Honing reading and communication skills through the theme of farm animals is the focus of this instructional activity. Students read a book about Scandinavian farm animals and complete prediction journal activities. They complete a...

Youngsters construct a map of treasures that they find along a nature trail as they hike. They also make sketches and create place names of some of the spots along the trail. Once back in class, pupils use their treasure maps to help...

Students explore the life cycle of the Painted Lady Butterfly. They set up cameras near a butterfly culture. They create an iPhoto photo book to document and journal their observations of the metamorphosis. Students produce a narrated...

Learners are introduced to the various types of dinosaurs and write in their journals about their favorite one. After listening to a story and watching a filmstrip, they color a few pages in their Dinosaur Friends Book. They also examine...

Pupils keep a garden journal after planting a garden and discuss environmental stresses put upon the garden for growth. In this garden lesson plan, students plant the plants differently from one another and observe the outcomes.

Students identify the various forms of fresh water on the earth. They observe a demonstration aand read articles that show them the importance of water conservation. They write a journal about their opinion regarding paying for water.

Students discuss rockets and how they work. Students research basic information about the Space Shuttle. Students work in collaborative groups creating "rockets" with empty film canisters. Students launch their "rockets" and record...

Students discuss how the Hudson River is an ecosystem made up of both biotic and abiotic factors. They view the PowerPoint the Journal Down the Hudson River. Students become aware of where the Hudson River begins and ends, the plant and...

Elementary schoolers explore states of matter by concentrating on the ways in which water moves between its solid, liquid, and gaseous states in a variety of Earth environments. Learners interpret these movements through dance. The...

Pupils participate in a multi-grade scavenger hunt. Using fun-fact cards, they answer questions based on Illinois. They record their answers in a journal and discuss any items they are unclear on.

Learners discover gardening by documenting plants grown on school grounds.  In this botany lesson, students utilize digital cameras to capture images of plants on photo hikes which are turned into a slide show.  Learners plant...

Students observe their local forest and document the change that occurs over the school year.  For this forestry lesson plan, students utilize a GPS to mark a certain area of the woods as their study area for the remainder of the...

Third graders study the 3 main types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic. They examine samples of these types of rocks and discuss ways to tell what kind of rock each is. They take notes and draw pictures in their science...

Students observe and demonstrate how objects can be charged positively and negatively and how static electricity works. They observe a teacher-led demonstration, and in small groups rotate through various static electricity activities,...

Students investigate the scientific method by reading science journals.  In this scientific research instructional activity, students read several articles of the National Inquirer and analyze the specific parts of an article....

Students explore the three main forms of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. They examine concrete examples of each, using their five senses and "experimenting" to find differences in them. They find pictures of each, cut them out and past...

Learners read an online article about an earthquake and follow up with a series of discussion questions about earthquakes. They answer questions in their science journals about continental drift, plate tetonics, and their influence on...

Third graders identify the living and non living things in a book read aloud and discuss the interactions represented in the book. Then, they research and include a list of food that each animal needs in an ecosystem. Finally, 3rd...

Students experiment with water and ice. For this states of matter lesson, students explore how water can change from a solid to a liquid and back again. They discuss and write about the results of the experiment in a science journal.

Fourth graders explore electricity by reading a story in their class. In this research technique instructional activity, 4th graders read a Magic School Bus book together and decide which elements of the story are the most important when...

A comprehensive lesson on acceleration awaits your physicists and engineers! Two YouTube videos pique their interest, then sample F=ma problems are worked and graphed. The highlight of the lesson is the building of a Lou-Vee air car!...

Digital compass alignment enables navigation of the skies with true orientation at any time. Just point to the sky or "aim for the stars!" This application acts as a virtual telescope, allowing you to zoom in on any object that is...

Middle schoolers observe weather conditions of a particular city. Multiple intelligences are explored within this instructional activity. They locate their particular city on a United States map. Each student writes about their...

Second graders study earthworms. In this science lesson, 2nd graders observe an earthworm using a magnifying lens, draw pictures of the earthworm, and record their observations.