Science Matters
Potential and Kinetic Energy
Everything has potential energy; learning to use it is the key to understanding all types of energy. Scholars learn the difference between kinetic and potential energy. They then apply the concept to drawing examples of both types of...
US National Library of Medicine
Genetic Traits in Harry Potter
Explore human genetics through the world of Harry Potter. A thorough lesson develops the introductory concepts of genetics using characters of the popular book series. Learners study topics from DNA and chromosomes to Punnett Squares and...
Discovery Education
Sonar & Echolocation
A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...
PHET
Planet Designer: Retro Planet Red
What does the atmosphere on Mars look like? This fourth lesson plan in the series of five is designed for high schoolers. Scholars apply previous knowledge to add atmosphere to Mars in an online simulation. This comprehensive lesson plan...
PHET
Planet Designer: Martian Makeover
Mars used to have liquid water, can you make it come back? Use the instructional activity and simulation to understand why Mars lost its magnetic field, why atmosphere is important, and what gravity has to do with it. This is the third...
Virginia Department of Education
Atomic Structure: Periodic Table
The fifth lesson of seven in the series outlines an in-depth analysis of the periodic table. After direct instruction, pupils take turns practicing in the group before beginning independent study. The assessments include a quiz and an...
Curated OER
Moon Watch: Observing the Lunar Phases with a Model
How do you know the moon is going broke? It's down to its last quarter. The lesson provides a more accurate way to teach lunar phases, emphasizing not only naming or understanding them, but being able to explain why they occur....
National Wildlife Federation
Get Your Techno On
Desert regions are hotter for multiple reasons; the lack of vegetation causes the sun's heat to go straight into the surface and the lack of moisture means none of the heat is being transferred into evaporation. This concept, and other...
Cornell University
Buoyancy
Swimmers know to float by turning their bodies horizontally rather than vertically, but why does that make a difference? In an interesting lesson, scholars explore buoyancy and the properties of air and water. They test cups to see which...
American Chemical Society
Engineering a Floatation Device
Classes will definitely not be sinking after a buoyant lesson! A project-based assessment helps highlight the importance of prior knowledge as individuals design a floatation device for a cell phone. They use their knowledge of chemical...
Curated OER
Proteins
Vocabulary that is essential to this topic is introduced and defined at the start of this slide show. The following slides help students understand proteins and their use and involvement in everyday substances. Great diagrams help your...
Curated OER
Human Genetic Diseases
Although there are a few missing titles in this collection of slides, if your class has prior knowledge of genetic diseases then this resource could be useful. The mechanism of genetic inheritance are covered and both flow charts and...
Baylor College
Fossil Fuels and the Carbon Cycle
Humans are quickly depleting Earth's fossil fuels and locating them is becoming increasingly difficult! Layered muffins are used for models as young geologists take core samples in order to determine the presence of oil. Consider first...
Intel
Plugging into the Sun
What's cooking? A sizzling STEM unit challenges scholars to build a solar cooker that can successfully cook an egg. The unit opens with a study of Earth's rotation, the sun's energy, and shadows. Pupils use a compass and thermometer to...
Curated OER
Cell Organelles and Their Functions
Students will be using Inspiration, which is a graphic organizer computer program, to create their own model community where they will label the community parts with the corresponding organelle. They will have prior knowledge of cell...
Curated OER
Spider "How To" Make a Spider
Young chefs follow the set-by-step instructions of a recipe and use their prior knowledge of the body parts of a spider to make edible spider cookies. After completing a pre-writing graphic organizer they then write a "how to" paragraph...
Curated OER
Octopus Lesson Plan
Children explore the life of an octopus. They listen to a story, answer prediction questions and share their prior knowledge of animals. Students observe the defense mechanism of the octopus. They create an imaginary defense mechanism...
Curated OER
Student Exploration: Eclipse
In this earthquake exploration worksheet, students complete 3 prior knowledge questions, then use "Eclipse Gizmo" to conduct several activities, completing short answer questions when finished.
Curated OER
Student Exploration: Building Topographic Maps
For this earthquake exploration worksheet, students complete 2 prior knowledge questions, then use "Building Topographic Maps Gizmo" to conduct several activities, completing short answer questions when finished.
Curated OER
Student Exploration: 2D Eclipse
In this earthquake exploration worksheet, students complete 2 prior knowledge questions, then use "2D Eclipse Gizmo" to conduct several activities, completing short answer questions when finished.
Curated OER
Prior Knowledge Investigation-Food Webs
Students explore food webs. They identify any misconceptions of producers, consumers or decomposers and their relationship within a food web. Students draw an example of a food web for each of the examples that are given. They address...
DePaul University
The Working Tools of Insects
The animal kingdom is full of interesting organisms that have unique ways of surviving. Children read about different insects that have special tools for building homes and protecting themselves. When finished, learners identify the main...
Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX)
Use Simple Machines to Help Stuart Little
Third graders study six simple machines while working in expert groups. They use the information from the research to decide which simple machine the Littles could use to move a package. They demonstrate how their simple machine works in...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle--Using Inspiration Software
Third graders describe and label the water cycle, and list how water changes from one form to another; students use Inspiration Software to label a blank water cycle diagram.