Milk does a body good ... unless, of course, someone is lactose intolerant. Pupils play the role of pharmaceutical scientists in a guided inquiry lab about lactase. Lab groups collaborate to learn more about lactose intolerance, how...

Do great gardeners really have green thumbs—or just really great soil? Environmental scholars discover what makes Earth's soil and soil quality so important through research and experimentation. Learners also develop an understanding of...

Students study the rhinoceros and how the species has survived for so long.  In this rhino lesson students create graphs and research what is being done to protect the rhino.

Students participate in a discussion of recent environmental issues affecting their own community or ones nearby. In groups, they research the role of food additives and the purpose of adding them to foods. They also determine their...

Geology geniuses analyze sediment samples with a hand lens and sort according to physical characteristics. They also learn about the processes of cementation, compaction, and lithification within the rock cycle. The lesson plan is...

First graders explore counting and classification. They sort leaves, create graphs, write sentences for the data in the graphs, develop graphs for shapes, favorite animals, birthdays, and participate in a die prediction game.

Fifth graders investigate the nature of matter and of the scientific processes associated with them in this series of lessons.

Here is a 12-page outline of an introductory science lesson. The teacher lectures on what science is, the role of a scientists, different disciplines of science, and the impact of scientific discoveries. Detailed lecture notes are...

Students gain an understanding of scientific methods and use process skills (such as observing, classifying, and predicting) to solve a problem. They develop an understanding of the need for natural preservation.

Students explore statistics by conducting a scientific study. In this data analysis lesson, students conduct a class poll about popular foods of their classmates. Students complete a worksheet and discuss how bias opinions affect the...

Pupils demonstrate how the results of a poll or other scientific study can be biased by selecting special types of people to respond or by asking only certain questions.

Sound, vibrations, resonance, and frequency are explored as learners use music to foster scientific inquiry. They engage in three different sound experiments and follow up discussions to foster a better understanding of how musical...

What is one of the most exciting parts of a butterfly's life cycle? When it emerges from its pupa and dries its wings! This is a great activity little ones will love. They discuss what happens during the pupal stage of the butterfly life...

Encourage your classes to be laundry helpers! Learners explore the chemistry of stain removal with a lab investigation. By identifying the components of the stain, they identify the most effective solute for its removal.

Cookies are definitely important for scientific learning. To study aerogels, future engineers use chocolate chip cookie dough to make models. Their task is to design a process that removes the chocolate chips from the cookie dough,...

Do all liquids evaporate at the same rate? Young scientists observe the evaporation rate of three different liquids. They measure the time, the temperature, and the change in energy. After comparing the chemical formulas, scholars...

How have advances in technology and communication changed our world? That is the questions that world history students contemplate as they examine a series of primary and secondary source materials 

Can science put an end to the poaching of endangered species? Show your young forensic experts how biotechnology can help save wildlife through an exciting electrophoresis lab. Grouped pupils analyze shark DNA to determine if it came...

In the 19th activity of 22, learners determine if distance from a light source affects photosynthesis. Participants capture oxygen in straws and find that the amount of water the gas displaces is proportional to the rate of photosynthesis.

Who can grow the best crystals? Challenge class members to develop strategies for enhancing growth in the crystals. Through a lab investigation, learners study the properties of crystals and test the effectiveness of different...

The thaw depth of tundra creates a positive feedback loop with both global warming and the carbon cycle. Scholars sort photos and develop a hypothesis for ground cover and permafrost depth. Then they review the data and measurements...

Studying levers couldn't be more exciting! Learners build their own catapults and test the results as they make adjustments to the fulcrum. They compete against other groups to create the most accurate apparatus.

Middle schoolers create a dichotomous key. In 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...

Middle schoolers explore multiple types of energy. In this energy activity, students prepare a science fair project through completing a WebQuest. Middle schoolers investigate radiant, thermal, and biochemical energy.