Curated OER
In the Mix
Students construct a water filter. In this engineering lesson, students discover how to construct a water filtration system. Students work in groups to sort tools by their properties. Students analyze and construct a water filtration...
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Look At Those Leaves!
Learners observe, measure, and sort tree leaves. They examine leaves individually, in groups, and in relationship to the entire tree. They become familiar with the seasonal changing of leaves. They realize that these and other changes...
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Classification
Students explore the observable properties of matter and utilize them in classification. They use a binary classification system to divide objects, then justify their scheme.
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Salt: Up Close and Personal
Learners predict, observe, and explain the details of salt as they view it under a variety of magnifications. They observe salt with the naked eye, and then under a hand lens, microscope, and the electron microscope.
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Spiders Catch Prey
Students see that spiders catch and eat their prey and are also caught and eaten by their enemies. They sort the pictures into animals that spiders eat, those they do not eat, and those that are spiders.
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Decidedly Different
Fifth graders inquire as to why scientists use observable characteristics, how they sort the characteristics, and why they do so. They write journal entries to be used throughout this unit.
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What Does the Inside of a Seed Look Like?
First graders study seeds. For this biology lesson, 1st graders observe the differences between dry and wet seeds and draw what is inside a seed after peeling off the outer coat of one of the seeds.
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Apples Aplenty
Students identify a variety of apples. In this agriculture lesson, students examine various types of apples and sort them according to attributes. Students describe the apple and create a word web. As an extension activity, students...
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Human Impacts to the Sandy Shore
Students investigate human impact on coastal environments. In this coastal environment lesson, students observe human impact on coastal environments. Students sort, classify, and chart marine debris collected on a local beach.
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Touch and Discover
Students identify the physical properties of items using the sense of touch. In this touch and discover instructional activity, students describe items. Students sort items using a Venn diagram.
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Constancy and Change
Second graders identify three forms of matter- solids, liquids, and gases with 100% accuracy. They observe what happens when they try to put two kinds of matter into the same space and conclude that solids, liquids, and gases occupy space.
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How a Liquid Changes to a Gas
Second graders identify three forms of matter- solids, liquids, and gases with 100% accuracy. They observe water evaporating from an open container and water evaporating and condensing in a closed container. The students assess that a...
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History of Rock
Learners study a specific type of rock then share that expertise with other students in small groups. They view a rock and write observations about the rock to form small groups. In addition, they present their rocks an obervations to...
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Let's Take a Rock Apart!
Students examine a crushed rock and sort the minerals they find in that rock by color and other properties.
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Recycling!
The young scholars recall events from Dr. Seuss' story The Lorax and make connections to environmental issues affecting their lives. They are expected to reflect on the facts of the story and respond verbally stating the inferences they...
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Investigating Local Ecosystems
Students observe a local area for living organisms and their habitats. In this local ecosystems lesson, students complete an online field journal. Students share their findings and sort them into categories. Students visit a...
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Potato chip Classification
Students create a dichotomous key using potato chips. In this classification lesson, students sort potato chips into groups based on observable characteristics. They record their results to create a dichotomous key in preparation for...
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Estuarine Currents
Students experiment observing a demonstration on models of density-driven currents which are typically found in an estuarine system of water flow. They compare/contrast water temperature and salinity to the formations of estuarine currents.
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Sedimentary Rocks
Fourth graders discuss the basic properties of rocks, the processes
involved in the formation of soils, and the needs of plants provided by soil. They write descriptions in their Science journal and identify and discuss each type of...
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Compost Cake
Students examine the decomposition process. They create their own class compost pile and record their observations. They discover which materials decompose at a different rate.
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Rocks
Students examine and classify various types of rocks. In this rock identification lesson, students complete a KWL chart about rocks and then read Let's Go Rock Collecting. Students go on a walk to collect rocks and then...
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Polymer
Learners investigate polymers by completing 3 experiments. In this polymer lesson plan, students mix plastic with acetone, they create polyurethane foam, they make slime and build a polymer model once their polyurethane foam is set. ...
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What's the Attraction
Students sort objects based on magnetism. In this magnetism lesson, students are given a variety of objects, then predict whether the object will be attracted to a magnet and test their hypothesis as they sort the objects into "yes" and...
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Ramps
Students experiment to see how various objects roll down ramps. In this ramp lesson, students observe weight, size, and material of objects. Students compare speeds by using a second ramp.