Curated OER
Exercise in creating drawings for field notebooks
Students (with a partner) draw and describe a leaf in its natural setting, and then re-find leaves drawn and described by classmates. The point is to have them start to think about observations in science, what to put in a field...
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Learners write from an animal's perspective. In this writing lesson plan students explore the landscape of San Francisco prior to the arrival of the explorers. Learners research animals indigenous to the area.
Curated OER
Camouflage and Protective Coloration: A Model of Natural Selection
Students study protective coloration and camouflage in animals. They create examples of each and conduct simulation-type experiments to determine which is the most effective adaptation.
Curated OER
Physical Science: Magnetism and Electricity
Students use a variety of objects to test for ability to "stick" to a magnet. They perform an experiment to see that electricity in circuits can produce light, heat, sound, and magnetic effects. They discover magnets attract and repel...
Curated OER
Where in the Latitude Are You? A Longitude Here.
Students distinguish between latitude and longitude on the map. In this mapping lesson, students participate in mapping skills to recognize spatial relationships, and where to find natural resources on the map. Students create their own...
Curated OER
Lunar Cycle
Students become familiar with repeating patterns in nature, namely the phases of the moon.
Curated OER
Good Vibrations: Building a Wave Model
Students assess and apply recurring patterns in natural systems. They evaluate the wave properties of frequency, wavelength, and speed as applied to sound. Students develop a relationship to quantify aspects of wave motion. They predict...
Curated OER
Adire Eleko Cloth Glue Patterns
First graders are introduced to the art form of African Adire Eleko cloth - painted patterned textiles. They use paper, glue and paint to imitate the technique and create similar patterns on paper.
Curated OER
Pattern And Design in Nature
Students observe natural objects carefully and note intricate design and structure beyond surface form.
Virginia Department of Education
Succession
The final lesson in a two-part series prompts scholars to create newspaper articles and succession events. Applying their knowledge of the ecosystem and the past examples of succession, they predict what will happen in the future using...
Curated OER
Camouflage and Protective Coloration: A Model of Natural Selection
Pupils investigate natural selection and differential survival among divergent phenotypes of a population. Using everyday items , they model adaptations of camouflage and protective coloration in two very different environments.They work...
Curated OER
The Value of Behavioral Variation in Homo sapiens
Students look at the behavioral characteristics of their peers from a historical perspective, and realize that, in the larger scheme of a community, these behaviors do have some value, and that a society as complex as ours does need the...
Curated OER
Shape Hunt
Explore the world of shapes! After free tangram exploration and pair share time, learners describe various patterns and shapes in both the natural and designed world. They investigate the use of tangrams to create patterns and shapes.
Curated OER
Into the Wilderness: Habitat vs. Development
By studying the once-assumed extinction, then rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, learners look at the physical changes that have occured in habitats throughout Arkansas. This outstanding lesson is chock full of terrific...
Curated OER
Neither Wind Nor Rain
Here is another in the interesting series of lessons that use the special State Quarters as a learning tool. This one uses the North Dakota State Quarter. During this lesson, your class learns about the different patterns of erosion, and...
Curated OER
Sampling Rocks
Here is a geology lesson which invites learners to explore a variety of rocks. They find rocks in the schoolyard and classify them according to size, color, and weight, then read the book Everybody Needs a Rock. Good lesson!
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Powers of Ten with the Blue Morpho Butterfly
Explore the powers of ten while examining a Blue Morpho butterfly wing. Learners discover there is a lot more than meets the eye when one looks close enough.
John Lentine
Butterflies and Bugs
Symmetry, line, shape, art, and math are all connected through a fun hands-on craft. Included are instructions to a classic activity, where learners create butterflies to show symmetry in nature and then discuss symmetry in math. It is...
Virginia Department of Education
Sound
Add a little music to your next physics class. Pupils discuss how frequency determines pitch and take part in several activities designed to teach them more about sound, melody, resonance, and vibrations. They use materials to construct...
California Academy of Science
A Day inthe Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Although the lesson is specifically about the San Francisco Bay area, it's good enough to be adapted to any local region. Children research what the landscape in San Francisco was like prior to settlement, they consider the types of...
Curated OER
The Colors of Seasons
Students observe each season and and mark the colors they see. In this colors of the seasons lessons, students read The Mystery of the Missing Hummingbirds and compare their results and note variations of colors in the different...
Curated OER
Fabrics and Polymers
Students explore natural resources by reading a science story in class. In this fibers lesson, students identify and discuss the differences between fibers such as wool, silk, rayon, linen and cotton. Students identify the common uses of...
Curated OER
Feeling the Heat
Learners investigate the urban heat island effect. In this urban heat island effect instructional activity, students learn how trees, grass, asphalt, and other things on the school grounds effect temperature. They use the information to...
Curated OER
Squaring Off
Learners define examples of patterns and explore the makeup and purpose of patterns found in nature. They create models illustrating the patterns researched in class and relaying the purpose of patterns in various natural objects.