Purdue University
Design of a Reindeer Habitat for an Indiana Zoo
What would Rudolph ask for in his ideal home? Pupils analyze the characteristics of the reindeer to create their perfect zoo habitats. A STEM lesson focuses on the design of the habitat while factoring constraints such as space, diet,...
Curated OER
Galaxy Hunter - A Cosmic Photo Safari
Space science stars journey through our night sky and take virtual photos of galaxies to investigate simple random samples. Higher math is used to analyze the data collected. Copy the evaluation/assessment questions onto a handout...
Curated OER
Earth and Space Science: Let it Flow
Students engage in a lesson in which volcanoes be explored and examined. After watching a video, students create volcanoes out of clay.
National Park Service
Reduce Our Carbon Footprint, Let’s Compost!
Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost instructional activity. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Seasons
Use this during the season of teaching about the seasons! As Earth revolves around the sun, its tilt causes the weather to change. The graphics in this presentation show how Earth's position in space has an effect on the angle of...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Our Solar System: Inner Planets
Stunning images make up this slide show on the inner planets of our solar system. While visiting Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, viewers also are introduced to the International Space Station and the Spirit Rover on Mars. Follow this...
Virginia Department of Education
Isotopes
Lead your class through the amazing world of isotopes as they investigate the various properties they contain and further understand their respective location on the periodic table. They explore half-lives and radioactivity as each...
National Security Agency
It's Probably Probable
Learners make predictions and draw conclusions from given information as they learn the meaning of probability in this vocabulary-rich, integrated activity that presents a variety of teaching strategies to motivate and reach...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Conservation of Energy
By rolling marbles down a six-foot length of track, physical scientists determine how much energy is lost to heat. It is recommended that you opt for the foam pipe insulation track because more friction slows the marble, allowing...
NASA
Freshwater Availability Classroom Activity
This science assignment produced by NASA teaches inquiring minds the distribution of Earth's water. Learners will appreciate and understand the importance of fresh water and how weather and climate affects everything.
Lunar and Planetary Institute
Oreo Moon Phases
Learning about the moon has never tasted delicious! Using the popular Oreo cookie as a model, young scientists carve out the cream filling to represent the different phases of the moon.
Space Awareness
Model of a Black Hole
Even light cannot leave the force of a black hole! Learners use a model to explore the gravitational force of a black hole. An elastic bandage and heavy ball serve to create the hole, while marbles become the victims of its strong force.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
New England's Ground Water Resources
Learn all about where ground water is stored, how it moves, and how it is accessed in a detailed and thorough 10-page reading. Whether supplementing reading for an existing environmental or earth science course or providing background...
Urbana School District
Light
You matter, unless you multiply yourself by the speed of light ... then you energy. Presentation covers the behavior of light as both a wave and a particle, light versus sound, space travel, why objects have colors, depth perception,...
Scholastic
Lesson One: The Earth, Background and Glossary
How much do you really know about our planet? Middle schoolers build up their prior knowledge about Earth, its placement in the solar system, its composition, and important geological vocabulary with an introductory earth science lesson.
Curated OER
Earth's Heavenly Treasures: Hummingbirds
Young ornithologists watch an informative video and use the Internet to gather data about the life, size, habitat, and migration of hummingbirds. The interdisciplinary instructional activity includes activities that target art, science,...
Curated OER
The Universe Beyond
In this science worksheet, students use basic scientific concepts to complete the series of puzzles that are intended to increase science literacy about some of the common vocabulary used for the study of the universe.
Curated OER
Genetic Vocabulary Review
In this genetics vocabulary instructional activity, students answer 13 multiple choice questions about the structure and function of genes.
Curated OER
Shizuko's Daughter: Concept of Definition Word Map
Help your class use critical thinking when it comes to unfamiliar words. With vocabulary from Kyoko Mori's Shizuko's Daughter, kids write the word in the center of a graphic organizer, and find its category, comparisons,...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Distribution of Elements in Earth’s Crust
How do scientists know the difference between a meteorite from space and a regular rock from the earth? Scholars read a passage and answer comprehension questions about the creation of the solar system. They extrapolate the main ideas to...
Curated OER
Conservation in Small Spaces: Plant-Insect Interactions
Learners explore ways that plants and insects impact each other, identify how different types of mouthparts allow insects to use plants in different ways, and design an insect and a plant to demonstrate mutualism.
Curated OER
Conservation in Small Spaces: Butterfly Life cycles
Students discuss ways that butterflies and moths change during their lifecycles, observe caterpillars, and explore how their different body parts work.
Las Cumbres Observatory
Craters in the Classroom
Laws of motion apply both in space and on Earth. Young experimenters model object impact on the Earth and moon. They use data to determine the effect mass and velocity have on the resulting craters and how that relates to the energy of...
Curated OER
Sustainable Livestock
Learners investigate healthy eating habits by researching livestock. In this food sustainability lesson, students research the negative impact factory farming has on our environment due to pollution. Learners define agricultural...