Curated OER
Energy of the Future
Students examine technologies that already exist and record their findings in a journal. They work with students in other countries to explore alternative energy sources They publish their designs online.
Curated OER
Break an Egg
Students research antarctic wildlife and create a diorama and fact sheet to present their research to the class. They create an Antarctic explorer's journal.
Curated OER
Oil Spills
Third graders examine the San Francisco oil spill and the effects it has had. In this investigative lesson plan students view a demonstration on oil clean up and how it works. They see how wildlife is rehabilitated, how the...
Curated OER
Reviving Celery
The classic in-class demonstration using celery dipped into water with food coloring is the highlight of this biology lesson plan. Young scientists discover that organisms are made up cells and have distinguishing characteristics. After...
Curated OER
Zoo Animal Experts
As part of an exploration of zoo animals, kindergarteners conduct research on their favorite animal and compile their information. Learners write about their animal in a journal and create a trading card. The culminating activity is a...
Curated OER
Science That's Out of This World
Students use iChat AV and an iSight camera to "meet with" a space scientist to ask and answer questions, visit relevant websites, and broaden their understanding of the solar system and space. They videoconference with a sientist and...
Curated OER
Science: Liquid Matter
Second graders examine the properties of liquids and their classifications. They compare and contrast cups of different liquids and record their findings in journals. Students observe how liquids flow at various speeds and that unlike...
Penguin Books
Wonder in the Classroom
Would you rather be right, or would you rather be kind? A novel unit based on R.J. Palacio's Wonder focuses on the need to be kind to others and to accept their differences. As learners read the book, they discuss the themes of...
Curated OER
Mmmm, Mmmm ... and Good
Students consider their own diets and examine an op-ed article about organically produced foods. They research alternatives to various foods for the creation of a supermarket and reflect on their own diets after keeping a food journal.
Curated OER
What is a Cloud?
Students identify what clouds are made of. In this weather science lesson, students look at clouds outside the window and draw what they see in their journals. Students read the book It Looked Like Spilled Milk and identify what clouds...
Curated OER
Ladybugs
Third graders keep and report records of investigations and observations of ladybugs utilizing tools like journals, charts, graphs and computers. They discover and study the life cycle of ladybugs and complete a KWL chart about ladybugs.
Curated OER
Something Fishy?
Learners try to draw and identify a jellyfish from a physical description. After reading an article, they discover new information about cnidarians. In groups, they research and develop dioramas about a specific cnidarian species. They...
Curated OER
Woman on a Mission
Young scholars explore the July 1999 space shuttle mission while learning how to cite Web sites in correct MLA bibliographical format. They discuss the mission's goals and historic importance as the first American space flight commanded...
Curated OER
Who Was Charles Darwin?
Students examine how Darwin used the processes of science to support his theory. They distinguish between artificial and natural selection, recognize Darwin's contribution to science. They produce a newspaper describing the times in...
Curated OER
Survival of the Fittest Microbes
Students explore the harsh conditions of Spain's Rio Tinto River and research the microbes that nonetheless manage to thrive there. They synthesize their knowledge by creating a reality television show set in the Rio Tinto with microbes...
Curated OER
Identifying Erosion
Students identify erosion in various forms and explain its causes. They look for evidence of erosion on school grounds, describe it in their journals, and draw labeled rough sketches of the erosion.
Curated OER
Glacier Slide
Students conduct an experiment. In this glaciers lesson, students learn about glaciers and then perform an experiment to show how glaciers shape the landscape around them. Students draw a picture in their journals to...
Curated OER
Introduction To Orbital Mechanics
Students use NASA drawings to build a model satellite for a specific mission. They design a set of drawings for their satellite showing its subsystems as well.
Curated OER
Properties of Air
Fourth graders participate in a demonstration lesson using bubbles in which they determine that air fills the bubbles. Next, they work in small groups as they they experiment with the properties of air at separate work stations. After...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
What is the Water Cycle? Activity A
Hydrologists create a concept map about how water is used and a sentence strip defining water and describing its unique properties. Small groups work together to fill a small milk carton and compute the mass of water inside. The next...
Curated OER
Rock Sorting
First graders observe rocks, record their observations about the rocks and classify them according to their observations. As a class, 1st graders create a list of observable characteristics of rocks. They sort a group of rocks...
Curated OER
Growing Jack and the Beanstalk Plants
First graders investigate how plants grow by growing their own "beanstalk", (after reading "Jack and the Beanstalk") and record their observations daily in a science journal.
Curated OER
Butterflies, Butterflies, Butterflies
Transform your class into a butterfly museum! Research different types of butterflies, their habitat, and life cycle. Interactive components such as PowerPoint presentations, Claymation movies, and webpages add pizzaz to the museum...
Curated OER
Classification Introduction
Learners simulate classifying rocks using different colored skittles. In this earth science lesson, students create a Venn diagram according to their compiled information. They share this diagram in the class.