Curated OER
Periodic Table of the Elements
First graders discuss, at their level, the concept of elements making up all matter. They discover the story of Dimitri Mendeleev and his discovery of the Periodic Table of the Elements. They locate and color some of the most common...
Curated OER
Let's Make Waves
Young scholars investigate the concept of waves and how they are formed. The force of wind is demonstrated as the prime factor to the creation of ocean waves. Students research the concept in detail for better comprehension.
Curated OER
How Are The Properties of Covalent Compounds Influenced By Chemical Bonding?
Students work together to observe the bond lengths of single, double and triple bonds. They make their own predictions about the strength of the bonds and chemical reactions. They answer discussion questions to complete the...
Curated OER
The Big Burp:A Bad Day in the Paleocene
Students describe the overall events that occurred during the Paleocene extinction event as well as the processes that are believed to result in global warming after group research. They infer how a global warming event could have...
Curated OER
Giants of the Protozoa
Students describe and define xenophyophores. In this protozoa lesson students divide into groups and complete a lab activity.
Michigan Sea Grant
Fish Life Cycle
Fish are no different when it comes to a living being's primary objective—to reproduce. They do differ, including from fish species to fish species, in their life cycles, survival tactics and reproductive strategies. After discussion of...
Curated OER
Let the Sunshine in
Students collect and analyze data to study wavelengths of visible light. They cover Styrofoam cups with three different colors of sun filtering products and shine a lamp directly on the cups. They determine the most effective filtering...
Curated OER
Genome: The Secret of How Life Works
Students explain how DNA directs the production of proteins.
Curated OER
Necessary Nitrogen
Students view a video that presents the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen. They compare types of soils and consider how different fertilizers affect soil composition.
Curated OER
World Wide Winds
Students recognize that global winds move in specific directions in specific latitudes and describe that in a written form. They relate the motion of the wind belts to historical navigation.
Curated OER
What's the Big Deal?
Students define terms and describe where they are found and formed. In this methane lesson students complete an activity and describe ways in which methane hydrates impact our lives.
Curated OER
The Nitrogen Cycle
Fifth graders investigate the nitrogen cycle and examine the concepts of decomposition and nitrification. Students participate in a class discussion about the creation of waste and ammonia compounds, then using nitrogen cycle cut-outs...
Curated OER
What's In Crude Oil?
Middle schoolers investigate crude oil. In this crude oil instructional activity, students investigate fractional distillation and use this technique to separate two liquids.
Curated OER
Does the Chicken have Anthrax (Explain I)
Young scholars explain how each of the components of innate immunity function in the protection of the body. Following an investigation, they articulate how innate immunity functions.
Curated OER
Ions in the Environment
Students explain the importance of the five main biogeochemical cycles. In this chemistry lesson, students discuss how ions are transported in the environment. They design an experiment to collect data on eutrophication.
Curated OER
Is There Really Life on Mars?
Students examine the work of scientists and determine how they test their theories.
Curated OER
Extraction of DNA from White Onion
High schoolers conduct lab test with minced onion to determine where chromosonal DNA is located within the cell, and whether or not it can be extracted.
Curated OER
Jell-O Optics
Learners observe an activity with Jell-O to learn about optics. In this investigative lesson students fill out a handout on the activity that helps them to investigate the index of refraction and the speed of light.
American Chemical Society
Middle School Chemistry: Lesson Plans: Water Is a Polar Molecule
Students develop their own water molecule model to help them understand the idea that water has a slight positive charge at one end of the molecule and a slight negative charge at the other.
Museum of Science
Miami Museum of Science: Making Water Molecules
This simple lesson involves making a model of a water molecule from gumdrops. A toy car is also used to explain how a model compares to the real thing.
American Chemical Society
Middle School Chemistry: Lesson Plans: Why Does Water Dissolve Salt?
Students use their own model of a salt crystal and water molecule to show how water dissolves salt. Then, they relate their observations to the structure of salt, water, and alcohol on the molecular level.
American Chemical Society
Middle School Chemistry: Changing State: Evaporation
Students build a model of a water molecule and design an experiment to see if adding energy affects the rate of evaporation.
Utah STEM Foundation
Utah Stem Action Center: Salt Dissolved in Great Salt Lake
In this lesson, students will compare water from a fresh lake to water from the Great Salt Lake to begin to build a conceptual model for how salt dissolves in water. The lesson focuses on students using and developing models of molecules...