Curated OER
Pollution in the Air and the Water Pollution Solution
Students explore air pollution. In this ecology and air pollution lesson, students perform an experiment in which a Vaseline coated lid is placed inside and outside the classroom. Students make predictions and then record what they see...
Curated OER
Mr. Bo Jangle, What's Your Angle?
Third graders explore angles. In this geometry lesson, 3rd graders identify and define acute, obtuse, and right angles. Students form angles with their bodies, find angles in picture books, and record angles found outside in their math...
Curated OER
Rain On
Fourth graders study the water cycle and clouds. In this water cycle and cloud lesson, 4th graders determine the definition of condensation and watch a demonstration in which the teacher makes a cloud in a bottle. They discuss the water...
Curated OER
Watch the Sky: Observing Clouds and Patterns
Students observe clouds outside of the classroom. In this weather lesson, students investigate and record the clouds above their classroom everyday for three weeks. The students then analyze their data and discuss what causes specific...
Curated OER
Mystery Game
Students examine objects and determine if they are living or nonliving. In this scientific observation lesson, students collect living and nonliving items from outside, record a drawing of each in their journal, and write a short...
Curated OER
What's the Matter?
Students explore matter. In this matter and technology lesson plan, students locate examples of solids, liquids, and gases inside and outside the classroom, and record their findings in a graphic organizer. Students listen to...
Curated OER
Creating a Pond Habitat
Students create a pond habitat inside and outside their classroom. In this pond lesson plan, students create a habitat with animals, water, and plants in order to create a proper pond habitat.
Curated OER
What is a Cloud?
Students identify what clouds are made of. In this weather science lesson, students look at clouds outside the window and draw what they see in their journals. Students read the book It Looked Like Spilled Milk and identify what clouds...
Curated OER
Diversity: Appearance
Students collect several 'diversity beans' and sort them into piles based on the color of the beans and if they believe they will enjoy the flavor concluded from the outside appearance. In this diversity lesson, students...
Curated OER
Hydrogen-Electrolysis of Water
Students discover how hydrogen is created and extracted from water to use as an energy source. In this solar energy lesson, students use pieces of aluminum foil as electrodes. Students attach one end of a wire to the hanger of the...
Curated OER
Cloud Fun
Students observe cumulus clouds. In this weather lesson, students go outside to look at cumulus clouds and observe what the weather is like when they find these types of clouds. They create a cumulus cloud in an art project and complete...
Curated OER
Diversity
Students create a collage. In this diversity lesson students express their own definition of diversity by making a collage. M&M candies are used as an example of how some things are different on the outside but the same on the inside.
Curated OER
Adaptations to Environments with Mammals
Fifth graders, after viewing a PowerPoint on different mammals, analyze what a biome is. Then they choose a mammal to research and go outside to feel the grass and leaves and hypothesize about which biome they live in as well as its...
Curated OER
Time Management: Piece of Pie
Middle schoolers examine their own lives and how well they manage their time outside of school. For this this time management lesson, students discover the amount of time they spend on other activities, and create a pie chart with that...
Facing History and Ourselves
How Do Communities Define We and They?
Learners consider the categorization of people. For this community identity instructional activity, 6th graders examine community membership definitions and consider how those outside of the group view themselves. Learners analyze The...
Curated OER
Everyday Objects with Shapes
Students explore geometric shapes. In this geometry and language development lesson, students take a walk and look for shapes in the objects outdoors. Students match each of four individual paper shapes they are...
Curated OER
Celebrating Earth Day
Students explore environmental safety by planting seeds outside their classroom. In this Earth Day lesson, students identify the different ways to recycle and conserve resources on Earth while facilitating recycling bins around campus....
Curated OER
The Many Roles I Play in My Community
Second graders are asked: "What roles do people have in the community?" They view a large web on chart paper. Students discuss the roles that they play in their community. They are told that just as the principal or teacher has many...
Curated OER
Maps with a "Spin"
Learners, in groups, research and map the effects of a proposed airport three miles outside of town. They prepare a presentation based on a set of maps they make and explains its different points of view from the viewpoints of the town...
Curated OER
Tale of a Tuna
Junior marine biologists access the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas' data on Atlantic Bluefin Tuna catches. As they analyze the data, they answer three questions. Background information and links to...
Curated OER
Interviewing for beginners: Getting over the scary part
Are you beginning a unit on interviews/ conducting interviews? This lesson doesn't contain many details, but you might want to check it out if you're hoping to lead your class in interviewing outside sources.
Scholastic
It's a Whatchamacallit
Learners formulate new applications for simple machines in an original invention that solves a common problem. They brainstorm ideas for a new product using simple machines and communicate a finished project through an oral,...
Growing Classroom
Space Travelers
Groups of three scientists from the rocky planet Zog investigate the composition of soil so that they can take the information back to their home, create soil there, and begin to grow food.
Smithsonian Institution
The Soldier’s Experience—Vietnam versus World War I
The Vietnam War and World War I were two very important—and different—wars. To understand the differences, and similarities, class members watch videos, examine primary source documents, and then create a newscast that examines the...