Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Myths and Legends on Natural Disasters: Making Sense of Our World

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore different natural and manmade disasters through a webquest. In this earth science lesson, students explain their causes. They also discuss how disasters affect society. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In a Giants Garden

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students explore the effect of the earths rotation and its relationship to the suns position and the effect that the longer and shorter amount of daylight has on a pumpkin plant which they have planted.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Environmental Puzzle: The Carbon Cycle

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are introducced to how respiration and photosysnthesis cycle carbon through ecosystems. They read background information that describes the role of the Sun as Earth's ultimate energy source and explains how the energy...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Far Out!

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research and compare/contrast how routine tasks on Earth would be without gravity. They read and discuss the article "The Life Galactic: A Lot of Work, a Little Play, Plenty of E-Mail." In groups they write a pitch for a TV...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

A Rockin' Investigation

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scientists identify the rock cycle. In this earth science activity, students participate in web-based research to understand how sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks form. As a follow-up, they collect various rocks and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is There Liquid Water on Mars?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students assess whether there is liquid water on Mars by analyzing images and data.  In this planetary lesson students analyze temperature and pressure graphs and hypothesize about how water could have flowed on Mars.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Vectors

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students describe motion by the use of adding vectors to obtain the resultant vector. They comprehend the meaning of a resultant vector. Students identify the difference between the x and y components of vector quantities. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Forests Need Fires?

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students consider how forest fires are both damaging and beneficial to forests.  In this earth science instructional activity, students are read the book Fire! In Yellowstone by Robert Ekey and watch "Fire Ecology" and "Two Sides of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Water Cycle

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students simulate the water cycle. For this water cycle lesson, students create a model of the water cycle. Students draw the water cycle and write a paragraph explaining their drawing.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Machines: The Wede & Lever

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students describe how wedge and lever makes work easier. In this physics lesson, students analyze experimental data by creating a graph to see the trends. They calculate the work done and mechanical advantage of these simple machines.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes a Home "Energy Efficient"?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Learners research and report the costs and benefits of making their own homes more energy efficient. In this energy conservation lesson, students explore energy efficient technologies and design over several days. They complete a home...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Environment and You

For Teachers 1st
First graders examine the human environmental impact and discover ways to lessen effects. They create a pollution damage flow chart and write down what they think Mother Earth might say. They create inventions from recyclable materials.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Corals & Coral Reefs

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students describe a coral reef, how it is formed and its inhabitants. They explain the ecological and economic importance of coral reefs and discuss its present-day threats. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Went Walking

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Young scholars take pictures. In this nature walk lesson, students read I Went Walking and brainstorm a list of things they might see on a nature trail. Young scholars take pictures of things they see on the nature trail, write a caption...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Line Graph of the Ocean Floor

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students develop a spreadsheet and import the information into a line graph. In this spreadsheet and line graph instructional activity, students develop a spreadsheet of ocean depths. They import the information into a word processed...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life In Space

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students figure out how to design their own space station. They take a tour on the International Space Station to see what living there is really like, and how lessons learned on the ISS help pave the way for future space tourists.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Plants Help Us Breathe

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders discuss how humans breathe and how plants help us to stay alive. In groups, they identify and label the different parts of plants and describe their functions. They compare and contrast the ways plants and animals breathe...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Me And My Shadow

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students investigate the concept of a shadow. They design a tool to create shadows for an experiment. They make observations and record the size and shape of shadows. The lesson contains background information for the teacher to deliver...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Glove Gardens

For Teachers K - 5th
Students investigate how seeds sprout. In this scientific inquiry instructional activity, students make predictions on which seeds will grow the fastest and observe the seeds over a period of time. Observations are recorded into a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recycle Lifecycle

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate the recycling process. In this recycling lesson, students read the article The Recycling Process After Collection and discuss the advantages of recycling. As an extension activity, students simulate the molding of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Causes, Effects, Solutions

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research two key topics. In this environment lesson, students review the greenhouse effect and global warming. Students form groups and research questions about these two topics. Students present their answers to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explain the greenhouse effect. In this global warming lesson plan, students participate in an activity where they experience how greenhouses gases work and how they contribute to global warming. Students complete a diagram...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plate Tectonics

For Teachers 4th - 6th
In this geology worksheet, students will cut a map of California along the San Andreas fault line to see how California might change in the future. Then students will compare a world map from 50 million years in the future with a present...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cosmic Wheels

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students build a scale model of the Solar System and determine the time other planets take to travel around the Sun in comparison to the time of the Earth's revolution. The velocity of the planets are also determined in this lesson plan.