Curated OER
Dante's Peak Movie Review
Middle or high school volcanologists watch the 1997 film, Dante's Peak. They make observations as they watch and then write a movie review, focusing on what was accurately represented. They also point out what facts were stretched by...
Curated OER
Cloud Observations using GLOBE Protocols
Students observe which of ten types of clouds are visible and how much of the sky is cloud covered. They see that by observing clouds, we can get information about temperature, moisture, and wind conditions in different places in the...
Curated OER
Raw Seafood ~ On the Half Shell
The topic is fascinating, but there is not much for learners to do here. Food borne illness has always been a problem for humans to face, and here, data from the Center for Disease Control is analyzed. Learners look at the number of...
Curated OER
Heat Energy - Energy Transfer
Here's a great selection of slides for a class being introduced to heat transfer. Types of materials that are good conductors or insulators are covered and the diagrams that accompany the information should make understanding more...
Curated OER
Point Source vs. Non-point Source Pollution
Students define and differentiate between point source and non-point source pollution. Students discuss various types of pollution including air, water and land pollution, analyze demonstrations and complete a worksheet.
Curated OER
Global Water
Students collect data on their household water use and calculate how many gallons of water a person uses per day. They investigate how students in different parts of the world get their drinking water.
Curated OER
Where Does All the Water Go?
Students view a demonstration of how groundwater flows and define several related vocabulary terms. They complete a worksheet, participate in discussion and make a poster.
Curated OER
Water Filtration Competition
Students design water filtration systems. They draw sketches and write paragraphs about their systems. After presenting their systems to the class, each group then builds their system and determines its effectiveness for purifying...
Curated OER
The Effects of the Calcium Ion on Cooked Dry Beans
Young scholars investigate the effects of calcium ions on the quality characteristics of cooked dry beans. In this calcium ion and dry bean investigation lesson plan, students soak dry beans using 2 different soaking techniques and 2...
Curated OER
Living Sources of Weathering
In this sources of weathering worksheet, students read about the various things that cause weathering including plants and animals. They answer four critical thinking questions about weathering.
Curated OER
Structure of Seeds and Effects of Fertilizer on Plant Growth
Investigate the structure of seeds and the effects of fertilizer on the growth of plants. Young scientists observe a peanut and determine if it is a monocot or dicot plant. They plant seeds and make varying solutions of fertilizer, then...
Curated OER
Who Takes Care of the Maya Forest Corridor?
First graders study the animals in the Maya Forest Reserve. In this conservation lesson plan, 1st graders create a graph to compare the environment of animals to their own. They design a 3D model of these two environments.
Curated OER
Can You Catch the Water?
Students work together to construct a model of a water catchment basin. They survey water patterns and complete experiments to see where rain travels and collects. They discover how engineers design structures that help with drainage.
Teach Engineering
Aerogels in Action
Model an oil spill cleanup. An engaging engineering lesson has groups using aerogels to simulate an oil spill cleanup (vegetable oil in water). Along the way, they learn about nanotechnology and hydrophilia/hydrophobia.
Curated OER
Biogeochemical Cycles Study Guide
The four cycles in Earth's biogeochemical system are covered in this worksheet. Science stars fill in the blanks or define vocabulary terms pertaining to the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous cycles. This resource provides a...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Introducing Ecosystem Services
Purifying air and water, providing soil in which to grow crops, and moving water through its natural cycle are all services an ecosystem provides that benefit humans. Lesson four in a series lets learners explore and discuss the value of...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Understanding the Greenhouse Effect
The greenhouse effect is important, for without it, life on Earth would not exist. An activity that includes modeling the greenhouse effect and acting out the Earth's energy balance makes up the first part in a series of seven...
National Park Service
Living & Non-Living Interactions
What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in...
Cornell University
Making a Battery
Don't be shocked when your class has a blast making their own batteries! Science scholars examine a dry cell battery, then design and construct a wet cell battery. The activity guides them through the parts of a battery, the variables...
Cornell University
Catapults
Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome.
Curated OER
Extreme Weather and Mapping
In this environment worksheet, students read an article about extreme weather conditions and mapping it out. They respond to 10 multiple choice questions about what they read. Then, students explain how droughts can occur and the...
Curated OER
All Aboard
Explore the U.S.S. Nevada. Researchers use primary sources, secondary sources, children's books and websites to study the naval ship. Their study commences with a class alphabet book on the ship. Intended to be part of a lesson on...
Curated OER
QAR for The Color Purple
Have you heard of the QAR strategy? If your class is reading The Color Purple, provide them with this two-page worksheet to get them thinking. With the strategy, readers are introduced to four types of questions (right there, think and...
Curated OER
Environmental Issues And Energy Alternatives Crossword
In this environmental issues worksheet, learners solve 16 clues focusing on the forms of renewable and non-renewable energy, global warming and acid rain.