Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dirt Babies

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Dirt babies are an excellent way to show young botanists the plant life cycle. They explore the functions and industry behind grasses before growing some of their own. Use the informational text here and consider implementing some...
Activity
Discovery Education

Motion in the Ocean

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
How do temperature changes affect ocean currents? Scholars explore convection currents by demonstrating the flow of water in a baking dish. They use ice, heat, and food coloring to see currents. Then, they draw conclusions about their...
Lesson Plan
Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Section Two: Why is Biodiversity Important?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Explore soil, genetic traits, natural resources, and pollution in a series of lessons that focus on biodiversity. Kids complete experiments to learn more about the importance of varied genes and organisms in an ecosystem.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where Did the Water Go? An Investigation in Scientific Methods

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students view a teacher demonstration that prompts them to solve a problem using the scientific method. In this scientific method lesson, students guess which cup has water and are presented with a conundrum when the water does not...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water 1: Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore forms that water can take. In this science lesson, students participate in hands-on activities that require them to change water to a solid and back to a liquid again.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water as a Cycle

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students collaborate with a partner to create a large diagram containing one aspect of the water cycle. They are encouraged to include academic language and pictures for their presentation. Their is a peer evaluation sheet that is...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plant Transpiration

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students conduct various experiments to investigate plant transpiration. In this biology lesson, students explain how this process helps maintain the hydrologic cycle. They measure the rate of water loss in plants using a potometer.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

PLANT LIFE CYCLES

For Teachers K - 5th
Student learns about the life cycle of plants by watching a time-lapse video. This activity provides students with further evidence that all living things grow and change as they progress through their life cycle. Student conducts a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Condensation

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Learners participate in the scientific process to investigate what happens to water when it evaporates by observing condensation. In small groups they observe what happens to ice in a cup, and what occurs when they hold a bowl of ice...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Waterdrops

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this environment worksheet, students read an article about water drops and the nature center. They pretend that they are going to a nature center and write what they would hope see there. Students also identify living things and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Journey of the Pacific Salmon

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students examine the journey of the Pacific salmon. In this salmon species lesson, students review the stages of the salmon life cycle and conduct an experiment to determine how the water and habitat changes during each stage.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Make It Rain!

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students complete an experiment. In this precipitation instructional activity, students complete an activity where they make rain in a jar.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Structure of the Earth System

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders describe the steps in the water cycle. They discuss factors that affect runoff and explain the differences between stalactites and stalagmites. They discover the importance of ground water.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Around and Around Again

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students form a hypothesis for a water cycle experiment. In this water cycle lesson, students create their own environment with water and earth to study the water cycle. Students complete a handout to make a hypothesis and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modeling Patterns and Cycles in Our Lives

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore how building a model can help them better understand the natural world. They identify common cycles or patterns in nature as well as examples of models in the classroom. After discussion, they choose a pattern or cycle...
Lesson Plan
1
1
NOAA

Ocean Acidification

For Teachers 9th - 12th
If tap water is more acidic than ocean water, why are we so concerned about ocean acidification? The third installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program focuses on carbon dioxide levels in...
Interactive
Learning Games Lab

Fertilizing Chile

For Students 9th - 12th
Fertilizer can mean the difference between a profit and a loss. Scholars use an online interactive to explore the effects of fertilizing in agriculture. Given information about the nitrogen levels in the soil, they decide the fertilizer...
Unit Plan
2
2
Brooklyn Children’s Museum

Volcanoes!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Give young geologists an up close and personal look at volcanoes with a series of hands-on earth science lessons. Whether they are investigating the properties of igneous rocks, building their own volcanoes, or making...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students study the liquid and solid states of water. In this water states instructional activity, students complete three experiments to study water as it cycles from a liquid state to a solid state and back. Students finish with a Venn...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students observe water as it changes form.  In this water lesson students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science: The Water Cycle

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the various stages of the water cycle. In groups, they complete a hands-on activity by creating model water cycle. Students design posters representing each of the seven stages of the water cycle.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

WET Science Lesson #11: How Light Affects Water

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Scientists listen to the story of Wadja Egnankou who works to save African mangrove forests. They experiment with refraction and the introduction of particulate matter to water. They conclude with creative writing about the need for a...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Journey Through the Water Cycle

For Teachers 2nd
Students canvass the water cycle in the seven lessons of this unit. The processes of the water cycle and the cyclical nature of water is emphasized inthis unit.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Cycle

For Teachers K - 5th
Students perform experiments with water to observe the principles of evaporation and condensation. They make models of the water cycle and discuss the processes that occurred in their experiments with their jars of water.