Which is worse — drought or flooding? Neither is helpful to the environment, and both are increasing due to climate change. The 16th lesson plan in a series of 21 covers the average precipitation trends for two different climates within...

Many researchers focus on one impact of climate change in isolation, but researchers gain a global perspective when they come together. A timely lesson teaches scholars about the projected impacts of global temperature increases. Then...

Climate change and weather extremes impact every species, but this lesson focuses on how these changes effect polar bears. After learning about the animal, scholars create maps of snow-ice coverage and examine the yearly variability and...

"Humans have become a geologic agent comparable to erosion and [volcanic] eruptions ..." Paul J. Crutzen, a Nobel Prize-winning atmospheric chemist. Using Landsat imagery, scholars create a grid showing land use type, such as urban,...

Currently, only 2.1% of global warming is felt on continents, while over 93% is felt in the oceans. The fourth lesson in the series of 21 on global warming is composed of three activities that build off one another. In the first...

Construction leads to habitat loss and local wildlife suffers. Scholars must build a reptile egg incubation device that meets many constraints. Various experiments help them discover the chemical reaction needed to reach...

Sixth graders investigate how heat is transferred and the concepts of conduction, convection, and radiation. They define key vocabulary terms, and observe teacher-led demonstrations of conduction, convection, and radiation.

Young scholars construct model rockets, measure and record the height of the launch.  In this creative instructional activity students use different methods to calculate velocity and height data from their launched rockets.

Students review atomic numbers, positive and negative charges, and the periodic table. They examine the relationships among protons and electrons, location of various elements, electron energy levels, and oxidation numbers.

Students research on renewable and nonrenewable resources. In this chemistry lesson, students design and build solar panels. They evaluate their device and write a lab report.

Students examine the level of energy usage on a local and national level. Using the internet, they discover ways to conserve energy every day and how over-consumption of energy negatively affects the environment. In groups, they...

Students identify the five major alternative energy sources. In this physical science lesson plan, students assess the advantages and disadvantages for each type of energy. They complete a concept map using information they researched.

Fifth graders discuss the different types of energy and experiment with tesla coil to show the three types of energy transfer. They write conclusions in their science journal.

Pupils calculate the values of electron binding energies. In this physics lesson, students solve for different wavelength characteristics of X-rays. They present their findings to the class.

Students identify the energy sources in their community as renewable or non-renewable resources. Using their homes, they identify the types of energy they use to heat and power it. They calculate the amount of electricity used by each...

In this science worksheet, learners locate and identify various vocabulary terms related to earth science. There are 44 words/phrases located in the puzzle.

Students examine the concept of potential energy and see that it is the ability to do work.  In this energy lesson plan students complete several activities on potential energy. 

Students investigate energy sources and renewable energy. They discuss true or false statements, examine how much energy they have used that day and compare it to a classmate, match energy sources with a definition, and participate in a...

Students explore the various controls on the amount of solar radiation received at different parts of the Earth's surface by participating in a whole class discussion. They respond to prompts that lead them to conclusions about the...

Sixth graders investigate the concept of energy using a hypothetical story. The power goes out in their house and they no longer can play your videogames. Students must create your own alternative power source. This story sets the stage...

Learners discover the difference between kinetic and potential energy in an experiment using toy cars and tracks. In small groups, they set up the experiment to determine the distance milk cartons will travel when hit by toy car. They...

Students examine the different ways heat can be felt.  For this radiation and conduction lesson, students recognize that the sun radiates heat. Students conduct three experiments to find how the sun warms the Earth and how that heat...

Students examine rainbow components, spectral colors, colors perceived by the eye, hot solids, glowing rarefied gas, absorption, that light is a wave, and optics.

First graders explore simple machines. In this technology lesson plan, 1st graders review pulleys, levers, wedges, and ramps. They experiment with lifting items with and without these simple machines.