Students illustrate a First Nations' legend.  For this legend of bears lesson, students read several legends which involve bears and groups of stars or constellations. After reading, students illustrate portions of the stories....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Orienting a Photovoltaic Cell

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the optimum angle for orienting a solar collector relative to the rays of incoming sunlight. They review equinoxes, solstices, and various locational ideas before students investigate using meters, light sources, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dive In

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils study how buoyancy, pressure, and light can effect the work of underwater scientists.  In this marine science lesson students complete a lab that allows them to better understand how pressure varies with altitude and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Phases of the Moon

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students use a simple physical model of the Earth, sun, and moon to understand why the moon changes phases from the perspective of Earthly observers. They hold up balls representing the moon in a room with a single light source to see...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Waves with the Electromagnetic Spectrum

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners explore various types of electromagnetic waves, the range of the spectrum, and common sources of electromagnetic waves.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How We See Things

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Young scholars study light. In this lesson on light, students discuss how flat and angled mirrors reflect light and draw a picture showing how a mirror reflects light into an eye. 
Activity
Teach Engineering

Watt Meters to Measure Energy Consumption

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
It used watt amount of energy? This resource investigates the power usage of small household appliances. Using a watt meter, groups measure the actual wattage used by an appliance and then calculate the energy used daily. 
Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Can Carbon Dioxide Act Like a Greenhouse Gas?

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Ninety-seven percent of scientists who study climate agree that human activity is warming the planet. Learners explore carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas, a gas causing this warming, through a hands-on experiment. Once complete, they...
Lesson Plan
Texas State Energy Conservation Office

Investigation: Splitting Atoms

For Teachers 6th - 9th Standards
In a simple activity, physical scientists model nuclear fission using a droplet of oil. This can be used alone in a unit on different types of energy, or as part of the energy conservation unit produced by the Texas State Energy...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Growing Up (And Around, and Down...) Exploring Plant Growth

For Teachers K
Students build plant growing structures. In this plant growth lesson, students plant growth structures such as a garden tepee or a crawl through tunnel. They grow plants that are appropriate for the structure.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Snow Goggles

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students assemble snow goggle models and discuss how snow goggles change the amount of light shining in their eyes.