Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
How Much Water Do You Use?
Incorporate reading strategies, math, research, and the scientific method into one lesson about water conservation. After reading a story about a landlady trying to determine how many people are living in an apartment, learners develop a...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Blowing in the Wind
Using a simulated air sample, environmental or earth science pupils examine the components. You will need to prepare the faux air by using a hole punch and various colors of construction paper. Each color will represent a different...
Center Science Education
Model a Moving Glacier
Glaciologists in your class make models of glaciers to simulate how they move down a valley, and then they use it to test any aspect of glacier movement. Not only is this a vivid visual of how these monsters of ice flow, but it is also...
Curated OER
Cosmetic Products Evaluation
Students evaluate different cosmetic products. In this chemistry lesson, students determine the physical and chemical components of their samples. They perform various test such as pH, viscosity, conductivity and formulate a conclusion...
Curated OER
The Upper Palouse Restoration Project
Students become competent, to collect, record, and interpret information about a particular project they are undertaking. They apply the data and interpret them to analyze the environmental impact of a restoration project.
Curated OER
Alka-Seltzer Cannons
Fourth graders observe what is happening when an Alka-Seltzer tablet is placed in a clear cup of water. They observe the release of carbon dioxide gas. Pupils answer the question of how much as is released by observing the experiment...
Curated OER
The Nature of Science
For this nature of science worksheet, students identify four statements as "pure" or "applied" science and they read a short story about an experiment performed by a boy. They identify various components of the experiment...
Curated OER
The Life Cycle of the Mealworm
Fourth graders provide a habitat for live mealworms and observe their life cycle. In this animal life cycle and scientific inquiry lesson, 4th graders create a habitat for a live mealworm and observe and record related data as it grows....
Curated OER
Designing a Study
Students explore features to consider when designing a scientific study. In this science research lesson plan, students examine different methods of data collection and consider which method would be appropriate for determining how many...
Curated OER
Fractals, An Inquiry: Day 4
Students put their growing understanding of the scientific inquiry process to work. They use paint to implement their plans to experiment with how changing one aspect of the fractal making process influences their appearance.
Curated OER
How Does a Green Plant Grow?
Students of all ages can explore the question "how do seeds grow?", design an experiment to answer the question, predict the outcome of the experiment then conduct the experiment.
Curated OER
Experiences and Experiments - There is a Difference
Sixth graders plan and conduct an experiment on food spoilage. They design the experiment, create a display, record and analyze data, and make inferences regarding the results of the experiment.
Curated OER
Making Marbles
Students perform a simulation in which they work for a toy company and have to figure out how many marbles of different sizes can be made with the provided material. They must design their own experiment to figure this out.
Curated OER
Introduction To Fractals: an Inquiry
Students evaluate a playful case study about a dog searching for fetching sticks to identify the steps in the science inquiry method. They read the case study and fill in a worksheet with the examples of questions, observations and...
Curated OER
Arthropod Data Collection
Students describe the life cycle of various bugs as well as their predators and feeding habits. The class participates in a discussion of the various methods scientists use to gather data including research and experiment. After...
Curated OER
Baggie Science
Students observe and describe a chemical reaction. For this chemistry lesson, students record observations of the materials they will be using, then follow a written procedure to perform the experiment in a baggie and record their...
Curated OER
Comparing the Density of Iron
Young scholars use scientific measuring tools to collect and use scientific data. They determine the density of four different objects by using their data to explain why objects have similar/different densities even though they are both...
Curated OER
Lesson 2 - Design Process-Measuring Wind Speed
A terrific lesson focused on the design process. It begins with a presentation, "Design: Solve a Problem," which lists the steps of the process and then introduces the specific challenge: to build a device that measures wind speed....
Curated OER
Student Designed Investigations Part 4 - Poster Presentations/Science Fair
Third through fifth graders prepare posters to present at a science fair. Working with a partner, pupils conduct investigations and prepare a poster to present their findings. They rehearse their presentations, and add visual aids;...
Kenan Fellows
The Effects of Environmental Conditions on Aquatic Organisms
What kind of experiment can your class do to how observe the environment effects on organisms? Groups design and conduct lab experiments to learn about the effects of the environment on aquatic organisms. Based upon knowledge gained...
Teach Engineering
Energy Storage Derby and Proposal
Small groups use the engineering design process to build and test a vehicle capable of carrying 250 grams a distance of five meters. The design must allow for the storage of potential energy and turn it into motion,...
Curated OER
Reptiles and Amphibians
Introduce your class to various reptiles and amphibians. They will meet and identify a representative from each of the four major reptile families, then learn about and discuss reptile characteristics. Next, they will identify and...
Curated OER
Skull Science
What can your class learn from a skull? With proper facilitation, they can learn about diet, physical adaptations, special differences, and even the environment. Pupils will examine a series of mammal skulls and pelts to help them...
Curated OER
How hard is it?
Inquiry is probably one of the most fun ways kids learn. They will test the hardness of 10 different minerals in order to classify them. They rate each of the minerals from most to least hard. Note: Having real minerals for this...