US Navy
The Science of Diving
Introduce gas laws using the popular topic of SCUBA diving. This activity makes a connection between the gas laws and the effect of pressure and temperature changes during diving. Young engineers complete introductory experiments to...
Teach Engineering
Human Power
How many humans does it take to power a light bulb? The 10th part of a 25-lesson Energy Systems and Solutions unit has learners conduct an experiment to calculate power. They then use the results to determine how many classmates they...
National Sailing Hall of Fame
Introduction to Sailboats
The left part of the boat is called what? An informative instructional activity and accompanying slideshow presentation introduce middle schoolers to the terminology and parts associated with a sailboat.
EngageNY
Counting Problems
Solving these percent problems is a matter of counting. Pupils find percents by counting the number of events that meet the criteria and the total number of possibilities. Participants create the ratio and convert it to a percent to...
Curated OER
Environmental Studies: The Power of Wind
Investigate the prospect of wind as a renewable resource. Second and third graders make a pinwheel, answer critical thinking questions, and then attempt to use wind power to wind string. I would be more apt to use this lesson in a 1st or...
Curated OER
Volleyball Unit Plan
From battle ball and around-the-world sit-ups to multiple variations of setting and wall-serve drills, check out this list of 29 drills, warm ups, and modified games for your next volleyball unit.
Curated OER
Orienteering - Lesson 4 - Distance and Height
Pretend that you've been dropped onto a mountain, in the middle of nowhere, and all you have to find your way is a topographical map and a compass. Could you find your way to the nearest town? Orienteering teaches the skills of map...
Curated OER
Teaching Locomotor Skills and Directions With a Circle Line Dance
Teach this circle line dance to focus on locomotor skills and directions. Which way is clockwise and which way is counter clockwise? The steps in this dance are very basic: grapevine, sliding, hopping, jumping. Put these steps together...
Curated OER
Boat Safety and Water Sports - Lesson 8 - Fundamentals (Machine)
Lesson 8 of 22 lessons on boat safety and water sports concerns making adjustments to situations while skiing behind the boat. Young water skiers practice on the Perfect Pull Machine. Click on the resource link at the bottom of the page...
Curated OER
Orienteering - Lesson 9 - Declination
What's the difference between true north and magnetic north? Lesson 9 has your class practicing mapping using a compass and taking the correct declination into account. This lesson is one part of a 10 lesson unit on orienteering. There...
Curated OER
Boat Safety and Water Sports, Lesson 2: Personal Flotation Devices
Lesson 2 is part of a twenty-two lesson unit on boat safety and water sports. The focus in this lesson is on personal flotation devices. There are reasons why the law requires PFDs. Click on the resource link at the bottom of the page to...
Curated OER
Boat Safety and Water Sports - Lesson 10 - Cold Water/Weather
Lesson 10 is part of a twenty-two lesson unit on boat safety and water sports. It focuses on how to handle cold water and cold weather when water skiing, as well as what to do if hypothermia or frostbite occur. Click on the resource link...
Curated OER
Boat Safety and Water Sports - Lesson 12 - Pool, Deep Water Starts
Lesson 12 is part of a unit on boat safety and water sports. The focus in this lesson is getting up on the water ski using a one-foot start and a two-foot start. It is suggested to click on the resource link at the bottom of the page to...
Curated OER
Orienteering - Lesson 1 - Maps & Map Scales
Lesson 1 of 10 lessons in this orienteering unit is about maps and map scales. After all, orienteering is all about maps, compasses, and finding ones' way around. It is imperative to be able to read maps and understand the relevance of...
Captain Planet Foundation
Sorting Out Soils
Sift through soil and learn about why it's important for organic processes. After discussing what makes up soil, such as the living organisms and what types of soil have more nutrients, kids sample layers of mulch and deeper soil to...
Serendip
Using Models to Understand Photosynthesis
Is your class in the dark about photosynthesis? Shed some sunlight on an important biological process with a thoughtful activity. After answering questions to help determine their level of knowledge, learners work with chemical equations...
NASA
Two Versions of Gravity: Newton and Einstein
We have all heard the debate about teaching both theories, but an innovative instructional activity takes the discussion to a new level. Scholars research and debate Newton's Law of Gravitation versus Einstein's General Theory of...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Got Lactase? The Co-Evolution of Genes and Culture
Does the human body evolve as quickly as human culture? With a stellar 15-minute video, explore the trait of lactose intolerance. Only about 1/3 of human adults seem to still have the enzyme lactase and therefore, the ability to digest...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Population Dynamics
Will human population growth always be exponential, or will we find a limiting factor we can't avoid? Young scientists learn about both exponential and logistic growth models in various animal populations. They use case studies to...
Curated OER
Thinking about Energy
Students navigate through a web-based survey to help engage curiosity about energy concepts. They describe how prior perceptions influence examineing of energy concepts. They evaluate comprehension about concepts of energy.
Curated OER
Gyrocopter - Describing Rotary Motion
Students calculate angular displacement, velocity and acceleration of gyrocopters. In this physics lesson, students compare data taken from 3 different gyrocopters. They explain how differences in construction material affect rates of...
Curated OER
An Introduction to Thermal Spray Technology
Students discuss difference between kinetic and thermal energy, develop and demonstrate understanding of key concepts and characteristics underlying thermal spray techniques, list items used in their daily lives that are coated, examine...
Curated OER
Alternative Energy
Students identify the five major alternative energy sources. In this physical science instructional activity, students assess the advantages and disadvantages for each type of energy. They complete a concept map using information they...
Curated OER
Investigation of Hooke's Law Lab
Learners determine the spring constant by conducting an investigation. In this physics lesson plan, students collect data and create a graph of force vs. displacement. They compare the results of two different methods to find spring...