That Was Then, This Is Now

Determining whether or not something is living can be more difficult than it seems. Put your young scientists to work defining their own criteria to identify life, then work with three samples to see if they are alive or not. 

How is the wind up there? The class builds a topography model using materials available in the classroom, then place wind flags in different locations on the landscape. Using a fan as a wind source, pupils collect data about how wind...

What does it cost to keep the lights on? Through a hands-on activity, class members use a watt meter and determine the amount of energy different types of light bulbs use. The class then determines the financial and environmental cost of...

Your class won't get on your nerves while doing this modeling activity! After teaching the structure and function of a neuron using the included diagrams, give individuals some clay and chenille stems so that they can make their own...

Individuals select a plant, illustrate it in their journal, record observations, and create a life story for their plant that accounts for its features and any unique properties. Using these descriptions, a partner attempts to locate...

Need a way to boost community and involve local neighborhoods into your school? This may be your answer. Ecology is the way! Think, plan, and consider living in a no-waste place as your class embarks on this unit to learn about the...

One of the inventions that has greatly impacted the world is Thomas Edison's light bulb. From his incandescent bulb, to today's LED bulbs, illuminate middle schoolers with the way they convert electricity into light and heat. Handouts...

Amaze your class with a video segment on rainbows and why they are not what they necessarily appear to be. Individuals watch light and ice merge, which triggers a prism, thus forming a rainbow. They listen to a scientific explanation of...

What would happen if all of the land on Earth received as much rainfall as the temperate rain forest? The vast desserts would be altered, the animals would adapt or die, and the types of plants available would quickly shift. This is what...

There are millions of plant and animal species on the planet, but why do we need so many? Follow along with this short video as it explains how biodiversity helps strengthen ecosystems, allowing them to adapt to change so that life...