California Academy of Science
A Day inthe Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Although the lesson is specifically about the San Francisco Bay area, it's good enough to be adapted to any local region. Children research what the landscape in San Francisco was like prior to settlement, they consider the types of...
Curated OER
Highs and Lows
Students use email to chart weather patterns and then graph their findings. In this weather patterns lesson, students chart their weather for a week at the school. Students then use email to find temperatures at a variety of locations....
Curated OER
Weather Everywhere
Students gain an understanding of how meteorology affects our physical world and our lives. They utilize resources on web-based activities and participate in the classroom activities to enrich their understanding.
University of Wisconsin
A Rain Garden Year
Pupils become plants in an interpretive play that depicts what happens throughout the seasons in a rain garden. As you narrate, students bloom, flower, and go to seed accordingly. The lesson is first in a series of lessons written for...
Curated OER
Dripping Wet or Dry as a Bone?
Students use a sponge and water model to explore the concept of relative humidity and create a percent scale. They define humidity and saturation, build a simple humidity/saturation model, collect, predict and interpret data, and create...
Curated OER
Boston Harbor Cruise: A Shoreline Survey
The students take a harbor cruise, photograph, and draw shore line features attending to evidence of human impact/consequences, and its cost on marine/land animal habitats vegetation, weather patterns, signs of erosion, and the water...
Curated OER
I Can't Take the Pressure!
Students explore the concept of air pressure. Using candy or cookie wafers to model how air pressure changes with altitude, they conduct an aluminum can crushing experiment, compare the magnitude to gravitational force per unit area,...
Curated OER
Science Videos
Young scholars plan, practice, and act in a 2-3 minute videotaped production about a specific topic. Students from a local high school give presentations pertaining to seasons, earth rotation, and moon phases. Young scholars analyze the...
Curated OER
Tall Tales and Urban Legends
Students identify and interpret what tall tales, urban legends, and cyberlore are and to find them in their own lives. They practice telling and listening to these types of tales and explore why people tell them. Students also identify...
Curated OER
Papier-Mâché Globe
Paper mache projects are great for using up paper from the recycle bin. Give your class the chance to create a three-dimensional globe out of paper mache. They'll work to make their globes as accurate as possible, adding proper colors...
Curated OER
On the Move
Young scholars explore different pathways and consequences of pollutant transport via the weather and water cycles. They observe and record weather information and produce their own weather report for the class.
Curated OER
Trees For Trout!
Fourth graders determine the impact of native forests, local clearcuts and local clearcuts and local reforestation projects on the survivablity of Rainbow Trout in their area. They record and document the stages of the trout throughout...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Survive That Tsunami!
Students examine the causes of tsunamis and observe a table top wave making machine. They make model houses while working in groups so that the can see how different construction types work. They discuss how engineers can design and...
Curated OER
Sky Watching
Students trace how weather patterns generally move from west to east in the United States.
Curated OER
Will There Be Ozone Tomorrow
Young scholars collect and analyze real time data. They make comparisons and determinations about the status of ozone in their local area and predict the Ozone level for the next day
Curated OER
Record the Data and Find the Averages
Students record the daily outdoor temperature as well as the number of minutes of sunlight per day over a determined period. They calculate the average temperature and minutes of sunlight per day and post their data on the project website.
Curated OER
Feelings about Current Events
Students explore feelings about negative events. In this health and social studies lesson, students discuss and write about personal feelings about events that have had an impact on their life, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and plane...
Curated OER
Do It Write
Students investigate types of communities. For this communities lesson, students read the book The Country Mouse and City Mouse and identify the characteristics of the city and country. Students participate in a pen-pal program with a...
Curated OER
Floodplain Modeling
Students simulate the impact of fluctuating river volumes on structures and landforms. They experiment with table top-sized riverbed models and water. Students consider how human design can help mitigate the effects of a flood.
Curated OER
Exploring Three Categories of Human Induced Environmental Problems
By exploring the three categories of human-induced environmental problems students can gain a global perspective.
Curated OER
Spring Has Sprung
Spring lesson plan ideas can allow students and teachers a chance to use the outdoors as a classroom and a source of study topics.
Curated OER
Construct And Test Roofs for Different Climates
Learners investigate what types of roofs are appropriate for various types of climates and environments. They discuss and observe different types of roofs and housing, listen to the book "Houses and Homes," select a region, and design...
Curated OER
Autumn Bulb Planting Outside - Making a Daffodil Spiral
Students plant daffodil bulbs. In this gardening activity, students work outside to plant daffodil bulbs in the autumn so that they can grow roots and emerge by spring.
Curated OER
Temperature in a Cultural Context
Fourth graders investigate the effects of temperature on Native American lifestyle and culture. In small groups they conduct research on cultural practices showing a connection to the climate and create a poster displaying their...