Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Building Ecological Pyramids

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Looking for a fresh take on traditional food/energy pyramids? Conduct an innovative activity where pupils build their own! The lesson uses research data from Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique for a real-life safari touch. Scholars...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's Raining, It's Pouring: The Water Cycle

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the relationship of the steps in the water cycle, and create a simulation of the water cycle in a jar.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Can't Wait - Gotta Migrate:The Monarch Butterfly

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study the migratory behavior of the monarch butterfly and to carefully develop a scientific method for answering one question concerning their behavior. They perform many meaningful tasks which help them explain the Monarch...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Appearances Are Deceiving

For Teachers 6th
Young scientists study creeks around their area to see how clean the water really is. One way to tell is by the invertebrate populations that are present. This lesson introduces a game which learners simulate a variety of species found...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cut-off Genes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Investigate the relationships between different deep-sea organisms by DNA sequencing. A worksheet provides instructions for DNA sequencing and space to work. They simulate gel electrophoresis by cutting out paper "DNA strands."...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Waves

For Teachers 5th
Light waves and sound waves are the focus of this science lesson designed for 5th graders. Besides discovering how these waves travel, learners also discover the basic properties of waves, and analyze data tables and graphs. The...
Lesson Plan
Colombia University NSEC

Lesson #3 ~ Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Here is a six-page script for your biology, chemistry, or physics class to read out loud as a way of investigating nanoscience. This particular lesson is actually a continuation of "Lesson #2 - Nanoscience and Nanotechnology," written in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Trial of the Bloody Sucker

For Teachers 4th - 6th
A blood sucking what? Grade schoolers identify the characteristics of blood sucking parasites. They organize their information, identify their arguments, and present them to the class in persuasive arguments. They participate in a debate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

All Hats for Ecology: Solid Waste Presentation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate community issues with solid waste. In this mock trial lesson, students examine the issues of solid waste from an ecological and economical perspective. They will develop a mock trial which encourages preservation of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who's Range is it?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners investigate the habits of panthers by analyzing radio transmitted data.  In this animal life lesson, students utilize computers to view the range of different statistics dealing with Florida panthers.  Learners...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Clothes on the Grow

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Can you grow clothes? Sure, wool, cotton, and Angora are all natural resources used to make textile products. Learners investigate the differences between synthetic and natural fibers, then consider textile processing careers. They watch...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Do We Need to Wear a Rainhat? Acid Rain: Causes, Effects, and Possible Solutions

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Acid rain, and how it affects the environment, is the focus of this Earth science instructional activity. During the study, learners evaluate measures to reduce acid rain, and design an investigation to demonstrate the conection between...
Unit Plan
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Curated OER

Hazards: First Grade Lesson Plans and Activities

For Teachers 1st Standards
Examine the environmental hazards associated with volcanoes with a three-part science lesson. In the pre-lab, first graders learn that gas, landslides, ash, and lava are all hazards that come from volcanoes. They then explore...
Handout
Cornell University

What is IPM?

For Students 4th - 5th
Discover what a pest is and how to identify one with a lesson that looks closely at our outside world and taxonomy. Scholars investigate insects and plants to practice their identification skills, take a survey, and explore the...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

The Methane Circus

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
Step right up! An engaging research-centered lesson, the third in a series of six, has young archaeologists study the amazing animals of the Cambrian explosion. Working in groups, they profile a breathtaking and odd creature and learn...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Oceans of Energy

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
Are the earth's oceans really just giant batteries, waiting for their energy to be harnessed? Middle school mechanical engineers will be shocked by the amazing amount of energy that forms around them after diving into part four of a...
Unit Plan
Columbus City Schools

Making Waves

For Teachers 7th Standards
Learning about waves can have its ups and downs, but a demo-packed tool kit has the class "standing" for more! Learners gain experience with several different wave types, organizing observations and data, and wave...
Lesson Plan
Florida International University

Design Your Own

For Students 9th - 12th
Apply scientific principles to designing an experiment to study organisms living on the coral reef in our oceans. Through reading, individuals learn about the coral reef ecosystem and important factors that affect its function....
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Mechanical Properties of Gummy Worms

For Students 9th - 12th
Learners won't have to squirm when asked the facts after completing an intriguing lab investigation! Hook young scholars on science by challenging them to verify Hooke's Law using a gummy worm. Measuring the length of the worm as they...
Lesson Plan
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Nanotechnology Invention and Design: Phase Changes, Energy, and Crystals

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What does it take to be considered a smart material? Learners investigate the properties of Nitinol, a smart material, through a hands-on lab activity. They examine the crystal lattice structure and the conditions required for Nitinol to...
Lesson Plan
Kenan Fellows

Reaction Stoichiometry—How Can We Make Chalk?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What is a reasonable percent yield in the manufacturing process? Scholars develop a process for producing chalk in the third lesson of a six-part series. Then, they must determine the theoretical and percent yield. Discussions about...
Lesson Plan
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NASA

Christa's Lost Lesson: Effervescence

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
How are chemical reactions affected by gravity? Learners explore the phenomenon of effervescence as part of the Christa's Lost Lessons series. They compare findings in an experiment on effervescence to a video of a similar experiment in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Stone Boat Mystery

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students design and execute a lab through which they study the distinctions between density, buoyancy, and volume.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

2nd Grade - Act. 23: Sprout Houses

For Teachers 2nd
Read the story "Sunflower House,"  by Eve Bunting with your 2nd graders to investigate the relationships between plants and animals. They will discover how living things change during their lives by creating their own sprout houses....