Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar System Search

For Teachers 6th - 7th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Keep on Standing!!

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students construct an earthquake simulator and create building models to test. In this earthquake lesson, students use the Internet and a slinky to demonstrate P and S waves. They construct an earthquake simulator as a class and use it...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why is Summer Hot?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners examine how variations in temperature are due to the Sun and length of day.  In this solar lesson plan students complete a lab activity using thermometers and artificial sunlight to see how the earth is heated.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

RIDING THE WIND

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students locate the Trade Winds, Westerlies and Polar Easterlies on a map, explain the impact of the rotation of the Earth, and plot a route for a round trip voyage from New York to London.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Heat Things Up!

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars build and evaluate simple models to understand the greenhouse effect. They explore the role of increased greenhouse gas concentration in global warming, and the implications of global warming theory for engineers,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carve That Mountain

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate major landforms (e.g., mountains, rivers, plains, hills, oceans and plateaus). They build a three-dimensional model of a landscape depicting several of these landforms. Once they have built their model, they act as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Are We Falling Apart? Exploding Volcanoes

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students research and demonstrate volcanic activity. In this volcanism lesson, students research the types of volcanoes and define related terms using the Internet. They demonstrate volcanic activity with water, corn syrup, and flour.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Compass Building Instructions

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Students build their own compass following a given procedure. In this technology instructional activity, students explain how a compass is used in navigation. They trace the history of its development.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let the Sun Shine!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate how the sun can be used for energy. They read a handout, discuss the pros and cons of passive solar building design, develop flashcard questions, and identify jobs that can be helped by solar energy.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Volcanic Panic!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students begin with an overview of the Earth's interior and how volcanoes form. They learn how engineers predict eruptions. In a class demonstration, students watch and measure a mock volcanic eruption and observe the phases of an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Feel Renewed!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars participate in a simulation of the equal and unequal distribution of the earth's renewable resources. They discuss renewable resources and how food resources can increase and decrease, participate in the simulation, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TE Activity: You're in Hot Water

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars study different ways of using solar energy. They design a solar water heater and determine how much water it can heat in a set amount of time. They examine how the heaters work by solar radiation and convection.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating New Forms of Life

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers are asked to use their imaginations to take the idea of biotechnology one step further. Before beginning this activity students read and complete a report on the book "Jurassic Park," which deals with the use of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Satellite Mobiles K-2

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore satellites and their function. They view a photo essay about the many kinds of satellites and the jobs they do. Afterwards, they construct satellite mobiles, discuss the various features of their satellites, as well as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Pollution Disrupts Our Natural Environment

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students conduct experiments to illustrate global warming. For this air pollution lesson, students first examine how a layer of greenhouse gasses might impact the earth's atmospheric temperature, then evaluate how the layer of gasses...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes a Home "Energy Efficient"?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students research and report the costs and benefits of making their own homes more energy efficient. In this energy conservation lesson, students explore energy efficient technologies and design over several days. They complete a home...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living On The Moon

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students evaluate what life would be like living on the moon or another planet in our solar system.  In this science lesson, students create a colony that they would use to live in on the moon using Legos. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Environment: Battling for Oxygen

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students construct an interactive ozone depletion model using gumdrops and toothpicks. After analyzing the data obtained from the model, they record it on butcher paper and complete worksheets about oxygen.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock Solid

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students investigate the three types of material stress related to rocks. They watch a PowerPoint Presentation, view an online animation of the three types of rock stress, identify the various types of rocks, answer true or false...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TE Activity: Muscles, Muscles Everywhere

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students study three different muscle types and investigate the affect of space travel on astronauts' muscles. They examine how exercise has a positive affect on muscle both on Earth and in space while looking at engineers' roles in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animals, Soil, Trees

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders describe the various kinds of soils and how plants and animals are affected by them. They describe the baic needs of plants, scoring at least a 3 or 4 on a 4-point rubic. Students are able to predict and/or infer what...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wake County Landfill Problem

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Young scholars create a proposal to solve Wake County's problem with losing the North Wake landfill in such a way that: a new landfill site is agreed upon, Solid-wase disposal is in compliance with Local and State landfill regulations...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modeling the Change of Seasons

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students evaluate data to determine changes in length of day. They model the revolution of Earth around the sun to show changes in length of day and sun angle and illustrate how the sun angle affects the change of season.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

The Birth of Rock(s) - Identifying Rock Types

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scientists investigate types of rocks in this instructional activity. They collaborate to examine groups of rocks, make written descriptions of them, and use websites to help them identify the types of rocks they are.