Science 4 Inquiry
"Something Old, Something New..."
Young scientists learn about DNA replication through a video and model creation. They answer analysis questions before exploring the role of mutations and then complete a summative assessment.
Science 4 Inquiry
Phases of the Moon
The moon takes just over 27 days to orbit around Earth. Young scientists position themselves as the earth as they rotate around the sun and hold the moon. This allows them to observe the patterns and phases of the moon.
Science 4 Inquiry
Maintaining Mass
Can you disprove the law of conservation of mass? Pupils observe the teacher weigh each part of a reaction. Then, the teacher weighs the result of the reaction and everyone sees that the products do not equal the reactants. Then they...
Curated OER
Riding on a Pendulum
A comprehensive resource gets fourth grade physical scientists making observations about the period of a pendulum and then applying knowledge to a playground swing. Through seven different stations, they will record observations and...
Science 4 Inquiry
Bubbles and Colors and Smells...Oh My!
A demonstration of elephant toothpaste hooks pupils' interest as they complete multiple experiments with colors, smells, bubbles, and more. By the end, they understand the differences between physical and chemical changes in the world...
Science 4 Inquiry
Do You See What I See?
In only nine months, a small group of cells grows into a fully developed baby. Pupils learn about the development of an embryo to a fetus to a baby. They identify each step of weekly development. Young scientists look at ultrasounds to...
Science 4 Inquiry
Musical Vibes with Palm Pipes
Ancient people used musical pipes as early as the third millennium BCE. Young scientists explore the workings of musical pipes to better understand the relationship with frequency, length of pipe, and sound waves. They determine the...
Science 4 Inquiry
Genetics, Genetics, and More Genetics: Exploring Independent Assortment and Non-Mendelian Genetics
Two individuals share 99.9 percent of their genetic codes, yet diversity is observed everywhere. Young scientists learn about diversity through hands-on activities and an experiment. They apply the concepts of independent assortment and...
Science 4 Inquiry
A Whole New World: The Search for Water
Scholars find Earth won't support humans much longer and need to identify a planet with water to inhabit. They test four unknown samples and determine which is the closest to water. Then they explain and defend their results.
Science 4 Inquiry
Layers and Laws: The Law of Superposition and Index Fossils
What can layers of rock teach us about the climate? Young scientists solve a mystery about who stole a cookie by applying the law of superposition. Then, they apply the same concept to solve a more difficult mystery, trying to determine...
Perkins School for the Blind
Building an Organic Molecule
Glucose is a simple sugar and a molecule that can be illustrated through modeling. Scientific investigators with visual impairments use hands-on models to reconstruct the process of bonding molecules. The tools used in this activity are...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Carbon Through the Seasons
Meteorologists view an animated video by the Environmental Protection Agency to learn how the carbon cycle works, and then move into groups to analyze and graph actual data of the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration from Hawaii's...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How is Flowing Water an Energy Source? Activity A
Here is a fun little exploration of the potential energy potential of falling water. Learners drop water from various heights using a straw, and they analyze the diameter of the splash. Pair this with two more activities of the same...
NOAA
Importance of Deep-Sea Ecosystems – What Killed the Seeds?
Most drugs used today come from nature, so the discovery of new ecosystems in the deep sea is exciting from a medical perspective. Scholars develop their own bioassay to test germination rates in seeds.
National Library of Medicine
Your Environment, Your Health: Air Quality
Some scientists argue that air pollution now causes more deaths than smoking. The second unit in a six-part series focuses on air quality. Scholars learn what's in the air, how clean the air around their school is, and what they can do...
Curated OER
Magnets and Interactions
Second graders discover what magnets can do. In this magnet lesson students make predictions about magnets. They experiment with the magnets and record their data on a chart.
Curated OER
The Blue Bottle: An Example of Teacher-Guided Inquiry
Learners observe a demonstration in which a bottle containing a colorless solution is mixed, turns blue, then becomes colorless again. They record observations, form and discuss hypotheses, and draw a conclusion based on the evidence.
Curated OER
The Birds and the Beaks
Students explore the adaptations that birds have. In this adaptations lesson students view a video and create a concept map of birds and their adaptive traits.
Curated OER
Does Soap Float?
Students form hypotheses and carry out an investigation in order to answer a central question: Does soap float? The focus of this lesson is on scientific inquiry, but it incorporates scientific topics such as sinking and floating.
Curated OER
The Importance of Detailed Procedures in Science
Students examine the importance of clear communication in scientific exploration. In pairs, they write clear directions for an everyday activity for their partner to read and follow.
Curated OER
Whale Watcher Game Lesson
Students participate in an online whale watching game. They identify the reasons for migration and describe the route. They make predictions on what would happen if the ways did not migrate.
Curated OER
Popcorn Science: Pop Goes the Kernel!
Students conduct various experiments to determine why popcorn pops. They design tests to determine the effect of water in the kernels on its popping. Once the experiments are completed, they write summaries of them proving or...
Curated OER
Honesty and Ethics in the Science Lab
Students complete a variety of lab and discussion activities as they are introduced to ethics and honest lab practices. They perform various biology, chemistry, or physics labs which test their ethical lab practices.
Curated OER
Designing an Underwater Habitat for Humans
Students consider the limitations of deep water oceanography and design an underwater habitat to support scientists while they complete long term studies under the ocean. In this engineering lesson plan, students are introduced to the...
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