Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Driving Currents

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers conduct a variety of investigations to see how water, heat, and salinity affect the flow of the world's ocean currents,as well as, explore many factors that affect the flow of the world's ocean currents. They also describe...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's a 3-D World Out There!

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students construct polygons. They identify attributes of three-dimensional shapes. Students name common three-dimensional shapes. They draw three-dimensional shapes, and sort three-dimensional shapes. Students use K'NEX materials sets to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth, Moon, Mars Balloons

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students demonstrate size and orbits of Earth, Moon, and Mars. In this space science lesson plan, students will use balloons to show how the size and distance between the planets and satellite compare.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Packing Materials

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students observe the effects of water on four different packing materials to determine which ones are more soluble. They then decide which material would be a good packing material to use for the environment and which may be a bad...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reaction Rates

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students work in groups of 4-6 for the experiment/activity part of this exercise. They base their explanation on what they observed. Students observe how substances react chemically in characteristic ways with other substances to form...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classification in Action

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students work with a set of objects to set up both quantitative and qualitative classification systems. As a group, students follow an example to design and complete two classification systems using a set of objects provided. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shake, Rattle and Roll

For Teachers K - 4th
Students compare the weathering of different-sized materials. Comparisons are made and data analyzed to reach conclusions about the process of weathering. Applications can be made for the higher grades.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Steep, Steeper, and Steepest

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders discuss ways to move large rocks. They relate this to building a rock garden, and the ways people might load boulders into a truck. Students discuss the use of a ramp vs. lifting the boulder straight up onto the bed of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heat Energy- Temperature

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders investigate the meaning of temperature. They determine what happens to a thermometer when the temperature rises or falls. They place thermometers in different classroom locations in order to compare the temperature in a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Algebra- Cell Phone Plans

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers analyze graphs to compare cell phone plans. In this algebra lesson, students work together to analyze phone plans and report the best phone plan. High schoolers develop tables and graphs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Economics and emissions

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders produce a manufactured good and monitor energy consumption.  In this Math lesson, 8th graders practice their basic math and accounting skills.  Students participate in a business simulation. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shake, Rattle and Roll

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students compare the weathering of materials. in this weathering lesson, students experiment with the chemical and physical weathering of different materials. Students use salt and water as an example of how weathering occurs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Frozen Film

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discover how light reflects off surfaces. In this hands-on demonstration, students examine how variations in color are produced by light interference.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spectral Surprise

For Teachers K - 8th
Students create spectral colors. For this hands-on science lesson, students examine the electromagnetic spectrum as they follow steps to create a model that separates and displays light.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Burs in Your Furs

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the concept of animal welfare. In this wild animal habitats activity, students discover the work of wild animals in sustaining their habitats as they participate in a classroom simulation. Students discuss how wildlife...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating Animal Prints

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Students investigate the habits of animals by studying their prints.  In this animal life lesson, students investigate the different types of tracks left from animals by researching the Internet.  Students utilize clay or...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Graphing Quadratic Functions

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students graph quadratic functions. In this algebra lesson, students identify the vertex and intercepts of a quadratic equations and graph the parabola. They find the axis of symmetry and make a table to find the values of the parabola.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Compound Inequalities

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students solve problems with compound inequalities. In this algebra instructional activity, students solve inequalities using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They graph-their solutions on a numbers line.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shapes and Patterns- Kaleidoscope

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders create art using shapes. In this shapes and patterns lesson, 3rd graders explore multiple ways of combining shapes to create new objects and art.
Lesson Plan
Pennsylvania Department of Education

Fractions and Ribbons

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders solve division problems using partial quotients. In this long division lesson, 5th graders practice seeing division as a process of repeated subtraction and estimation. This lesson provides a script for the teacher.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Calculating Areas for the Caged Animals At Miami Metrozoo

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders calculate the area of certain cages at the Miami Metrozoo after observing a teacher demonstration.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping A Stream

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students participate in mapping an actual waterway. They include reach lengths, transects, compass reading, and scale determinations. They include windfalls, plant cover, types of streambed composition, and landmarks such as trees and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating the Idea of Tan

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders use tan to solve problems involving right-angled triangles. They solve equations of the form tan(8) =a, for a between 180 degrees and 360 degrees. They state the value of tan (8) in special cases.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classifying Rocks

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students classify rocks into groups after they observe the rocks and identify properties that can be used to divide them into groups. They then identify other properties that could be used to classify other objects into groups.