Serendip
Is Yeast Alive?
Through two investigations, life science learners determine whether or not yeast is alive. They perform tests for metabolism by providing sugar and observing if gas is produced as a byproduct. They incubate some of the sample for at...
Curated OER
Plants in Your Gas Tank: From Photosynthesis to Ethanol
Explore ethanol and how it is produced. Young scientists investigate photosynthesis and fermentation to the concept of conservation of energy and mass. They discuss the environmental and economical benefits of ethanol as a fuel additive.
Virginia Department of Education
Isotopes
Lead your class through the amazing world of isotopes as they investigate the various properties they contain and further understand their respective location on the periodic table. They explore half-lives and radioactivity as each...
Curated OER
How do plant & animal cells make and use energy?
Students show the relationship between the need for plants to undergo photosynthesis in order to generate oxygen. They see the flaws associated with this thinking because of the lack of CO2 and H2O and lack of sufficient gravity in order...
Curated OER
Cell Energy-Bubbling Plants
Middle schoolers discuss the process of photosynthesis in plants and that oxygen is produced as a by product. They observe underwater Elodea plants "breathing" in a hands-on activity. After setting up the experiment, they observe the...
Curated OER
Chemistry: Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy
Young scholars research on renewable and nonrenewable resources. In this chemistry instructional activity, students design and build solar panels. They evaluate their device and write a lab report.
Curated OER
Energy in a Cell
In this energy instructional activity, students search for nineteen words related to energy producing and energy capturing reactions in plants and animal cells.
Curated OER
Temperature and the Tomato
You will need a photovoltaic system and monitor at your school in order to obtain all of the data required to thoroughly implement this lesson plan. Your class monitors daily temperature and insolation amounts over a two week span of...
Teach Engineering
Edible Algae Models
Sometimes it's okay to eat your science experiment. A hands-on activity has pupils create models for algae to learn about its cellular structure. The best part of the experiment? The resulting juice-filled gels are edible—yum!
Biology Junction
Characteristics of Life
Life exists in many different forms from tiny nanobes to the Humongous Fungus, the largest form of life. Scholars learn the definition of life and the shared characteristics of these greatly varied organisms. They demonstrate knowledge...
Curated OER
Summer Camp 2050
Students create a camp for the future. In this simulation activity, students will research various energy sources, and create a proposal for the "city council" to recommend what energy sources should be used for a summer camp in the year...
Curated OER
How Cells Do Their Jobs
In this cells learning exercise, students will review cell characteristics and structure and different types of cells and what role they play in the body. Students will investigate experimental results of the influence of sucrose on the...
Curated OER
Cell 7 Plant v Animal Cells
Students differentiate between plant and animal cells. They identify the structures central to plant cells. They complete a Venn Diagram listing the differences between animal and plant cells.
Curated OER
Renewable Energy Plants in Your Gas Tank: From Photosynthesis to Ethanol
Students examine the role photosynthesis plays in plant survival. In this renewable energy instructional activity students document their observations and analyze and interpret their results.
Curated OER
A View of the Cell
In this cell worksheet, learners will match 13 vocabulary words relating to cells to the correct definition. The cell vocabulary words cover all the parts of the cell plus eukaryotes, and prokaryotes.
Curated OER
Control of the Cell Cycle
In this cell cycle learning exercise, students will study genetic factors and environmental factors that affect the cell cycle. Students will use this idea map to complete 4 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Energy in a Cell
For this energy worksheet, students describe how plants store energy and how animals use the energy stored in plants by answering 5 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Energy and Life
This two-page quiz mostly covers ATP, but touches on autotrophs and heterotrophs, as well. Learners show what they know through multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and short-answer questions.
Curated OER
The Science of Respiration and Blood Circulation
Fifth graders study how respiration and circulation are connected. In this respiratory lesson students complete several activities to better understand heart rate and carbon dioxide in the body.
Curated OER
Electrical Energy
Students compare and contrast a cell and a battery. In this physical science activity, students explain how they create energy. They conduct an experiment to apply what they have learned in this activity.
Curated OER
Heat and Electrical Resistance
Students discover electrical resistance and how it is directly related to thermal energy through a hands-on activity. Working in groups, they wrap a wire around a thermometer and the positive and negative poles of a D cell battery and...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Electrochemistry
In an electrolytic cell, electrical energy is converted into chemical energy, the exact opposite of a battery! Lesson 15 in a series of 36 explores electrochemistry. Participants begin by reading and discussing oxidation/reduction...
Curated OER
Cellular Respiration: Other Metabolites and Control of Respiration
The feedback mechanisms of metabolism of a variety of substances in the human body. Carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and their derivatives are explained. The biochemistry required to explain the metabolic balance and feedback controls...
Curated OER
Electricity and Food: From Glowing Pickles in Citrus Batteries
Fifth graders explore electrical concepts and host a guest speaker. This lesson sets up guidelines for students to follow when they have a guest speaker. Students are primed to become actively involved in a lecture or discussion, while...