Curated OER
Physical Science- Sink or Float?
Learners investigate which objects sink and which ones float. Learners engage in an experiment, make predictions, and record results on a graphic organizer. This is a comprehensive and easy to follow resource.
NOAA
Ocean Layers I
How is it possible for ocean water to have layers? The sixth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program investigates factors that cause different water densities to occur. Experiments...
Curated OER
Living in Extreme Environments
Students examine the characteristics of the ocean floor and the importance of of extreme environments. In this investigative lesson students use four methods to sample populations, gather, record and analyze data from a scientific...
Curated OER
Investigation 2 - Classifying Rocks
Fourth graders identify basic properties of minerals and rocks. They access websites and utilize worksheets imbedded in this lesson plan to further their understanding of rock classification.
Teach Engineering
Flow Rates of Faucets and Rivers
Go with the flow and use a helpful resource. A set of two activities has learners investigate flow rates. They first determine the flow rate of a faucet by measuring how long it takes to fill a bucket. Using the results, they make a...
S2tem Centers SC
Seasons
Winter, spring, summer, and fall—take the learning of the seasons beyond the elementary level to the middle school classroom. Curious learners begin by watching videos about the seasons and the rotation of planet Earth. Then,...
Curated OER
Invertebrate Diversity
Comparative anatomy prevails in the lesson exploring diversity among invertebrates. Biologists examine physical characteristics of an earthworm from phylum annelida and a meal worm from phylum insecta. They also inspect a cricket and a...
Teach Engineering
Show Me the Genes
Give your class a chance to show what they know. In the last installment of a seven-part series, pupils summarize and review what they have learned in the series. They present their solutions for creating a biosensor to detect cancer...
ReadWriteThink
Let It Grow: An Inquiry-Based Organic Gardening Research Project
How does your garden grow? An inquiry-based, organic gardening unit asks young scientists to research a vegetable or flower, create an environment for it, and then plant and tend to the seedling. Gardeners develop their own research...
Curated OER
Bird Eggs
Learners perform an experiment with different types of bird eggs to determine what factors make them strong and able to stay on a cliff without rolling off.
Curated OER
Color Dots 2
Students develop simple observations. They observe bleeding of colored inks with water, to understand mixtures, and to make generalized inferences from their observations.
Curated OER
Air and Weather
Second graders study Earth's materials. In this air and weather instructional activity, 2nd graders note changes in the weather and examine tools that help us study the weather. Students analyze how changes in the environment make...
Curated OER
Diffusion of Molecules
Learners conduct a series of experiments to observe factors that impact molecular movement. In this molecular chemistry instructional activity, students drop food coloring in water with different properties (hot, with ice, with alcohol)...
Curated OER
Classification of Cerealites
Middle schoolers create a dichotomous key. For this categorizing lesson, students create a dichotomous key for different types of cereal. Middle schoolers classify the cereal into groups such as flakes and cereal with holes. Students...
Curated OER
Levels of Classification
Students use diagrams to compare structural differences that taxonomists use to classify animals. In this classification lesson plan, students compare structures of different species from given diagrams. In one diagram they identify the...
Curated OER
Invent on the Spot
The best inventions come from a problem that needs to be solved! Given a container with holes in...
Curated OER
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) with Powdery Mildew Fungi
Students explore a specific method of identifying fungi, using a written key and an illustrated key. Powdery mildew fungi can be identified to genus by the morphology (appearance) of the sexual stage (cleistothecia).
Curated OER
Mystery Minerals
Students minerals and how they form. They investigate the classification of minerals according to physical properties. Students watch a video about mineral characteristics. In groups, students participate in hands-on activities and...
Curated OER
Introduction to Chemistry
In this introduction to chemistry worksheet, students answer 9 questions regarding the study of chemistry. The first part is matching, then they "think like a scientist" and then they problem solve.
Curated OER
Diaper Challenge
Students compare the absorbency of a regular diaper and a swim diaper in fresh water and salt water. For this absorbency lesson plan, students mass the diapers and place them in water and determine the change in mass. They do the same...
Curated OER
It's a Matter of Space
Students explore matter. In this physical science lesson, students role play the 3 states of matter forming "liquid" molecules and "solid" molecules with teammates. Students perform an experiment in which the result illustrates that two...
Curated OER
Heat Energy
Students study how matter changes from solids to liquids or liquids to solids. In this physical science lesson plan, students discuss heat energy and experiment with heat by changing a candle into a liquid using a hot plate.
Curated OER
Animal Characteristics
Students investigate biology by completing a group classification activity. In this animal characteristics, students discuss the different families in the animal kingdom and the small differences that separate the animals. Students...
Curated OER
Erosion
Students design and conduct an open-ended investigation using a variety of earth materials to answer a questions posed by the teacher: How does the erosion of sand compare with the erosion of gravel? After producing evidence that...