Curated OER
Schoolyard Bird Project
Students observe and count bird sightings around their schoolyard throughout the school year.
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Great Lakes Snow Analysis Collaborative Network
Students interpret data on snow cover and analyze trend patterns. In this snow lesson students compare data and locate their school's GPS coordinates.
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Keep It Quiet!
Fourth graders study about sound waves and how they behave in various media. They create a soundproofed container. They explain that velocity describes a change in distance over time.
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Parachute Drop
Students explore the effects of gravity. They create a parachute and make predictions about the effect of adding weight to the bottom of the parachute. Students record and interpret results of parachute experiments.
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Wetland Water Testing
Students examine the different properties that affect water quality. In this pollution lesson students play a game, complete a hands on activity and computer lab.
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The Effects of Temperature Variations on the Heartbeat Rate of Daphnia
Students use DigiScope technology to investigate Daphinia, popularly known as water fleas. They design, conduct, and report on an experiment to determine the effects of varying water temperatures on the heartbeat rate of Daphnia.
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Rock On!
Fourth graders make models of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks out of different types of candy and cookies.
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Science Safety is Elementary
Third graders are introduced to the importance of science safety. As a class, they role play through different safety procedures and decide which senses need to be protected for different scenerios. They discuss how to avoid hazardous...
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Pet Rocks
Students complete a variety of activities related to the physical characteristics of minerals. They classify and group candy, classify rocks and complete a Pet River Rock worksheet. Students try to guess which rock goes with each...
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Rocket Riot
Middle schoolers form "companies" of 3-4 students and build bottle rockets for analysis and experiment. This activity uses NASA's RcketModeler Version 1.2 rocket simulator to evaluate each rocket's flight.
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Evolution Lab
Students examine the pattern of natural variation in a society. They examine Darwin's theory of evolution and analyze data. They use computer programs to graphically display the variation in organisms.
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Conceptualizing an Experiment
Young scholars work together to design an experiment. They discover the origin of a family artifact. They analyze the data and discuss the results. They determine if the experiment is the best way to find out this type of information.
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Water, Water Everywhere
Students monitor a local creek. In this environmental water lesson, students conduct an environmental study of a local creek by monitoring the temperature and water quality over a period of time, then submit data to the Global Water...
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Understanding How Potatoes Grow
Second graders make a KWL chart and brainstorm what they need for the project of growing potatoes. They choose one potato and plant it in water or peat moss cups and choose a location in which meets the needs of the plants and make their...
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LEGO Balance
Students design and build a balance using LEGO, string, and a set of standard metric weights.
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STRAINING FOR SOUND
Sixth graders use a laser along with computer microphone probeware and the appropriate software, 6th graders determine the speed of rotating objects.An audio amplifier is connected to a solar cell to change the laser light signal into a...
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Solar System Search
Students research topics related to space and the planets using the Internet. They explore various websites, construct scale models of the solar system, and create a travel brochure using HyperStudio computer software.
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Specific Heat of Metals
Students determine the specific heat of unknown metals. based on their hypothesis and design proposal. They analyze the findings of the specific heat of the unknown metals. Students complete this by questions, hypothesis, rationale,...
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Change It
Fourth graders expand their knowledge about how the physical properties of a substances can be changed. They are given multiple opportunities, using first-hand experiences and familiar objects in different contexts, to identify...
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The Magic School Bus Kicks Up a Storm
Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students discover small updrafts by making wind spirals.
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Zoo Poo
Learners use Internet research to determine the amount of carbon dioxide produced per unit energy for biomass and coal. In this alternative energy lesson, students research to find out how much energy and carbon dioxide several coal and...
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Hurricanes and Tornadoes (Grade 4-8)
Students investigate the concepts of hurricanes and violent weather conditions. In this violent weather lesson, students access an Internet site and watch a video about how air masses behave, how a tornado forms, how hurricanes form, and...
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Plot Your Course
Students determine distance and direction on a nautical chart. In this nautical lesson, students identify obstacles and characteristics of common aid to navigation on a nautical chart.
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Slow Rot or Not?
Fifth graders examine how environmental factors affect decomposition. In this decomposition lesson, 5th graders experiment with the decomposition of grapes in five different environmental settings. They look at images of items that have...