Curated OER
Oil Well That Ends Well
Focusing on the effect of oil spills on the environment, learners conduct experiments to explore this issue. First, they create an ocean environment using materials provided. Then, they make a simulated crude oil substance from vegetable...
Curated OER
Why Does the Cocoa Tree Need a Tropical Rainforest to Grow?
Fourth graders explore the requirements a cocoa plant needs to survive. They research where chocolate comes from and how humans can affect the growth of cocoa trees. Students create a 3-D model of a cocoa tree and compare and contrast...
Curated OER
Lesson 2 - Design Process-Measuring Wind Speed
A terrific lesson focused on the design process. It begins with a presentation, "Design: Solve a Problem," which lists the steps of the process and then introduces the specific challenge: to build a device that measures wind speed....
Curated OER
Dinosaurs
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...
Curated OER
The Alphabet Garden
Third graders transplant, tend and observe a plant for each letter of the alphabet in a school garden. They work individually to research and select a plant that will grow in their local climate. Students then care for and observe the...
Curated OER
Strange New Planet
Fourth graders gather data and simulate a Mars spacecraft mission using multi-sensory observations.
Curated OER
Making a Pinhole Camera
Learners are introduced to the basic straight line pattern of travel that light takes. A cereal box and wax paper provide the pinhole camera that captures the light's inverted image. Shifting this pattern provides additional challenges.
Curated OER
Infection Wars
Students observe blood cells under a microscope and make drawings of their observations. They write and act out a short play starring blood cells, antibodies and bacteria to demonstrate fighting infection.
Curated OER
Motion Lotion
Young scholars view a video to explain the meaning of friction. In a hands-on experiment using gelatin, students test the effects of lubrication on friction. They complete a worksheet imbedded in the lesson to describe their observations.
Curated OER
Up and Atom
"Up and Atom" is a mini-unit introducing middle-schoolers to the wonders of elements. Participants draw atom models, examine the periodic table, compare samples of metals to nonmetals, identify unknown elements, and more! The beginning...
Curated OER
UP AND ATOM
If you are willing to sort through this outline and overlook the portions relating to inaccessible videos, you will find a wealth of support for your introductory chemistry unit. Narrative is presented to help you help learners navigate...
Curated OER
Illinois Biodiversity
Students examine the amount of biodiversity in the state of Illinois. They practice using new vocabulary and listening to stories about animals. After given time to reflect, they write their own haiku. They work together to create a...
Curated OER
Volcano Lava Recipe--Experiment and Model
Students build a volcano of clay around a container that is thin and tall. They experiment with two containers with different mixtures in each. Students write out their findings and use strong adjectives to describe how the two mixtures...
Curated OER
The Vietnam War: Music of the Era
Students listen to famous songs of the Vietnam War Era. They complete a worksheet covering the ideas advocated/fought against therein.
Curated OER
What's Below the Earth's Surface?
Students identify the geological layers of the Earth. They graphically depict each layer's characteristics. Students label and develop a color key for their exhibit. They create a down-to-Earth 3-D display with Erasable Markers.
Curated OER
Water Wars
Students investigate the water wars taking place in East Africa. In this global issues lesson, students watch video clips and read selected articles about the water shortages in East Africa. Students estimate their own average daily...
Field Museum
The Case of Darwin's Finches
One of the most striking pieces of evidence for Darwin's Evolution of Species was his observations of finches and how their beaks differed from island to island, depending on their primary food sources. So what would happen to the theory...
Common Sense Media
Going Places Safely
How can places on the Internet be dangerous? Youngsters draw important connections between traveling online and staying safe in the real world. They also discover three key online safety rules to guide them throughout their...
Curated OER
The Effect of Natural Selection on Genes, Traits and Individuals
Rotating through five stations, evolutionary biologists explore the question of how changes in DNA facilitate the changes in a population over time. High-quality, colorful cards of animals, skeletons, skulls, and DNA sequences can all be...
Curated OER
Rocking the Boat
Students work together to discover the concepts of stability and equilibrium. They examine how equilibrium is related to an item's center of mass. They create their own action scene in a literacy activity.
Curated OER
Dishing the Dirt Part 1
Young scholars create a soil center on their school grounds. They begin to write in their science journals. They participate in an experiment that helps the community begin their own gardens.
Curated OER
Balance and Gravity
Students examine the concepts of balance. In this balance and gravity lesson students view a demonstration of a leaning tower and see how to find the center of gravity.
Curated OER
Winter Animal Match
Students play a game. In this matching instructional activity, students learn about animals and their winter homes. Students match cards of animals with the cards of winter homes.
Curated OER
Spiders
First graders complete a variety of center activities to study spider characteristics and facts. They solve math problems, identify spider body parts, and study vocabulary words to use in creative writing about spiders.