Curated OER
Interactive Notes-"Electricity"
Young scholars explore electricity. In this interactive electricity lesson, students create static electricity with balloons, observe the rate at which ice melts to identify conductors and insulators, and create a static charge. ...
Curated OER
Learning Secondary Colors
Students identify secondary colors. In this visual arts lesson, students predict what color will be made when two colors are mixed. Students create their own painting using secondary colors and write about their painting in their journals.
Curated OER
Helping at Home
In this helping at home learning exercise, students choose the correct words to represent the chores int he pictures, fill in the blanks to sentences about chores, and complete a word search. Students complete 3 activities total.
Curated OER
Case of the Missing Pumpkin
Students explore the process of decomposition. In this science lesson, students carve a pumpkin and observe as it decomposes. Students compare the changes to an uncarved pumpkin. Students write about the disappearing pumpkin.
Curated OER
Making Soap
Students explore what chemical indicators are and use pH paper to determine if something is alkaline or basic. In this pH instructional activity students manufacture their own soap.
Curated OER
Polymer Chemistry: More than Just Plastic
Fifth graders examine polymers and how they are formed. In this chemistry lesson students complete their own polymer experiment then discuss what they learned.
Curated OER
Making Globes
Fifth graders construct and design paper mache globes. They paint and draw the continents and oceans, and label each continent and ocean.
Curated OER
Collect Wildlife Tracks Using Track Preservation Methods
Review the steps for preserving wildlife tracks and then take ecologists outdoors to create plaster casts. This lesson is best used at an environmental or outdoor school situation since wildlife footprints aren't easily located within a...
Curated OER
To Diaper or Not to
Pupils examine the environmental impact of disposable diapers. In this environmental impact lesson students discover the materials used in disposable diapers.
Curated OER
Mining Riches
Students research and map how various mining ventures have changed local geographies and populations. First they read the article provided--Examining the Environmental and Social Impact of the Mining Industry.
Curated OER
Micro-Ecosystems
Students create a sustainable, self-contained ecosystem in a ten-gallon aquarium.
Curated OER
Constellation Prizes
Students study meteors, meteorites, and comets by reading and discussing a related New York Times article about the Leonid meteor showers and the methods that scientists are using to study from these meteors. They create a comet in the...
Curated OER
Binaural Hearing in Humans
In this creative science activity from Scientific American, students learn more about hearing with two ears and make a hands-on exploration of how sound is located. Excellent web link resources are also provided.
Curated OER
Making Tracks
Students cast animal tracks on a field trip. They split up to capture tracks from different areas and use plaster of Paris to mold to the footprint. They bring casts back to class, create a negative mold and paint it black.
Curated OER
Organic and Inorganic Recycling
Students examine their role in polluting the environment and discuss the importance of recycling. In groups, they place earthworms into compost piles to observe why they are considered natural recyclers. They also practice sorting a...
Curated OER
Solid Waste Takes Over
Students explore solid waste and its effects on the environment. They explain some of the major problems caused by waste disposal and the use of landfills. They suggest ways to reduce the amount of solid waste going into a landfill.
Curated OER
Kidney Filtering
Students investigate how kidneys function. They discuss how a dialysis machine works, and conduct an experiment in which they filter different substances through a plastic window screen, various sizes of hardware cloth, and poultry...
Curated OER
Wind Power! 2
Fourth graders explore how engineers transform wind energy into electrical energy by building their own miniature wind turbines and measuring the electrical current it produces. They see how design and position affect the electrical...
Curated OER
Soil Acidity and Leaching
Students are introduced to the concept of acids and bases and arouse curiosity about acids and bases in daily life. They are introduced to the measurement of soil pH. Pupils are introduced to the effect of soil pH on nutrient cycling...
Curated OER
Trash Bashing
Students define trash, garbage, or solid waste, discuss ways of disposing of trash, list examples of biodegradable materials, and have trash relay race in order to sort trash into appropriate containers labeled biodegradable, reusable,...
Curated OER
Lemon Batteries Revised
Fifth graders investigate how chemical energy in food and batteries is potential or stored energy. They discuss how batteries function, and create a class list of different forms of energy. Students then create a lemon battery that...
Curated OER
Meet the Weather Scientist
Fourth graders collect, record and analyze data using simple weather instruments or use weather resources to comprehend weather. They comprehend that scientists are very important people in today's world. Pupils look at cloud types to...
Curated OER
The Solution to Pollution is Dilution
Students consider what happens to herbicides or insecticides that are used in agricultural practices, especially herbicides that are used to control noxious weeds. They become acquaint with a chemical assessment method known as...
Curated OER
Biodiversity - Who Cares?
Students articulate some of the impacts of loss of biodiversity. They play a game that demonstrates why having a rich variety of life is important to the survival of ecosystems and how invasive species are threatening local biodiversity.