Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Newsprint as a UV Detector

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the effects of UV radiation. In this earth science lesson plan, students explain how the time of day relate to UV abundance on Earth. They determine if weather affects the amount of UV that Earth receives.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecology: Factors Influencing Animal Populations

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learners assess the factors affecting animal populations. Working in groups they define specific vocabulary terms and complete several activities from "Project Wild."
Worksheet
Curated OER

Earthquakes and Volcanoes

For Students 6th - 12th
In this earthquakes and volcanoes worksheet, students will review how volcanoes are formed and where they are found. Students will describe earthquakes and their magnitudes. Students will use a table to answer questions about tsunamis....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Preparation for Autumn and Winter

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students determine how and why soil needs to be prepared for the fall and winter seasons. In this agriculture lesson, students determine how to use gardening tools safely. They show how to work with compost material and fertilizer to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Winter Season

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students recognize the relationship between Earth's tilt and the Winter season. In this Winter activity, students work in pairs to complete make frost and design snow goggles. Students experiment a hand lens to study the frost created....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Central Park Field Trip

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students visit the park to observe signs of spring in the forest and pond environments.  In this field trip lesson, students explore the park for various items
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cloud Watchers

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders read "The Cloud Book" by Tomie dePaola to jumpstart their cloud study. They offer examples of liquids, solids, and gases and chart them. They observe the making of a cloud in a demonstration. They discuss and draw...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Surface Air Temperature Trends of the Caribbean

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the seasonal changes to sea surface and near-surface air temperatures near the equator. They use actual satellite data to track and graph the differences in air and sea temperatures during different seasons in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Take a Deep Breath: Air Today, Air Tomorrow

For Teachers 7th - 12th
This is the introductory lesson in a series about air quality. Why is it so important that we breathe clean air? How can we make sure we're keeping our air clean? A discussion is the central idea of the lesson, and example questions are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Cell Energy Availability From Around the Country

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students determine areas that are the most likely to produce solar energy by using NASA data.  In this solar energy lesson students analyze plots and determine solar panel use. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Warm and Cold Air

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars conduct an experiment to discover what happens to air when it is heated or cooled, discover that wind moves from a high-pressure area (an area of sinking air) to a low pressure area (an area of rising air).
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bird Brilliance!

For Teachers 1st
First graders explore natural resources and search outdoors to find materials to create a bird's nest. In this bird's natural resources lesson, 1st graders listen to a book about birds and reflect on the various things birds use to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Winter Wonderland - Winter Olympics and the Water Cycle

For Teachers 5th - 7th
After a concise introduction to the water cycle, junior meteorologists access NOAA's average snowfall data. They choose a city to examine in terms of precipitation. Then they look at historical snowfall data and use it to predict snow...
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

A Day inthe Life of a San Francisco Native Animal

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
Although the lesson plan 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...
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Rock Cycle Roundabout

For Teachers 4th - 12th
After a basic introduction to the rock cycle and the three main types of rocks, young geologists can deepen their understanding of how rocks change through a fun learning game. Based on the characteristics and events shared by a reader,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-OGBO : Sharing Life in an African Village

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Students read OGBO: Sharing Life in an African Village by Ifcoma Onyefulu. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the study of Nigerian culture. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Reasons For The Seasons

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate the different seasons that occur and how the weather is characterized according to the regions of The United States. They conduct research using the internet and then conduct classroom discussion while considering...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hurricanes

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students study hurricanes and their patterns. In this hurricane lesson plan, students watch a video clip tracing Hurricane's Ivan's path in Alabama. Students discuss hurricanes and watch a 3-D video of Hurricane Ivan. Students visit a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Floods

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate how hurricanes impact a stream flow.  In this floods instructional activity students predict the impact of storms on animals and interpret data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Earth Around Us: Air, Water & Soil

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore erosion and find the factors effecting erosion of hillsides.   In this erosion lesson, 2nd graders experiment by creating a hillside and simulating rain.  Students discuss and record their results on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forest as a Filter

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners experiment using soil and water. In this forest as a filter lesson, students identify the role of forest cover, vegetation, and foliage impacts erosion and evaporation. Learners conduct a simple experiment, form a hypothesis,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wind and Air Pressure

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students make an anemometer, barometer, and wind catcher to see how wind and air pressure are related. In this wind lesson plan, students use these tools to measure the wind speed.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air Pressure is Powerful

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students make a barometer and write a paragraph describing how they did it.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shorts in January? Is Climate Change Good for Us?

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore climate change and the idea that it brings a number of uncertainties about how regions are affected, particularly in the north. Students discuss the advantages and disadvantages that climate change may have for them....