University of California
Energy and Biomass Pyramids
Young scientists play tag as they act out the food pyramid in the ocean ecosystem. Energy circles pass from the smaller prey to the predators and at the end of the activity, a data chart and analysis questions allow pupils to apply their...
NOAA
A Quest for Anomalies
Sometimes scientists learn more from unexpected findings than from routine analysis! Junior oceanographers dive deep to explore hydrothermal vent communities in the fourth lesson in a series of five. Scholars examine data and look for...
Global Oneness Project
A Collapsing City Skyline
Have your high schoolers learn about the modern history of Myanmar by close-reading an article about the city and people of the city Yangon. As they'll learn, the country is going through some dramatic transitions. After reading the...
Science 4 Inquiry
Edible Plate Tectonics
Many people think they can't observe plate tectonics, but thanks to GPS, we know that Australia moves at a rate of 2.7 inches per year, North America at 1 inches per year, and the Pacific plate at more than 3 inches per year! Scholars...
Curated OER
Inuit Lesson
Students investigate the Inuit People. In this Inuit lesson, students locate where they live on a map, outline their history and describe their lifestyle. Students play Inuit games, practice using the Inuit alphabet and examine the...
Curated OER
The Sun Affects Earth
Third graders read, write, and listen to information about the sun and its effects on the Earth.as it relates to its axis, orbit, rotate, and revolution. In this solar system lesson, 3rd graders examine how the sun effects the Earth's...
Curated OER
Observing Weather
Students investigate the weather by reading children stories. In this weather observation lesson, students read Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and several other stories about weather before they create a KWL chart. Students utilize...
Curated OER
Women in Two Countries: Japan and America
High schoolers explore the role of women in Japan and the United States during World War Two. They focus on women and the family and women and the workplace and the changes within each. Students create an informational brochure of...
Curated OER
Pilgrims: The First Americans
Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time. In this Thanksgiving lesson plan, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and write a...
Curated OER
Causes of the Civil War: Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850 and Kansas Nebraska Act
How did the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act contribute to the growing tensions that led to the Civil war? To better understand the events that led to the Civil War, young historians engage in a...
Curated OER
The Wannsee Conference
Twelfth graders examine what occured at the Wannsee Conference during World War II. Using documents, they discover how the conference fits into the final solution of the Jewish question. They analyze the language used and the attitudes...
Curated OER
Development Issues in the Northern Suburbs
Learners demonstrate the ability to obtain geographic information from a variety of print and electronic sources. They use a variety of maps and data to identify and locate geographical features of Minnesota and Anoka County. in...
Curated OER
So -- What's Happening Here, On This Old Christmas Tree Farm?
Students review their prior knowledge on biomes and ecosystems. At a local Christmas tree farm, they work together in groups to identify the changes occuring in the area. They participate in solving a mystery in which they determine the...
Curated OER
Dynastic Explorations
Students complete a unit of lessons on medieval Chinese dynasties. They examine the impact the Chinese culture has had on their own lives, label maps, conduct research, read stories, create bamboo stick sentences, write poems, and make...
Curated OER
Route 66 And Population Patterns
Students investigate the geography located along Route 66. They research how the population patterns change in certain areas along the highway. Students use the information in order to form hypotheses about how and why the population...
Curated OER
What Can We Discover About Colorado?
Students locate Colorado and its neighbors on a map (either in a book or on the Internet). They create a graphic that illustrates what they know and want to know about the state (KWL); finally, they draw and label Louisiana maps.
Curated OER
The Moving Continents from Pangaea to the Future
Eighth graders examine how the movements of the Earth contribute to fossil distribution. In this fossils instructional activity students make maps of the placement of the continents.
Curated OER
The Alphabet is Historic
Students describe how the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans passed down the alphabet through the generations. They compare and contrast the letters from early alphabets to the one of today and discuss how they are different. Using a map,...
Curated OER
Labor Needs in Colonial America
Students examine the labor needs in colonial America. Using primary and secondary resources, they explore the major events and life in the United States during colonial times. They complete a chart listing the pros and cons of a slave...
Curated OER
Sky 2: Shadows
students will explore making shadows and tracking the movement of an object over the course of a day to look for patterns. It is best to couple this shadow activity with reading the book, Bear Shadow, and making a map of Bear's...
Curated OER
Strawberry Girl: Life on the Frontier
Students explore geographic changes by researching the state of Florida. In this Florida history lesson, students identify the storms and disasters that have created sinkholes in portions of Florida. Students read the book Strawberry...
Curated OER
Sky 2: Shadows
Students explore space science by participating in a shadow experiment. In this sky observation lesson, students identify how the sun creates different sized shadows by moving across the horizon. Students utilize yard sticks, markers,...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore water and ice. In this 3 states of matter lesson, students work with a partner to observe, illustrate, and describe the characteristics of an ice cube in a cup. The ice cube is observed again in 15 minutes and changes...
Curated OER
Meteorologist for the Day
Fourth graders examine the symbols used on weather maps. They analyze a newspaper weather forecast and identify and discuss the various symbols used on the map. Next, they prepare a weather map for their own city using the symbols...