This Groundhog's Day, challenge scholars to predict, estimate, tally, and graph in a weather-themed lesson in which class members play the role of the groundhog to forecast the weather come February second. 

Why do shadows look different in the summer than in the winter? What causes day and night? How can a sundial be used to tell time? Answer these questions and more through two engaging lessons about light and shadows. Fourth and fifth...

Students explore day and night and the relationships between the Earth, the sun and the moon. They discuss the ways in which the sun and moon help us. They watch a short video that helps illustrate these concepts.

Can people really measure time just by using the sun? Scholars venture outside on a nice, sunny day to build sundials and learn how people measured time 600 years ago. The class builds two different sundials while gaining practice with...

Here comes the sun! Composition, shapes, and the properties of light are the focus of this bright instructional activity. Class members examine art and then create sun prints using photosensitive paper and various objects of different...

Students examine the historic Shia-Sunni conflict to assess its present-day status in Iraq and determine how it might play out in postwar Iraq.  In this World History lesson, students research the factors that contribute to the...

Students observe weather daily for at least a month and graph the weather for one month. Then they use weather vocabulary such as sunny, windy, rainy, stormy, cold, snowy, foggy, and hot, and share their predictions about weather. ...

Students read the history of this tradition, examine Phil's predictions for the last 100 years.

Young scholars read two a two paragraph story that has one missing word in each sentence. They choose words from a word bank to complete each sentence. There are ten sentences to complete.

Students explore the formation of clouds and different cloud types. Students simulate a cloud formation within a bottle.

Second graders will track the weather patterns throughout the school year. This project spans the school year and takes five minutes per day or less. Measuring, data collection, and predictions are all explored throughout this relevant...

Teaching young mathematicians about collecting and analyzing data allows for a variety of fun and engaging activities. Here, children observe the weather every day for a month, recording their observations in the form of a bar graph....

Your microbiologists explore a changing algae population and build an exponential function modeling algae concentration from the description given of the relationship between concentrations in cells/ml and days of rapid growth.

Learners take measurements throughout the day using a simple sundial called a gnomon. They record the results on a Data Log and convert from English units to metric (S.I.) units. Data points are plotted on the same graph and analyzed.

Students determine how to find North using a watch and their shadow. In this finding North lesson, students go outside on a sunny day and work with their shadow and a wrist watch to find out which direction that North is. They examine...

Students listen to the story The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats in order to become interested in the world of snow. In this snow exploration lesson, students scoop up snow to make snowballs, measuring the amount of snow they use so each...

Teacher's notes, a materials list, detailed procedure, tips, and extension ideas are all included to make teaching this lesson on photovoltaic cells a sunny spot in your day! After some brief background reading, physical science...

Young meteorologists read basic weather maps by learning about the symbols that are associated with them. This two-day lesson plan has some excellent demonstrations and activities to get youngsters thinking about the weather in...

Students explore the sun through a variety of fine arts activities. In this weather lesson, students pantomime sunny day activities as a flashlight is used to represent the sunlight. A bibliography of related books and songs is included.

Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students participate in hands-on activities that replicate building a foundation and providing for future generations.

First graders explore completing experiments through the scientific method.

Students answer questions for each of the graphs and record their answers on the Student Observation Sheet. They use the data they have collected, hypothesize which graph represents which month of the year using each graph. They then...

Students develop problem-solving, observation, and critical-thinking skills. In this early childhood instructional activity, students explore the topic of the sun as they notice shadows and light.

Students explore winter weather. In this winter weather instructional activity, students examine and define 22 weather-related terms. Students determine the words that have to do with winter weather.