Fruit or vegetable? That is the question in this activity designed for first graders. After a brief explanation of the difference, kids select two plants, use two words to describe each one, label them as a fruits or vegetables, and...

Legos in science class? Watch your pupils fall in love with this activity. After learning to measure potential and kinetic energy, young scientists create their own ramps using Lego Mindstorm sensors and software.

Build an understanding of rational numbers and their counterpart irrational numbers. Lead learners through an explanation of rational numbers and the ways they can be expressed. Then introduce them to irrational numbers and make...

Examine the science behind rates of diffusion. The video lesson and following interactive activity focus on the molecular components of different smells. Learners monitor the diffusion of each smell as they 'race' through a room.

Ride to success in understanding systems of equations. Scholars graph a system of equations on the cost of a subway and a taxi using an interactive. Using this graph allows users to answer some questions about the situation.  

Not all data is the same. Using the interactive, pupils compare data represented in two different ways. The learners develop an understanding of the difference between discrete and continuous data and the different ways to represent each...

Who wins the battle of the interest rates? Scholars use an interactive to investigate three different bank rates. Comparing APR and APY lets them see how nominal and effective rates differ.

What were you doing a minute ago? What about last year? Learners read a set of 10 sentences and fill in each blank with a simple past or past continuous verb listed in parentheses.

Reading snail mail is a great way to go back into history and to understand others' points of view. The resource, the second in a five-part unit, covers the Dreyfus Affair. Scholars, working in two different groups, read one letter and...

Young historians study primary and secondary source materials to try and separate the true story of Pocahontas from the myths, fictional tales, and conflicting accounts of her life.

Campaigns to gain voting rights for women during the 19th and 20th centuries took place on both the state and federal level. After examining primary sources that document both types of campaigns, class members debate the merits of the...

Small and large are relative terms; what's the best way to quantify them? Young scientists take on that challenge as they complete an interactive activity to explore size. They build structures during their exploration and begin using...

The big world is full of tiny surprises. Classes discover all things big and small while completing the second lesson of a five-part series comparing macro- and micro-objects. Learners collect items from around the room including things...

Make a big deal out of things the class can't see. Young scientists get an introduction to nanoscience in the fourth installment of a five-part series on scale. The instructional activity discusses current innovations in nanotechnology...

A nanometer is the approximate distance your fingernail grows in one second. Hard to visualize, isn't it? The third of a five-part lesson on scale seeks to help learners understand the size of the nanoscale of measurement. Using examples...

It is a long way from nano to macro. Learners examined the scale of measurement from macro to nano in the first four lessons of the five-part series. With the final installment, they review what they learned by classifying objects in one...

Cha-ching! Using the practical resource, scholars investigate the different types of bank accounts and banking services available. Pupils view a PowerPoint, practice writing checks, and complete a checking account research project.

It's George versus George in the battle for the American colonies. An interesting activity compares the leadership of George Washington and King George III during the American Revolution. Scholars read text, compare portraits, and...

Immigration issues are nothing new. An interesting lesson focuses on the racially motivated Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and its impact on the Chinese American community. Scholars read articles, analyze political cartoons, and...

Explore the link between solar energy and cloud cover using real data from NASA from China! Future climatologists analyze and interpret graphs of solar energy on clear and cloudy days using a literacy cube. Investigators draw conclusions...

Find out the science of how clouds keep Earth cooler on hot days. Using guided discussions, investigators analyze and interpret maps of how much solar energy Earth receives at different times of the year. Participants draw conclusions...

Students research an author and gather information that seems to support that person as author of The Night Before Christmas. They work in groups to gather the most solid evidence and they write a persuasive essay presenting their argument.

Students compare and contrast native Mexican poinsettia plants to those marketed in the United States. They watch a PowerPoint presentation, and listen to a version of the legend of the poinsettia. Students then create a paper pinwheel...

Students differentiate between point and non-point pollution and determine how the different types of pollution are harmful to aquatic ecosystems. They complete a series of tests on a sample of "polluted" water and a sample of "pure" water.