Curated OER
Composting
Using 2-liter bottles, junior ecologists create composting tubes in which they place nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials. They observe what changes occur over two weeks' time. Provide more specific direction to your class as to what...
Curated OER
Look At Those Leaves!
Students collect, measure and classify leaves. In this inquiry-based sorting and classifying lesson, students look at various types of leaves they have collected and measure them using a standard unit of measurement. Next, they relate...
Curated OER
Science and the Scientific Process
Students investigate the characteristics of different soil samples. In this physical science lesson, students play the role of forensics solving a crime by matching soil from the suspect's shoes. They formulate a conclusion after testing...
Curated OER
Radiation Reassessed
Students investigate the dangers of radiation by exploring recent nuclear tragedies. For this scientific debate lesson, students define the idea of radiation "half life" and determine if low doses of radiation are truly damaging to...
Curated OER
Measurement: Stream Flow & Stadium Capacity
Eighth graders study the scientific fields and how information can be monitored and recorded. In this scientific inquiry lesson students view a PowerPoint presentation and complete a hands on activity.
Curated OER
Determining the Age of Fossils
High schoolers examine the concept of radioactive dating. In this radioactive dating lesson, students investigate how to determine the ages of fossils and rocks as they learn about half-life radioactive decay.
Curated OER
Current Thinking About Magnets
Pupils construct their own magnet and wire device. In this inquiry activity, students investigate the factors affecting the strength of magnetic forces. They manipulate different variable to determine their effect.
Curated OER
Science Inquiry Lesson: Mapping Project
Pupils explore the methods of creating maps. They create a map of Animas River Park using a compass and measuring tape, develop a single map from the team map sections, and devise another map of the Animas River Park using a GPS unit.
Curated OER
Preservation and the Power of Light
Students identify the effect of light on objects. In this scientific inquiry lesson, students use a chart to write a hypothesis about what will happen when colored construction paper is left in sunlight. Students observe and discuss the...
Curated OER
Salty Sea Water
Students conduct an experiment to find out if there is salt in the ocean. In this scientific inquiry lesson, students pour a cup of salt water onto an aluminum plate and observe the changes over a few days. Students complete an included...
Curated OER
Scientific Inquiry: Periodic Motion
Young scholars construct their own pendulum. In this physics lesson, students design an experiment to find the factors affecting its period. They formulate a conclusion based on experimental data.
Curated OER
Silk: Scientific Inquiry Through Chinese Art
Students investigate the many uses of silk in Chinese society through in-class experiments, group projects, and hands-on learning in this cross-curricular lesson. There are four main activities included in this lesson.
Curated OER
Scientific Inquiry
Middle schoolers make inferences about what activities occur at different places in school. They form a hypothesis as to how space is used. They simulate how archeaologists explore past people by designing and conducting a research project.
NASA
Cosmic Microwave Background
Begin your next class with a BANG! Pupils discuss the formation of our universe and its expansion before proceeding with an activity designed to demonstrate what most likely occurred billions of years ago. They conclude with a discussion...
NASA
Just How Far is That Star?
Pupils often wonder how we know the distance to various stars. Starting with a thought experiment and progressing to a physical experiment, they determine the brightness and distance to various stars. The evaluation requires...
NASA
Moon Phases and Eclipses
Starry-eyed astronomers draw different views of the Moon in order to introduce its phases. Then they experiment with a ball and a lamp to recreate the phases. A demonstration ensures every pupil understands the process, and the...
NASA
Revising an Investigation
Write, edit, and then revise! The fourth lesson plan in a five-part series asks peers to provide feedback on research. Individuals then use the research to edit and revise conclusions and develop their presentations.
G. Turrell
Science Activity 2: Light & Sound
Little learners experiment with sunlight and map out how light travels. Using a mirror and slotted card, they find out about items that can reflect or absorb the light. They experiment with a variety of materials to find out how light...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
How Dry am I? Exploring Biomimicry and Nanotechnology
Help your classes feel like they can walk on water! An engaging inquiry-based lesson has young scholars experiment with different surface coatings. They make observations about their properties and how they relate to the surface tension...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Silver and Bandages: Assessment of Inhibition of Bacteria by Silver Colloid-Impregnated Bandages
Silver: more than jewelry, it's also a natural antimicrobial agent. An inquiry-based lesson asks collaborative groups to design and implement an experiment to test this property. Using samples of silver nanoparticles and a strain of...
Mascil Project
Parachute Food Drop
Drop a perfect project into your lesson plans. Groups use different building materials to create models of parachutes for food drops. After testing out their prototypes, they make improvements to their designs.
University of California
Hot! Hot! Hot!
Calories are not tiny creatures that sew your clothes tighter every night, but what are they? A science lesson, presented at multiple levels, has learners experiment with heat, heat transfer, and graph the function over time....
NASA
Catch a Piece of the Sun
What does the sun mean to you? Learners have many different interests that may have connections to the sun. Whether its solar radiation, solar flares, or solar storms, there are connections to daily interests that may surprise your...
Cornell University
Vitamin C Module
Test the levels of vitamin C in different juices. After a lesson on the importance of vitamin C in our diets, learners use titration to determine the vitamin C content in juice. They use their experience with the titration to study the...