Ecosystem, human body system, weather system. We hear the word system a lot, but what does it really mean? In the activity, pairs or groups of learners discuss how a bicycle is a system and then analyze objects in their classroom and...

Weather seems unpredictable, but is it really? Learners collect weather data from online interactives and build data displays. They use their displays to identify temperature and precipitation patterns in different areas.

Winter weather offers a great opportunity to teach young scientists about the states of matter. This activity-based instructional activity includes a range of learning experiences, from experimenting with the rate at...

Earth's vast ocean is full of mysteries! Science scholars discover the big-picture properties that influence its characteristics at different latitudes using a lesson from PBS's Weather and Climate series. After completing a background...

What's the term for clouds that look like fluffy cotton balls? What about thick, gray clouds? Learn the names and descriptions for each type of cloud with a worksheet and activity. Learners read four columns of high-level, mid-level,...

Modeling dough and paper cutouts in science class? Learn about how relative age dating concepts, like the Law of Superposition and cross-cutting relationships, can be used to describe the formation of sedimentary layers.

Tree rings from North America give a continuous history of El Nino intensity over the last 1,100 years. Scholars learn how scientists use tree rings to create timelines demonstrating variations in weather patterns. The cumulative...

Studying data over time can paint a pretty interesting picture. Learners use data they collected in the previous lesson to compare to historical data in a similar region. They graph the data of the first bloom of a specific species over...

How does examining an ice core tell us about weather? Learners set up and explore fake ice cores made of sugar, salt, and ash to represent historical snowfall and volcanic eruptions. From their setups, scholars determine what caused the...

Fifth graders engage in some activities that will help them to identify erosion and explain the causes of erosion. They also look into ways that humans can slow the process of erosion in some cases. After a teacher-led demonstration,...

Studying plants is a full-time job—for some. After learning the ins and outs of phenology in the first three lessons in the unit, pupils explore the history of the science. The instructional activity highlights five historical...

The Grand Canyon formed between five and six million years ago, but is it still changing? Scholars explore 10 sites in the United States, including the Grand Canyon, to better understand the geoscience processes that formed these...

Consider the preponderance of evidence when making a verdict. The third of five lessons in Unit 1: The Big Climate Change Experiment focuses on the evidence for climate change. Learners study graphs, diagrams, and pictures regarding...

In a perfect marriage of social studies and science, groups work together to research and create a travel guide presentation to share with the class. Not only do kids learn about the climate and geography of a biome, but also the...

It's raining! It's pouring! Your class will not be snoring when viewing this presentation. Cloud formation and types are explained in the first half. Forms of precipitation are detailed in the second half. Concepts are explained...

Learners observe cumulus clouds. In this weather lesson, students go outside to look at cumulus clouds and observe what the weather is like when they find these types of clouds. They create a cumulus cloud in an art project and complete...

Students investigate cloud formation. In this weather lesson, students examine how clouds are formed. Students participate in experiments that model how water vapor in the air works.

Students explore the effects of acid rain. In this acid rain lesson, students investigate the effects of the weathering from acid rain in different places. Students visit cemetaries to collect data about the effects of acid rain on the...

Students complete a unit about weather and meteorology. They read the book "The Big Storm," use weather equipment, view local weather reports, and create a weather forecast that is videotaped and presented to a younger class.

Fourth graders describe how weather events such as hard rains and floods cause weathering of the Earth's surface and rocks. They distinguish between erosion and weathering, and comprehend that water and friction show similar results in...

Students are able to describe earth processes (e.g., rusting, weathering, erosion) that have affected selected physical features in students, neighborhoods. They are able to identify various earth structures (e.g., mountains, faults,...

Students observe and analyze weathering. In this earth science lesson, students demonstrate physical and chemical weathering in two experiments, then write questions for a class Jeopardy game.

Fourth graders examine how water condenses into clouds and identify the different types of clouds using the same system devised over 200 years ago. They listen to a book about clouds, and create a Cloud Key. Next, they record their...

Students explore weather conditions. In this weather investigation lesson, students use various search engines to list three facts about weather patterns, new vocabulary words, and a picture of a weather condition. Students use this...