Curated OER
"Garden Springs Gardeners"
First graders ponder the question of how plants help their lives. They observe and compare properties of several different plants. Differentiate between living organisms and nonliving objects.
Curated OER
Termite Trail Marking Behavior
Learners examine termites and their trail-marking behaviors. They draw lines on paper with various ink pens and experiment to see which types of ink the termites follow--or which inks do and do not elicit trail marking behavior.
Curated OER
Bat Ecology
Young scholars, through hands on games and activities, discover how bats live and how bats benefit ecosystems. They play a game designed to show them how echolocation works and another to show how mother bats locate their young through...
Curated OER
Photographical Ecology
Young scholars study organisms and the roles they play in nature. For this ecology lesson, students photograph several examples of organisms during a nature walk. Young scholars print out their photos and classify the organisms as plants...
Curated OER
Crash Test Physics
Students design and test balsa cars. For this crash tet lesson, students design and build their own cars to specifications. They explore the physics of motion and vehicle crash safety.
Curated OER
Beads, Balls, and Beakers
Learners analyze the amount of space required to pack round objects. In this geometry instructional activity, students practice using space economically by practicing packing spheres into beakers. They then translate this concept to...
Curated OER
What is Microbiology?
Students research microbiologists. In this research lesson, students will research a microbiologist, create timeline sections, and build a timeline. Students will also use a website to research a particular branch of microbiology.
Curated OER
Mountain Creation: A Drama Exploration
Students explore mountain formation. In this cross curriculum earth science and legend writing lesson plan, students listen to the poem "The Way to make Perfect Mountains" by Byrd Baylor and identify examples of vivid language used....
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Cycles, Systems, and Webs
Fourth graders review the parts of the plant and their functions. In this plant lesson plan, 4th graders recognize that plants must transfer energy to make food. Students understand the interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem.
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Changing States of Matter: Water’s Phase Changes
Third graders observe the properties of water and in its different states. In this states of matter lesson, 3rd graders view a video, read The Magic School Bus at the Waterworks and experiment with freezing, melting and boiling water to...
Curated OER
Creature Feature
Students make detailed observations and identify an unknown using descriptions. In this observation lesson students are given a creature and must be able to identify it by species and genus.
Curated OER
Insects
Third graders research an insect and creates a brochure on that selected insect. Each student develops a Venn Diagram comparing similarities and differences between moths and butterflies.
Curated OER
Keep it Active
Students explore the active layer above permafrost and investigate various factors on the insulation value of the active layer. In this energy transfer lesson, students conduct and experiment to determine the effects of snow cover,...
Curated OER
The Pickle "Dill"emma
Learners study a problem in their local farming community regarding a pickle factory, and the class is asked to help determine if the pickle factory is the source of a seed germination problem.
Curated OER
The Twentieth Century
Fifth graders summarize a decade in the twentieth century and compare it to another decade. They present facts in a Hyperstudio document that includes text, photos, and audio to describe the decade.
Curated OER
Kidney Pools: Are They Fair?
Students examine the kidney donation process and make ethical decisions as various stakeholders in specific case studies. They decide which candidate should receive a kidney donation.
Curated OER
Geologic cross section of Manhattan, NYC
High schoolers draw an accurate geologic cross section by using a given data table. They relate the features of the cross section to geologic processes. Students then relate the characteristics of the bedrock to the architecture.
Curated OER
Three States of Matter
Third graders investigate the three states of matter and the properties of materials as they undergo physical changes. They identify examples of each type of matter, role-play atoms in solids, liquids, and gases, and conduct an...
Curated OER
Exploring the Night Sky: Summer
Young scholars explain how moon phases occur. They describe and explain at least two common misconceptions that people have about the moon. Students explain what a star is. They explain 3 ways that the night sky has been used throughout...
Curated OER
Indirect Observation
Students observe obscertainers through indirect observations and make hypotheses about the internal wall structures of the containers. In this indirect observation lesson plan, students make observations of 4 obscertainers with a steel...
Curated OER
Chemical Reaction in a Baggy
Tenth graders observe various chemical reactions in the lab. For this chemistry lesson, 10th graders list the indications that a chemical reaction took place. They give real life examples of reactions they see everyday.
Curated OER
Strange New Planet
Students simulate different spacecraft missions using materials provided. In this space science lesson, students observe and record a planetary model's features from a distance. They relate this activity to scientists' space exploration...
Curated OER
Be a Scientist: A Kindergarten Unit
Students conduct observations using their five senses. In this science lesson, students describe different states of matter. They investigate the factors affecting mold growth.
Curated OER
Fluid Thinking About Liquids and Solids
Second graders examine the physical characteristics of the different states of matter. In this chemistry lesson, 2nd graders observe how matter changes from one phase to another. They classify substances according to its type of matter.