Curated OER
Permafrost: Permanently Frozen Ground
Young scholars explore permafrost. In this 3 states of matter lesson, students identify characteristics of solids and liquids. Young scholars observe water and soil melting and freezing at various temperatures. Students...
Curated OER
Let's Make a Plan
Students investigate pollution reduction policies in place at their school. In this pollution reduction lesson, students interview people in their school to determine what pollution policies are in place. They create a plan to increase...
Curated OER
How Much Water is Available in the Atmosphere for Precipitation?
Students explore the relationship between the amount of water in the atmosphere available for precipitation and the actual precipitation observed by satellite. They examine seasonal changes in precipitation. They practice using Internet...
Curated OER
Hold on Tight!
Students explore the relationship between plant roots and the soil in which they grow. They examine photos of uprooted trees and desert areas and
conduct experiments designed to highlight this mutual relationship between roots and soil....
Curated OER
Bringing Climate Change Into the Classroom
Students investigate the greenhouse effect and examine the potential effects of climate change in the Arctic. They construct a mini-greenhouse and test its effect on temperature, analyze historical climate statistics, and conduct an...
Curated OER
Continental Drift
Be sure to come prepared to discuss the theory of Pangaea and the two super-continents, Laurasia and Gondwanaland. Collaborative learners look for fossil evidence that supports the theory that one super-continent divided into two. They...
Curated OER
Hello, Anybody Out There?
Students understand that people believe there may be life in other solar systems. In this communication with other solar systems lesson, students analyze our planet and write things they want to communicate to other solar systems.
Curated OER
Rotten Truth
Pupils complete activities to study decomposition. For this decomposition lesson, students work in pairs to observe a decay buffet experiment. Pupils keep compost bag journals. Students define and discuss the process of decomposition.
National Wildlife Federation
Meet the Extractors, Harvesters, and Harnessers: Methods, Technology, Benefits and Consequences in Acquiring Natural Resources
There are advantages and disadvantages to all sources of energy; the trick is determining which one has the least impact! Part six in the series of 12 has learners further explore energy resources. After reading information about one of...
Curated OER
Glaciers and Ice Wedging
Fourth graders observe and identify a variety of weathering and geological activities in the area in which they live. This focuses primarily on what happened during the Ice Age, and how, even today, glaciers are shaping and re-shaping...
Curated OER
Does cloud type affect rainfall?
Student use MY NASA DATA to obtain precipitation and cloud type data. They create graphs of data within MY NASA DATA. Students compare different cloud types, compare precipitation, and cloud type data They qualitatively describe graphs...
Curated OER
Weather Instruments
Third graders practice making predictions about weather from conditions they observe on weather instruments and weather reports. Learners are introduced to the most basic weather reporting instruments: the thermometer, the wind vane, the...
Polar Trec
Can Carbon Dioxide Act Like a Greenhouse Gas?
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...
Polar Trec
Mini-Ocean Bathymetric Mapping Research Cruise
Middle or high schoolers transform into oceanographers in a week-long simulation. To begin, each group follows directions to create a model of the ocean floor with specified features. Next, the groups prepare to set sail on a research...
Curated OER
Coal Derivatives by Destructive Distillation
Chemists use the destructive distillation technique to produce three derivatives from a sample of bituminous coal. You will find background information, a materials list, procedures, and sample follow-up questions that you can use in...
Curated OER
Changing Ways
Third graders examine hard boiled eggs as possible models for the earth's layers.
Curated OER
How Far Away is SOHO?
High schoolers create a scale model of the Earth and the sun that demonstrates where the SOHO satellite is in relation to the Earth.
Curated OER
How Can a Spacecraft Always Face the Sun?
Students determine the correct orbital path for a satellite that collects data about the sun so that its view of the sun never be obstructed by the Earth.
Curated OER
Paper Plate Sunflowers
A great way to recall the parts of a flower is to make one. Little learners create sunflowers out of paint and paper plates. They also discuss and label the various parts of their flowers.
Curated OER
Watercolor Rainbows
Who doesn't love a rainbow? Little ones adore them, so why not make rainbows the subject of your next art project. Your class can use watercolor to paint rainbows. As they do, have them identify the colors in the rainbow, talk about how...
Curated OER
Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining
Students become familiar with coal as an energy source and how it is mined. In this coal lesson, students research the effects of coal mining on the environment. Students discuss the various problems associated with coal mining....
Curated OER
Continents and Oceans on the Move
Students create an awareness of the vast percentage of water covering the earth. They relate similarities/differences between topographical maps and other maps of various time periods. Students examine how to use a topographical map.
Curated OER
Renewable Energy
Students examine the United States' current and future energy needs. They describe different forms of renewable energy sources and compare the impacts of renewable and non-renewable energy sources on the earth and society.