Curated OER
Forest Fires
Students play the role of a Ranger with the Department of Forestry. In this forest fires activity, students examine data on biomes and images to determine high risk areas for forest fires to develop.
Curated OER
Differences Between Ground and Air Temperatures
Students examine the differences between air temperature and ground temperature. For this investigative lesson students find NASA data on the Internet and use it to create a graph.
Curated OER
Dining Out With Fishes and Birds of the Hudson
While this instructional activity focuses on the birds and fish found on the Hudson River, it could be adapted for use in any classroom. Using a vocabulary list, learners explore the meaning of words like adaptation, habitat, barbel, and...
Global Change
Impact of Climate Change on the Desert Pupfish
A fish that lives in the desert? You and your class can meet the desert pupfish as they examine its habitat, the role humans play in diminishing water supplies, and how climate change might impact this fishy friend. There are four short...
Curated OER
Caterpillars and Climate: How Temperature Affects Feeding Rate In Insects
Do you eat more when you are hot or when you are cold? Young scientists observe the eating pace of two caterpillars at different temperatures. The differences in endotherm and ecotherm animals' ability to adjust to temperature change...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating Factors Affecting the Heart Rate of Daphnia
What variables change heart rate? Young scientists observe the beating heart in Daphnia to understand these variables. They make changes in temperature, chemicals, and other factors as they graph the heart rates. Analysis questions help...
California Academy of Science
Nuclear Energy: What's Your Reaction?
OSHA confirms that rules governing worker safety at nuclear power plants ranks higher than worker safety in offices. Scholars must consider safety, cost, alternatives, and other factors before recommending whether a town should build a...
Curated OER
Graphing the Elephant Seal Population Data
Students are able to graph data that they generated in the elephant seal exercise using proper format and labeling. They are able to interpret the graphs they created and make A) conclusions, and B) predictions based on that graph.
Curated OER
Investigating the Shapes of Covalent Molecules and Measuring their Respective Bond Lengths and Bond Angles
High schoolers will draw Lewis structures of common covalent compounds using a Chem 3D computer program. They will predict the shapes of the molecules, complete a data table, and formulate rules for predicting shapes of molecules. In the...
Curated OER
Deep Freeze
Students practice various sampling methods for retrieving data under water, ice, and soil. They use the sample material to make temperature measurements, chart contents, and draw their own conclusions as to what is happening in the...
Curated OER
Introduction to Dissolved Oxygen and Demonstration of a Simple Test Procedure
Students explain the importance of dissolved oxygen in water ecosystems. They describe the aquatic oxygen cycle and the effect of water pollution on oxygen. They make observations, collect data and draw a conclusion.
Curated OER
Discovering Prehistoric Trails
Eighth graders examine prehistoric terrain. In this geography lesson, 8th graders discover necessary resources for settlers. Students work in small groups to create a trail crossing the state of Kansas.
Curated OER
Condiment Diver: The World's Simplest Cartesian Diver
Learners examine buoyancy. In this density lesson students form a hypothesis, collect data and draw a conclusion using the data.
Curated OER
Life Cycle of a Frog
Students investigate the life cycle of a frog. In this biology instructional activity, students read the book From Tadpole to Frog and use templates to identify the stages of the frog life cycle. Students draw the life cycle of the frog...
Curated OER
Making a Water Filter
Fifth graders draw a plan that they think will clean the sludge in a jar. Students construct the treatment system they designed, take a bottle of sludge to the system and try it out, writing down what happened.
Curated OER
Peter The Butterfly
Students complete an interdisciplinary unit chronicling the life cycle and movement patterns of the butterfly. Through language arts, mathematics, and science activities, students identify various types of butterflies and document the...
Curated OER
Sustainable Southern Belize: Coral Health Lesson Plan
Fifth graders investigate coral reefs and the dangers they face by labeling and drawing. For this oceanography lesson, 5th graders view a PowerPoint presentation of photographs of coral reefs in Belize. Students investigate and...
Curated OER
Paper Mache Globes
Third graders create a paper mache model of the earth. At the conclusion of a discussion about the earth, they are given paper mache materials, they create their globe and appropriately draw and label landforms, bodies of water and the...
Curated OER
My Family and Me
Students discuss the family unit and compare it to an ant colony. In this family instructional activity, students draw their family and extended family and talk about their jobs and family roles. They compare this to an ant colony and...
Curated OER
The Biology of ADHD
High schoolers investigate the biology of ADHD and its implications upon the formation and treatment of the disease. They draw and label the parts of a neuron. Also, they describe the neurotransmission cycle. Students create a list of...
Curated OER
Mud Splat Craters
Students simulate crater formation using mud. In this earth science instructional activity, students identify the features of a crater. They explain how the force of impact affect the crater's appearance.
Curated OER
How to Make Water Run Uphill
Students observe science demonstration. In this science lesson, students watch an experiment showing water moving up from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration, due to a change in atmospheric pressure.
Curated OER
Four Parts of a Green Plant and the Functions of Each Part
Students look into plants. In this science lesson plan, students discover the four parts of a green plant and the functions of each part.
Curated OER
The Celestial Sphere and Circumpolar Motion
Students investigate the celestial sphere and circumpolar motion. For this science lesson, students view an applet, The Celestial Sphere and Circumpolar Motion. Students discuss the Earth's rotation and stellar movement.