PBS
Analyzing Information - Can Pigs be Pets?
Engage your scholars in a discussion about pigs! Scholars analyze information about keeping pigs as pets and write a persuasive paragraph. An informational text and video are included for research. While examining these materials, class...
Curated OER
A Tree Grows-Narrative Pantomime
Discover pantomime! Young mimes assume the identity of the seed as they listen to a story about the growth of a seed throughout the seasons. After a discussion of the performance, the class writes about and illustrates their favorite...
Curated OER
Environmental Requirements
All aspects of soil and its components are reviewed here. Your class will learn how certain organisms help the quality of the earth and support growth. Different ways to enhance the chemical make-up are described and will be...
Curated OER
Beyond Mendel's Laws of Inheritance
Mendels laws of Genetics are extended here with examples of traits that are completely controlled by just one gene. Malfunctions such as albinism and baldness can therefore be tracked and will demonstrate inheritance patterns to your...
Curated OER
Electricity
Each of these slides presents the basic scientific details and situations where charge, or static may appear. Handouts of the empty PowerPoint slides could be provided so that students could work through these examples and correctly...
Curated OER
Pressure: Pressure Experiment
A short PowerPoint to help increase pupils' understanding of pressure. A number of pictures show different types of shoes and open a discussion of how force from a body is applied over different areas, (which translates into different...
National Wildlife Federation
Sensory Discovery Walk: Connecting With Your Place
Take a blinded tour. Pairs take turns leading each other on a blindfolded exploration of the natural world and take stock of their surroundings using their remaining senses. After the tour, pupils try to map their paths and follow them...
Curated OER
Metals Can be Attractive!
After reading a short paragraph about metals and magnets, young scientists circle the things they think will be attracted by a magnet. There are six objects for them to consider. A nice worksheet to help get a discussion on magnets and...
University of Wisconsin
Bimodel Botany Bouquet
Gardeners are given an individual plant specimen from a bouquet of local rain garden plants. They group up by their plant type and then make observations together, name the plant, and introduce it to the rest of the class. You then share...
National Geographic
Altitude: What's in the Air?
Introuduce your scientists to the differences in air at varying altitudes with a colorful explanatory graph. After some discussion, they view unbelievable footage of mountain-climbing Leo Houlding and a narrative about how he might do...
Education Outside
Garden Detective Sensory Tour
To prepare for a sensory walk outside, the whole class engages in a discussion of the five senses, kids close their eyes, and share what they sense. Groups then follow a guide, tour an area, and share what they experience...
Education Outside
Seed Saving
After a discussion of the factors that affect seed germination, class groups harvest and preserve seeds from the school garden.
Global Oneness Project
Bearing Witness
A controversial construction project in South America, the Belo Monte dam, is endangering local cultures, ecosystems, and communities. High schoolers create a concept map based on an online article they read before engaging in...
Tumblehome
Resisting Scientific Misinformation
How do scholars determine if a scientific claim is true? Learners investigate scientific misinformation by watching video clips and reading false advertising claims. They engage in discussion in both class and small group settings to...
American Chemical Society
Hosting a Chemistry Debate
A debate is a forum for discussing controversial topics and environmental chemistry definitely fits that category. The lesson provides everything necessary to run a mini debate tournament. Use the suggested topics or come up with some as...
Curated OER
Debate over Branding
The advantages and disadvantages of cattle branding are discussed. The class breaks into two groups to further consider each viewpoint. The lesson plan says that the class will read an article about the ongoing debate, but this article...
Curated OER
Edible Rock Activity
Who knew Snickers® could be used to teach science? Give your budding earth scientists a chance to explore the Law of Superposition, in addition to a well-earned snack.
Curated OER
Lab Safety
Students review lab safety by walking into a classroom full of hazards and discussing what is wrong as they clean each station up.
Curated OER
Molecular Biology and Primate Phylogenetics
Pairs of high school biologists compare amino acid differences in the beta hemoglobin of different primates. They use the information collected to construct a phylogenic tree. Follow-up discussion questions are provided. This is a...
ARKive
An Introduction to Endangered Species
Playing games is a wonderful way to practice skills, start a discussion, or build memory. First, the class discusses extinction and conservation, and then they play a game of bingo. The game cards are printable and include images of...
Science Matters
Island Fox Outreach
Off the coast of California lives a wild animal called the Island Fox. Experts discuss the importance of the Island Fox to the Channel Islands and the balance the fox creates within its ecosystem. The lesson concludes with a reading of...
Curated OER
Shasta Dam: How High is Too High?
Research water use in California, environmental protection laws, and the proposition to raise Shasta Dam by 200 feet. Researchers use their findings to build an argument which will be presented at a mock decision panel. Groups then...
National Science Teachers Association
Adopt-a-Dino
Earth historians research a specific dinosaur, write a paper about the Mesozoic era that it lived in, create an artistic rendition of the environment, and give a presentation in class about what they learned. Be aware that there are...
Curated OER
When I Was Young In Appalachia
Students comapre and contrast the lifestyles of the people of the Applachian region with their own community through in-class discussions, creative projects, hands-on activities, food preservation, homemade remedies, home construction,...