California Academy of Science
Energy: A Day in My Life
If only we could harness the energy of fifth graders, our energy problems would be over! The class discusses where different forms of energy come from and how we use them. They complete a chart of the activities that they do daily...
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Forests and Treescapes with Romey Stuckart
Students discuss Romey Stuckart's painting, "The Cedar," paint a tempera or acrylic picture of a forest or treescape, using overlapping shapes, intense hues, and heavy brush textures, and discuss managed forest techniques preserve...
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Quel temps fait-il?
Hit all the basics with this lesson, focusing on weather, greetings, and dates! Start by singing a weather related song ("Quel temps fait-il by Barbara MacArthur is suggested), and then read a story about getting ready for school. The...
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Froggy Gets Dressed
Froggy wants to know: what are you wearing? Lead young Spanish learners through a review of weather-related terms before reading the popular children's book Froggy Gets Dressed. Then, using a froggy puppet, discuss what you're...
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Trash Flash Through Time
Young scholars describe ways in which solid waste was disposed in the past and the present. They survey an older citizen about his/her solid waste disposal methods. They discover solid waste practices from long ago.
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Trash or Treasure?
Students identify things that can be reused. In this environmental lesson, students read the poem "Hector the Collector" and discuss the difference between junk and treasure. Students complete a reflection about what they read by...
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Taking Charge of our Earth and its Resources
Students identify natural resources, discuss conservation and protection of them, and identify how pollution is harmful to the environment. Seven lessons on one page.
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All Wrapped Up
Students explore packaging. For this cross-curriculum lesson, students bring in samples of food packaging and identify the packaging as natural or manufactured.
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Everything's Connected
Learners explore how trash decomposes. In this ecosystem lesson, students discuss new vocabulary words, such as producers and consumers, and think critically to answer how landfills work.
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Save the Earth: It's Everyone's Home!
Students research ways to conserve and reduce energy and resources. For this reducing waste lesson, students work in teams to experiment with water and losing resources. students brainstorm about ways to conserve and reduce energy and...
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Junk Mail Overload!
Students discuss the "junk mail nuisance" with the teacher and share their opinions on the problem. Students collect a week's worth of junk mail, bring to class and complete a chart about the amount and weight. Students then complete an...
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Let's Clean Up Our Act and the Earth!
Students complete activities that help clean up the Earth and protect the environment. In this Earth protection lesson, students go outside and listen to the environment. Students discuss their observations and their role in protecting...
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Muffin Flowers
Young scholars use construction paper to create muffin flowers. They use muffin tray cup liners and draw flower stems and leaves on the paper. They use the muffin liners for a 3-D effect.
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When is a Block, not a Block?
Students use a stamped shape image to create a piece of imaginative art. In this stamped art lesson, students use a stamped shape as a starting point to create their own imaginative piece of art that incorporates the stamped shape.
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I Give You My Heart
Second graders create hearts using stencils, pastels, construction paper, and tracing and cutting techniques in this Art activity for the 2nd grade classroom. Emphasis is placed on the concept of repeating patterns. An ideal activity...
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Cow Parade
Students create individual works of art using cow cut-outs as their canvas in this hilarious lesson ideal for the High School Art or Art History classroom. The lesson includes resource links and can be adapted for any animal or mascot.
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Rice Wreaths
Students create rice and glue holiday wreaths in this Art instructional activity ideal for the 1st or 2nd grade. The instructional activity can be adapted for older or younger students and includes an ingredient list and step-by-step...
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Tennis Ball Prints
Students experiment using abstract art techniques, tennis balls, and tempera paint in this excellent, outdoor art activity for the early-elementary classroom. The resulting art prints can be displayed predominantly in the classroom.
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Toilet Paper Tube Snowman
Young scholars create "toilet paper tube" snowmen using toilet paper rolls, paints, pipecleaners, construtcion paper, wiggly eyes, and markers in this winter-time activity. The lesson is intended for the early elementary classroom.
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Watermelon, Watermelon
Students create watermelon slices using red construction paper, paints, and watermelon rinds in this excellent elementary lesson for the end of the school year. The class is also able to enjoy eating watermelon slices during the activity.
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Shamrock Puppy
Students create small "Shamrock Puppies" using colored construction paper, crayons, and glue in this pre-Kindergarten lesson celebrating St. Patrick's Day. The lesson includes a resource link where printable patterns can be found.
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Milk Carton Pen Pot
Students use a milk carton to create a pen pot. They decorate their milk carton in a creative fashion with pictures from old magazines. They put glue on after they are finished to help protect it.
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Quilt Squared
Students study West Virginia quilts. In this mathematics lesson, students use symmetry, geometric shapes, and patterns to create their own quilt square.
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Getting To Know You
Students listen to the book "I like me" by Nancy Carison, or a similar self-esteem book, and then create self-portraitswhile the song "Getting to Know You" is being played. This is an excellent ice-breaker for the beginning of the...