Curated OER
Lettuce Us Be Different
Learners evaluate their differences, then look at differences in plants. In this class team building and life science lesson, the class play a game that focuses on similarities and differences in the group, then students plant three...
Curated OER
WET Science Lesson #3: Comparison of Aquatic and Terrestrial Plants
Elementary life science explorers compare and contrast aquatic and terrestrial plants (elodea and soybeans) in a Venn diagram. Some background information is provided to support direct instruction, and general instructions are provided...
Curated OER
Nuclear Fleas
Seventh graders distinguish characteristics of living things and identify the importance of careful observation. They identify five things that are not alive, but display characteristics of life and list five things that are alive, but...
Columbus City Schools
Sedimentary Rocks
Turn your class discussion of rock formation from ho-hum to holy hornfels! Junior geologists gain experience in identifying rock types and rock origins, with an emphasis in hypothesizing the environment needed to form certain rocks. The...
Curated OER
Living-Nonliving
Students determine that environments have living and nonliving parts. They discuss what makes something a living thing and something a nonliving thing. They make a chart and list characteristics of living things and nonliving things.
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Fading Corals
Show the six-minute video, "Changing Planet: Fading Corals," and then demonstrate how calcium carbonate forms a precipitate in the presence of carbon dioxide. Separate your scientists into small groups to gather information about coral...
Teach Engineering
Sugar Spill!
Sugar isn't good for you, but it's great for yeast! Scholars design an experiment to investigate how variables affect the rate of sugar consumption in yeast. The last installment of a nine-part Life Science unit considers how scientists...
Curated OER
Diversity and Adaptation
Tenth graders explore structure, function and variation among species. Through field observations, lab activities and homework, 10th graders observe and record examples of adaptation and variation.
Curated OER
Fungi
Students examine the characteristics of fungi. In this biology lesson, students investigate the factors needed for fungi growth. They collect data and observations and write a report about them.
Curated OER
Populations and Life Cycles
Students explore biology by researching ocean statistics. For this data analysis lesson, students conduct a snail examination experiment utilizing live pouch snails. Students collect data about the snails over the course of six weeks and...
Curated OER
Fossil Lab
In this fossil worksheet, students are given fossils and an identification key. They write their scientific names and common names. They also answer questions about fossils.
Curated OER
Are You Gellin
Students conduct an investigation of differentiating between different types of DNA. This is done with a simulation activity of being a scientist in charge of selling different sets of DNA for research which requires different...
Curated OER
The Rainforest
Students learn the characteristics of the rainforest. In this rainforest instructional activity, students read stories about the rainforest and discuss them. Students work in groups to brainstorm all the facts they know about the...
Curated OER
Costa Rican Sea Turtles
Students read "One Tiny Turtle" by Nicola Davies. Using the internet, they research the characteristics of turtles off of the Costa Rica coast. In groups, they complete a worksheet and define vocabulary words they are unfamiliar with. ...
Curated OER
Dia de la Raza - What is El Dia de la Raza?
Students research and write about Christopher Columbus, his voyages, and his impact on the Native Americans. In this Christopher Columbus lesson plan, students work at stations where they learn vocabulary, perform Reader's Theatre, work...
Curated OER
Caring for a Pet
Students identify the responsibilities of pet owners. In this animal welfare lesson, students read the book Animals As Friends and list the characteristics of a good pet owner. Students use a tally sheet to determine what pets students...
Curated OER
The Beautiful People of Africa
Students discover the people of Africa by creating a PowerPoint presentation. In this African culture activity, students utilize the Internet to investigate a specific African tribe and their specific location, culture, and way of life....
American Chemical Society
Liquids - Clearly Unique
Bring chemistry to life for scholars as they perform two tests to examine the unique properties of three liquids. Classroom investigators make observations, develop basic lab skills, and follow step-by-step instructions to compare water,...
Curated OER
Investigating Properties of Water: Temperature
Investigate how temperature affects the density of water and stratification that occurs in bodies of water when temperatures vary. Water of differing temperatures is given different colors to see the layers that form. The lesson is meant...
Curated OER
Viruses/Infectious Diseases: What's Really Bugging You?
Middle school life science or health classes listen to an audio, visit websites, read different articles, and participate in a class-wide simulation about the spread of viruses. The lesson doesn't get into the mechanics of how viruses...
Curated OER
Pond Life Identification Kit
Students explore ecology and biodiversty. They use the wet-mount procedure to make several slides to view using the microscope and draw what they see.
Curated OER
Technology - Chaos Theory Lab
Ninth graders gain an understanding of Chaos Theory that exists in one's everyday environment.
Discovery Education
Sonar & Echolocation
A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...
Virginia Department of Education
The Cell Cycle and Mitosis
What a packed lesson! Provide your class with the opportunity to learn about the cell cycle in several exciting ways. Biologists first learn about the theory behind mitosis, then proceed to view onion tips under the microscope and create...