Curated OER
What's the Matter with My Orange?
Young scholars use oranges to informally explore decomposition, dehydration, fermentation, the water cycle, bacteria, yeast, food webs, the needs of living things, and physical vs. chemical change over a period of three or more months.
Curated OER
Technology - How Much is Enough?
Students describe the need for new or improved technologies and explain the general process of developing them. Each student in the biology group receives a sheet on which a biology development is written and estimate the year the...
Curated OER
Are There Other Neighborhoods Like Our Own?
Students investigate the possibility of life existing on other planets. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The lesson includes an overview that is used for classroom discussion practices. They tell the teacher how to...
Curated OER
Mussel Movements
Students consider the impact of invasive species on local environments. In this ecology activity, watch the video, Arizona Wildlife Views, which focuses on invasive species. Students develop vocabulary, relate to meaningful comprehension...
Curated OER
The Web of Life
Students participate in a game in which they discover the balance of life in the ocean. They identify different organisms that rely on different types of food. They answer questions to complete the lesson.
Curated OER
Root Caps and the Effect on Gravity Sensing
Students conduct an experiment to determine how the absence of a root cap affects a plant's ability to sense gravity. They make comparisons between capped and decapped roots.
Curated OER
Magnify It!
Students view objects of various sizes from several viewing distances to discover that their visual field is limited. They record what they see and compare their observations with classmates. They conduct more structured experiments.
Curated OER
Moh's Hardness Test
Young geologists utilize Moh's hardness scale to help them correctly sort and classify different types of rocks. This activity has everything you need, including an excellent example of the Mohs' Hardness Test, to successfully implement...
Curated OER
Bubble and Boyle
Even middle schoolers still enjoy experimenting with bubbles! They execute a series of experiments enabling them to distinguish between convex and concave surfaces, explore the properties of buoyancy, surface tension, and density,...
Curated OER
Magnify It!
Students explain that there are limits to what the eye can see and that a magnifying glass can help extend those limits. They examine an object with the magnifying glass and draw the size and shape of what they see as accurately as they...
Curated OER
Seeing Around Corners
Third graders build a periscope and experiment with it to determine how this tool helps them extend their line of sight.
Curated OER
Galloping Who?
Third graders do an Internet search to find out about Galloping Gertie and what caused the bridge to fail.
Curated OER
Testing Termites to Discover
Young scholars design an experiment to discover how termites respond to their environment.
Curated OER
What Color is the Ocean?
Students view satellite pictures of the ocean, and discuss the presence of phytoplankton and the colors of the ocean. Students compare/contrast ocean satellite images with maps and globes, then color world maps to replicate the satellite...
Curated OER
Seeing the Cell as a System
Students explain how the components of a cell operate as a system. Students examine a bicycle and find out if parts were arranged differently, could the system still be carried out. They look at cells as well and see what function they...
Curated OER
Holey Clamshells
Students analyze data to make hypotheses and conclusions regarding the predator/prey relationship between moon snail and surf clams.
Curated OER
Organizing Organs
Fifth graders research plant and animals cells and create a Venn Diagram to show the similarities and differences.
Curated OER
The Grass is Always Greener
Third graders experiment with common grass and cellular division.
Curated OER
Water Molds (Oomycetes)
Students research a group of fungus-like organisms; the Oomycetes, by baiting them from natural sources (water and soil) and observing them.
Curated OER
Bioterror
Students explore and discuss October, 2001 anthrax attacks and their aftermath.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Microscope Imaging Station: What's the Size of What You See?
In this activity, you use microscope images to show how to use scale bars to measure very small things.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Microscope Imaging Station: Model Organisms
Using model organisms is very important in scientific research. This lesson plan will help students see why the zebrafish, sea urchin, and fruit fly are commonly used.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Microscope Imaging Station: Elodea Explorations
In this lesson, students will investigate plant cells and microscope measurement together by using Elodea plants.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Microscope Imaging Station: Mitosis Flipbook
Use this series of images depicting the process of mitosis in the early embryo of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster to make a mitosis flipbook. In this stage of Drosophila development, nuclei divide very rapidly without cell...