Virginia Department of Education
Weather Patterns and Seasonal Changes
Get your class outside to observe their surroundings with a lesson highlighting weather patterns and seasonal changes. First, learners take a weather walk to survey how the weather affects animals, people, plants, and trees during...
Curated OER
Planetary Mobile
Students receive pre-cut templates of cardboard with appropriate diameters of each planet and the sun. They use multi-colored construction paper, scissors, yarn, and other art supplies to create their own models of planets. When students...
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Tides and How Creatures Survive
Young scholars discover tidal pools. In this oceanographic lesson, students observe the tides of the earth and the creatures that inhabit the intertidal zones. Young scholars role-play the tidal zones by portraying themselves as...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Seasons
Learners explore the four seasons through literature, art activities and technology and explore how the earth's rotation around the sun results in the occurrence of the four seasons.
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Astronomy
Learners explore the rotation of the Earth and observe the shapes of constellations. After discussing how the Earth moves. volunteers use a flashlight and globe to model the movement of the sun-Earth system. Using Digitalis technology,...
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Apple: Bare to Pick
Students investigate the seasons of the apple tree. In tree seasons instructional activity, students use a sun model and a globe to study the tilt of the Earth to create the seasons. Students discuss the tilt and the seasons. Students...
Curated OER
Hopping Across the Solar System
Students role-play and communicate that objects in space have describable properties, locations, and movements. Students identify and communicate effectively that Earth is the third planet from the Sun in the solar system, eight other...
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Spectral Surprise
Young scholars create spectral colors. In this hands-on science lesson, students examine the electromagnetic spectrum as they follow steps to create a model that separates and displays light.
Curated OER
Water 1: Water and Ice
Students explore forms that water can take and examine the water cycle. In this hands-on science lesson, students participate in activities that require them to change water to a solid and back to a liquid again.
Curated OER
Characteristics of Materials
Young scholars describe and compare common properties of various classroom materials. In this science/matter lesson, students observe common classroom items and the materials they are made of to complete a list of common properties.
US Geological Survey
The Water Cycle for Schools: Beginner Ages
Explore a day in the life of a water droplet. An interactive infographic helps scholars learn how water cycles work from precipitation all the way around to condensation. Learners hover over each step of the cycle to read more as they...
SF Environment
Waste-Less Lunch
Is it possible to have a waste-less lunch? Can your class become leaders in conservation? Discuss the importance of reducing waste during lunch time with a fun lesson that can be extended to everyday practices. First the class examines...
Curated OER
Asteroids
Students examine the different types of asteroids and how they enter the atmosphere. In this space lesson students use mashed potatoes to create an asteroid they can eat.
Curated OER
Is the Moon out tonight?
Learners talk or read about the way the moon travels across the sky. They then look at the picture of where the moon is and draw where it will be in the picture, later in the evening. Note: The worksheet is intended for third or fourth...
Curated OER
Making Models To Understand Our Home
Young scholars investigate the concept of a model and how it is used to represent something that is real. They recognize how the model can be applied to other types of concepts like the solar system. Students create a scale drawing of a...
Curated OER
The Shadow Knows - Creating Shadows
Young learners recognize a shadow and witness how shadows occur when light is blocked. They access streamed video, standard video, and websites in order to engage in their study of how light is naturally blocked to create shadows. An...
Curated OER
What are Dinosaurs?
Learners explore the attributes of dinosaurs. In this dinosaur lesson, students read books and watch videos featuring dinosaurs. Learners also research dinosaur traits using Internet sources.
Curated OER
What Makes the Wind Blow?
Student study the properties of wind. They make a miniature hot-air balloon and compose diamond-shaped poems about the wind. They explain that as the sun warms air around the earth, the air rises. Colder air then moves in to fill the...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students examine how water changes state, from a liquid to a solid. In this water lesson plan students study the water cycle and how temperature and pressure effect it.
Curated OER
Water Cycle and Ecosystems
Students explore the water cycle. In this investigative lesson, students examine the water cycle process. They will record their observations and discuss marine and freshwater ecosystems.
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Day and Night
Students discuss why day and night occur after visualizing a teacher-led demonstration.
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What's the Weather?
Students explore different types of weather and examine the elements in the sky that create weather. They create a class lift of weather words and examine and discuss a weather poster. Students then complete the "What's the Weather?"...
Curated OER
Weather Walks
Students study weather by taking walks in various types weather conditions.
Curated OER
Two Views of the Universe
Students build the two models of the universe created by Aristotle and Copernicus. They compare and contrast the two universes. They create hypothesis on how each model functions.