Curated OER
4-H Horticulture/Garden Activity Page
As part of an exploration of plants, learners engage in projects to design greenhouses, grow vegetables, and other endeavors. This 20 question activity packet could be used as a classroom mini-lesson or as the start to a long-term project.
Curated OER
World in the Balance
Students explore population growth. They calculate how long it takes a country's population to double in size and to investigate factors affecting growth rate. In addition, they list of factors they think might affect growth rate
Curated OER
Oasis in the Desert
Students explore the challenges of building a thriving human civilization in a desert environment. They design new technologies to assist people living in the desert.
Curated OER
How Much is That Monkey in the Window?
Students investigate exotic pets and the ecological and personal risks involved in trading and owning such animals. They synthesize their knowledge by creating advertisements that promote the sale of exotic pets and picket signs that...
Curated OER
Monitoring Life In The Rocky Intertidal Ecosystem
Students investigate marine life by researching aquatic organisms on the Internet. In this oceanography lesson, students monitor algae and animals of the ocean by identifying their population and habitat on data sheet ID cards. Students...
Curated OER
The Food Chain Game - A Lesson in Ecosystems
Students are divided into three groups, herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores which receive a certain number of lives. Once in their ecosystem (outside or the gym), the carnivores chase and eat either the herbivores or omnivores, the...
Curated OER
In a Class of Their Own
Students explore taxonomy and how birds are classified in this scientific system. They use this knowledge to create entries for a field guide to birds that can be used to identify different species.
Curated OER
Dust in the Wind
Students investigate causes and effects of droughts by participating in a simulation 'town hall meeting.' Acting as community members, students make informed decisions to help a town and its surrounding areas suffering effects of a...
Curated OER
Tracking Gorillas in the Mist
Students investigate the technologies used in monitoring and tracking the habitat of the mountain gorilla to better explain how technology is being integrated into conservation efforts.
Curated OER
Sinkholes in a Cup
Learners create sinkholes and learn about the formation of sinkholes by using water, a foam cup, sugar, sand, and a sponge. In this sinkholes lesson plan, students also answer short answer questions.
Curated OER
The Slope of Land in Your Community
Students participate in finding the slope of a sand pile and then other materials. In this geology lesson, students describe what happens to the piles of materials when they are poured through a funnel. Students measure the slope using a...
Curated OER
Dinosaurs In Argentina
Students study the fossils in Argentina and why it is a good place to find them. In this dinosaurs lesson students learn about the recent dinosaur excavations.
Teach Engineering
Solar Power
Elementary schoolers discover how engineers use solar energy to heat buildings. They take a close look at some of the materials used: sand, salt, water, and shredded paper and evaluate the efficiency of each material. An incredible...
Curated OER
Different Ways to Develop Fine Motor Skills
Adjust your everyday routine to efficiently improve fine motor skills in your classroom.
Mississippi State University
The Five Senses
Your learners engage their five senses every day without knowing it. Help them identify their experiences and extend their understanding with a month full of lessons designed for the five senses. Kids focus on a different sense every...
Curated OER
Growing Learners: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Investigating Plants and Flowers
Engage young scientists in these inquiry-based lesson ideas to spring into learning about nature.
Teach Engineering
Capturing the Sun's Warmth
Passive solar heating is a technology that's been in use for thousands of years. Here, elementary schoolers are exposed to this type of heating, the materials that are used in passive solar heating, and they study how engineers design...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Plyler v. Doe: Can States Deny Public Benefits to Illegal Immigrants?
Illegal immigration is an ever-changing source of consistent controversy. A reading passage about the rights of undocumented workers and illegal immigrants—and the lack thereof—guides high schoolers into a mock trial activity. Three...
Curated OER
Everest The Death Zone
Students watch a video about climbers on Mount Everest. In groups, they complete experiments in which they determine the concentration of oxygen in the air. They make predictions before beginning the experiment and complete a worksheet...
Curated OER
Plants and Ecosystems
The relationships within and between ecosystems can be explored. after examining an area for living and non-living things students complete the same examination in the forest ecosystem. Students identify abiotic and biotic elements in an...
Teach Engineering
Solar Water: Heat it Up!
Young engineers are instructed to design and build their own solar water heaters. Then, they calculate the efficiency and cost and compare them to commercially available models. This is a full unit for pupils to apply their knowledge.
Center Science Education
Tracking Hurricane News
Here is a unique twist for your lesson on hurricanes. After examining extreme weather news headlines, your storm chasers view a PowerPoint about hurricanes and then zoom in on Hurricane Irene. They map a timeline of her trek up the East...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
History of Immigration Through the 1850s
Everyone living in the United States today is a descendant from an immigrant—even Native Americans. Learn about the tumultuous history of American immigration with a reading passage that discusses the ancient migration over the Bering...
SeaWorld
Marvelous Manatees
Here is an interesting lesson on the manatee for your upper graders or middle schoolers. A game is played where learners work together to complete a successful manatee migration. It's a board game, and all of the game components are...