Michigan State University
Gases Matter
Young scientists learn that seeing isn't necessarily believing when it comes to the states of matter. After performing a fun class demonstration that models the difference between solids, liquids, and gases, children complete a series of...
Curated OER
What's The Big Deal About Accutane?
High schoolers take on the role of epidemiologists. They investigate an "outbreak" in serious birth defects that occur in infants born to teenage girls. students discover a link between the use of the acne drug called Accutane and birth...
TryEngineering
What is a Nanometer?
Exactly how small is a nanometer? Scholars investigate the scale of a nanometer by measuring classroom objects and converting these measurements to nanometers.
Curated OER
Cell Works
Students observe slides of cork cells and discuss the use of microscopes. They view a power point presentation on "Looking Inside Cells" and take notes aligned with the PPT presentation. They collaborate with a partner to create an...
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Withering Plants - Stressing Over Lost Water
Expectant earth scientists examine the bottom side of a leaf and learn the role of the stomata. They consider the gas exchange that occurs through these structures and relate how the climate is changing to its impact on food crops. This...
Curated OER
Plankton Parade
Plankton isn't just a tiny cartoon character, it's also a very important food source for animals around the world. Budding scientists discuss the types and functions of plankton, including where they are found, how they are caught, and...
Curated OER
Human Evolution: Biology, Bones
Learners will love a weeks worth of bone study. They use bones and characteristics of bones to explore the evolution of hominoids. Bones are compared, categorized, and considered. A great way to bring physical anthropology and material...
Curated OER
Bubble and Boyle
Middle-schoolers still enjoy playing with bubbles! In this series of eight laboratory activities, science learners explore convex and concave surfaces, angles, gas laws, buoyancy, density and more!
Curated OER
Digital Video Lesson Plan: Brine Shrimp
Students participate in classroom experiment to gain better understanding of type of environment brine shrimp can best survive. Students then explore effects of common saltwater pollutants on survival of animals in sea.
Curated OER
Signs of Change: Tree Rings
Learners identify and experiment with dendrochronology (the study of tree rings to answer ecological questions about the recent past) and come up with conclusions as to what possible climatic conditions might affect tree growth in their...
Curated OER
Invertebrate Diversity
Comparative anatomy prevails in the lesson exploring diversity among invertebrates. Biologists examine physical characteristics of an earthworm from phylum annelida and a meal worm from phylum insecta. They also inspect a cricket and a...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
The Pinch Test
Test your pupils' understanding of the scale from macro to atomic. While displaying images of different materials, learners identify what they would need to make that material visible. Their choices range from the human eye to an...
Curated OER
Pollen Collection And Identification
High schoolers investigate plant reproduction, pollen collection and identification. They collect pollen samples over a twenty four hour period and examine them under a microscope.
Curated OER
Inventions 2: The Impact
Young scholars explore innovators and inventions. In this technology lesson, students investigate the issues inventors face as they tackle new technology. Young scholars design their own realistic needs-based invention.
Curated OER
A Creative Classroom Model For a Sixth Grade Science Class
Sixth graders observe with a microscope such simple crystals as salt, sugar, cream of tartar, and other chemicals which are listed in detail. They observe the crystalline structure and make comparisons, culminating in the creation of...
Curated OER
Making the Impossible, Possible
With budget cuts galore, skip the bake sales and create a project with Donors Choose.
Curated OER
Rocks
Fifth graders, while in the computer lab, investigate and study the composition and level of organization of objects and organisms and utilize technology to collect and store information collected. They explore, research and examine a...
Curated OER
Interplanetary Distance and Travel Time
Young scholars are introduced to the challenges involved in understanding the space travel distances and the time involved to do so through the use of an interactive fable. The modeling and comparisons deal with specific distances at...
Curated OER
Invasives and Macroinvertebrates
Students view macroinvertebrates, or discuss previous collection activity. They graph data on macroinvertebrates in the Hudson River. Students discuss the relationship between habitat, environmental changes, and invertebrate diversity or...
Curated OER
Mold Investigations
Students observe mold growth on bread. In this mold growth lesson, students place bread in various locations and in various conditions to investigate how location, moisture, temperature, and other variable impact the growth of mold on...
Curated OER
What is Sand?
Students complete a sand analysis project. In this sand grains lesson, students learn background information on how sand is formed and what sand grains are made of. Students are given bags of sand and use them to complete a...
Curated OER
Microorganisms: Good Guys or Bad Guys?
Students discover the role microorganisms play in our lives. In this decomposition lesson, students examine decaying foods and plants in order to analyze the different bacteria that grows. Students discuss the good and bad of...
Curated OER
Conduction, Convection, Radiation, Oh My!
Middle schoolers draw a line graph, and use graphing as a tool to discover more about conduction, convection and radiation. They should design their own experiment using heat sensitive paper to show they explain these 3 processes.
Curated OER
CSI Podcasts
Students investigate crime scene scenarios to meet standards. In this crime scene scenario lesson, students gather background information during the first week. They investigate topics such as mammals, genetics, bacteria, or fungi. They...