Curated OER
Transparent Shoebox Dig
Take this simulated archaeological dig one layer at a time with your young pupils to encourage observation, critical thinking, and careful attention. Using a transparent box full of layers of sand and artifacts, pupils examine the...
Education Outside
Birder - Watcher
Take the class outside with a bird watching lesson. Young ornithologists participate in an outdoor activity that guides them on how to observe and study the feathered animals. After walking around school campus, bird watchers provide a...
Cornell University
Study Soil
What's in soil? Young scientists study the pH levels of soil from their school yard. They observe the land and area the soil came from to decide if location has anything to do with acidity level.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
What van Leeuwenhoek Saw
When van Leeuwenhoek saw cells and single-celled organisms for the first time, he knew these small things were a big deal! Share his discoveries with young learners through a narrated video, model-building activity, and scale study....
Scholastic
Study Jams! Scientific Methods
Middle school scientists learn the steps of the scientific method by watching this phenomenal film and by singing a karaoke song! They are introduced to making observations and hypotheses, determining variables, data collection, and...
Columbus City Schools
Get Your Organisms Organized
From large to small, show your class how to organize them all! Included within the guide is everything you need to take their knowledge of classification from the cellular to the species level. The worksheets focus on...
Intel
Forensics: Get a Clue
Although the methods are all scientific, forensic science was started by police officers rather than scientists, who relied on observation and common sense. Young detectives use many tools to solve crimes around the school in a...
Curated OER
Ladybugs, Ladybugs, Ladybugs
Those lovely ladybugs are so cute, and so very useful! Use a short unit to explore insect anatomy, the ladybug life cycle, and the help ladybugs provide organic farmers. The unit is comprised of four short thirty-minute lesson plans that...
Curated OER
Science: Observing Fish Behavior
Young scholars identify and explain various fish behaviors through observation. Over several months, they watch one fish in the classroom aquarium and record its behaviors in notebooks. They visit a virtual aquarium Website to find...
Curated OER
What Makes Shadows? Observing and Drawing Shadows
Students make accurate drawings of a classmate's shadow. They note position of the sun in the sky. They identify a connection between the direction of the shadow and the location of the sun. They observe changes in shadows over time.
Curated OER
The Art of Science: Glitter Bottles and Oobleck
After having a class discussion on the three states of matter, young scientists utilize the wonderful substance, Oobleck in order to experience something that changes states of matter. They also create "sparkle jars" which...
Curated OER
Observation Milk Fat Lesson
Turn your class loose to experiment with the different fat content in skim milk, whole milk, half and half, and heavy cream. This is a visually vibrant experiment, as learners drip food coloring on the surface of the products and measure...
Curated OER
Informed Drawing Through Observation
Students practice observation techniques to improve their drawing skills. In this drawing technique lesson, students assess drawing as an art media and discuss realism. Students view examples of animal drawings and practice drawing using...
Curated OER
Observations and Procedures
Young scientists critique the breakdown of detailed observations. They discover the importance of writing down experimental procedures. There are some guided discussion questions at the end of the resource.
Curated OER
Observation Challenge
Fourth graders, in groups, use observation skills at 12 stations and describe what they see.
Curated OER
Applied Science-Science and Math Lab
Students explore magnification. In this scientific observation skills lesson, students observe sea life items and draw pictures of what they observe. Students predict which lens will have the strongest magnification when given three...
Curated OER
Pumpkin Science
Fourth graders examine pumpkins and use the scientific method to explore its contents. In this Pumpkin Science lesson plan, 4th graders measure pumpkins for circumference. Students dress as if they were in a lab and work in pairs...
NASA
The Evidence is “Clear”!
Do you think you know better? Become a scientist and prove it. Scholars review the evidence for two different theories of the origins of the universe. They notice the empirical observations as well as the inferences to determine which is...
Curated OER
Observing the Pumpkin Cycle
Students observe and listen to nonfiction books about the life cycle of pumpkins. They practice early reading skills in a shared reading related to pumpkins. They observe the life cycle of a pumpkin including growth and decay.
Mr. Science
The Scientific Method
First, ask a question and then, do research. Next, form a hypothesis, and conduct an experiment. Make observations, gather and analyze data, and then state a conclusion based on the results. This is the scientific method, and here is a...
Science Matters
Plot Study
Small groups investigate plots of land to discover how abiotic and biotic factors interact. After recording their findings, scholars share observations with peers and self-reflect on the learning process.
Curated OER
What's in the Water? - Stream Side Science
Here is a complete activity in which young biologists or ecologists test the pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and temperature of stream water. The class visits an actual stream and makes observations of the site. They use scientific...
Curated OER
What the Heck Is Science Anyway?
Here is a 12-page outline of an introductory science lesson. The teacher lectures on what science is, the role of a scientists, different disciplines of science, and the impact of scientific discoveries. Detailed lecture notes are...