Curated OER
Earth Day Trash Survey Unit
Students participate in local Earth Day activities. They keep track of the types of trash they pick up. They aggregate their data to develop whole-class statistics of what they found.
Curated OER
The Night Sky
Third graders develop questions they have about the solar system. After being read a book, they view and discuss different constellations in the sky. In groups, they are given a piece of butcher paper and glow in the dark crayons in...
University of Wisconsin
Measuring Slope for Rain Gardens
The slope of the land is an important feature when considering the erosion that will occur. In this resource, which is part of a rain garden unit, learners calculate the slope of the proposed garden site. Even if you are not planning a...
Curated OER
Particulate Matter: The Lorax
Students explore air pollution. In this ecology lesson, students participate in an experiment in which 5 numbered jar lids are placed outside. Students bring one lid a day in until all jars are inside. Dirt specks are counted, observed,...
Illustrative Mathematics
Comparing Temperatures
Which is colder -12 or -18? Temperature is natural real-world application of ordering rational numbers. It's also fun to talk about the lowest recorded temperature on Earth. Take the time to discuss this inquiry with your class.
Annenberg Foundation
Geometry 3D Shapes: Platonic Solids
From polyhedrons to platonic solids, here is a lesson that will have your classes talking! As an introduction to platonic solids, scholars cut and fold nets to create the three-dimensional solids. They use an interactive component to...
Curated OER
Dredging the Mississippi
Young scholars determine the amount of earth that needs to be removed from the Mississippi and the amount of time it takes the Army Corps of Engineers to complete a dredging project. Given specific dimensions of a channel, calculations...
Curated OER
Migration of the Neo-Tropical Songbirds
Fifth graders plot the migration of birds using Google Earth. For this lesson on bird migration, 5th graders work in groups to plot the migration of a group of birds using Google Earth. Students present and discuss their findings and...
Curated OER
Let the Weather Help You Dress
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. ...
Curated OER
Recycling
Middle schoolers relate recycling to waste reduction. In this science lesson, students talk about the environment and how recycling certain natural resources actually saves on energy. They also discuss what type of recycling causes...
Curated OER
Communicating Data
In this data instructional activity, students match information with the best type of graph to display it. Students also make a chart and graph to display information in a given paragraph.
Curated OER
Extraterrestrial Communication: Can We Talk to Anybody Out There?
Learners examine the possibilities of communication with other living organisms within our solar system through research and hands on activities, as well as observing and analyzing teacher demonstrations.
Curated OER
Lifting Bodies: Designing Your Own Spacecraft
Students work cooperatively with classmates to design a wingless vehicle that can fly back to Earth from space, landing like an aircraft. Students plan and describe their models. Also, they will research facts about the lifting body...
Curated OER
Mystery Spill
Students investigate the cause of birds dying in Monterey Bay. In this scientific research lesson, students use various resources, scientific investigations, and vector analysis to solve an environmental mystery.
Curated OER
What Are We Going To Do About Baby Six Billion?
Students formulate and evaluate suggestions about government policy using demographic examples and projections. They examine websites and utilize worksheets imbedded in this plan.
Curated OER
Proportions and Scale Factor for Measurement
Students explore the concept of proportion. For this proportion lesson, students use google maps to find the distance the their school is from home. Students discuss what a scale factor is through teacher led discussion. Students...
Curated OER
Help Maggie Rebuild Her Airplane!
In this airplane worksheet, students build airplanes out of paper and test their accuracy while flying them. Students build 6 planes and fill out test logs to go with them.
Curated OER
Chors, Secants, Tangents
Pupils identify the relationship between chords, secants and circles. For this geometry lesson, students calculate the length of the chords. They sketch the secant lines on a circle.
Curated OER
This Building is Tall
Students calculate the perimeter of shapes. In this geometry lesson, students relate properties of polygons to the real world. They find length, midpoint and slope.
Curated OER
Arc Length - Horse
Students define an arc and calculate its length. In this geometry lesson plan, students find examples of arc in the real world. They show their understanding of arcs through problem solving.
Curated OER
Sketching Spheres
Young scholars investigate spheres through sketches. In this geometry lesson, students sketch two and three dimensional shapes creating nets. They find and differentiate between the nets for prisms, pyramids, cones, cylinders and spheres.
Curated OER
Circles, Cylinders, Cones and Spheres
In this comparing geometric figures learning exercise, students continue patterns and observe circles. In this problem solving learning exercise, students answer seven questions.
Curated OER
"Checking In"
Students examine the checkpoints along the Iditarod Trail. They calculate the distances, mean and medians between each checkpoint. Using the internet, they follow along a virtual trail. They answer questions about when it would be more...
Curated OER
Musher Graphing and Probability
Middle schoolers use the internet to research statistical information on the musher dogs participating in the Iditarod. Using the data, they create three different types of pie charts. They use the charts to answer questions about the...