Curated OER
Fossil Fuel Sources, Usage and Alternatives: What Are the Options?
Students examine the relationship between energy and the environment. In groups, they participate in experiments to discover the law of thermodynamics and the differences between potential, kinetic and mechanical forms of energy. They...
Curated OER
Bellwork for Week 8-Continental Drift and Fossils
In this continental drift and fossils activity, students complete a puzzle of the continents and they answer questions about fossils, the layers of the earth's crust, Wegener's continental drift theory and the major plates.
Curated OER
Reconstructing a Fossil Pterosaur
Students reconstruct the skeleton of the fossil Scaphognathus crassirostis. In this fossil lesson plan, students discuss the Kingdoms of life, geologic history and the history of the skeletons of species. Students are given 20 minutes to...
Curated OER
Studying Fossils: Hominoid Skull Comparison
High schoolers collect data on the differences in Hominid skulls using acrylic casts of fossil skulls. They measure a series of structures on skulls from six different species then use the data to determine evolutionary relationships...
California Academy of Science
Human Evolution
As the great and hilarious Tim Minchin once said, "Science is simply the word we use to describe a method of organizing our curiosity." Science is more than just a guess; it is based on questions, observations, and evidence. High...
California Academy of Science
Optimal and Sustainable: Renewable Energy Revamp
More than 100 cities around the world have shifted from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Scholars investigate a city wanting to make this switch, but needs help determining how to make the shift. Groups consider all options,...
Curated OER
Fun with Fossils
Second graders explore the geologic process of fossil formation. In this geology lesson, 2nd graders discuss the job of a paleontologist and make their own model of a fossil. This lesson includes teacher directed questions.
Curated OER
Science: Fossil of a Carbonized Plant
Students classify leaves by shape and margins and use them to create models of plant fossils. By using paper over a leaf, they simulate fossilization of organisms onto sedimentary rocks. Following instructions on worksheets, students...
NOAA
Climate, Corals and Change
Global warming isn't just an issue on land; deep ocean waters are also showing troubling signs. Young scientists learn more about deep water corals and the many recent discoveries researchers have made. Then they examine data related to...
Virginia Department of Education
Three Types of Rocks
Rock out with the second installment of a five-part series on earth materials and processes. Your budding geologists make observations of given rock samples and posit classification systems for rocks. They then learn about the...
Curated OER
What are the Different Kinds of Fossils?
Young scholars examine different types of fossils. In this fossil lesson, students investigate the attributes of mold fossils, trace fossils, cast fossils, and true form fossils. Young scholars create their own fossil samples.
Curated OER
Past and Present
Students compare fossilized specimens to contemporary specimens. They use a computer and a Proscope Digital USB Microscope to collect and compare images of ferns, sand dollars and sow bugs to those of similar fossilized samples.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Stickleback Evolution Virtual Lab
How quickly do animals evolve? Can comparing different samples of the same fossil answer timeline questions? Scholars use virtual labs to examine fossils and learn about stickleback evolution. They compare pelvic morphology in lakes...
Curated OER
The Evidence for Evolution
Summarize a unit on evolutionary evidence. Learners recount information about the fossil record, molecular record, homologous structures, convergent evolution. This worksheet provides plenty of room for learners to write out responses,...
American Museum of Natural History
Rising CO2! What Can We Do?
It is colorless and scentless, but it makes a large impact on the environment. Learners explore carbon dioxide emissions and what they mean for the environment using an interactive graph. They review changes over time and how they impact...
Kenan Fellows
Farm to Fuel: The Alternative Fuels Industry
Need a lesson to fuel young minds? A variety of hands-on activities is sure to get your class fired up! Beginning with an introductory slideshow and culminating with group presentations, the week-long unit has something for everyone....
Curated OER
German Energy Conversations
Young scholars identify and interpret the current German energy mix and trends, as well as to make comparisons and contrasts to that of their own country. They write a two paragraph description of including its likely position in the...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Ocean Acidification
Human impacts on the environment can sometimes be difficult to measure, especially under water! An activity centered on ocean acidification gives science scholars the opportunity to examine the effects of carbon dioxide on marine life....
Curated OER
Make Your Own Biodegradable Plastic Stuff
Young scholars identify the four basic natural resources. They distinguish bettween renewable and non-renewable resources. Pupils recognize that all natural resources are needed by living plants and animals. Students list consequences...
Curated OER
Making Prehistory
Students create mock fossil records based on current scientific theories about prehistory. By learning about what fossil records teach us about different prehistoric time periods, students gain a greater understanding of theories of...
Curated OER
3rd grade life science
In this life science worksheet, 3rd graders answer multiple choice questions about plants, birds, habitats, and more. Students complete 20 questions.
Curated OER
Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students recognize that they haven't seen a dinosaur because they no longer exist. In this dinosaur instructional activity, students view videos and understand what the dinosaur habitat was like. Students role play dinosaurs. Students...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Human Feet Are Strange
Feet are neat! So, if you've already walked the path of examining animal footprints with your class, put them in the shoes of early humans! A well-designed activity incorporates video, discussion, and hands-on learning to demonstrate how...
National Wildlife Federation
Green Green Revolution
School budgets don't have a lot of extra money, so when students propose saving the district money, everyone jumps on board. The first lesson in the series of 21 introduces the concept of an energy audit. Scholars form an eco-action team...