Chymist
Alum from Waste Aluminum Cans
Turn aluminum cans into pickles! An engaging experiment has learners chemically change aluminum into a substance with many purposes including the manufacture of pickles. After performing the chemical conversion, the experimenters verify...
Intel
Biomes in Action
A STEM project-based learning lesson, number four in a series of 10, focuses on human impacts to biomes around the world. Groups work together as environmentalists to research a specific biome, investigating human impacts on it. From...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Causes and Effects of Climate Change
Wrap-up a unit on global climate change with a lesson plan that examines the causes and effects of climate change. Learners fill out a chart that represents what they think causes climate change—natural and human-based—and what they...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Review and Assessment: Causes and Effects of Climate Changes
The last activity in the series of five is a short one where individuals show what they've learned about the causes and effects of climate change. Working independently, they fill in a graphic organizer, then compare their notes with a...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Causes and Effects of Climate Change
It's time for your class to literally show what they know! Pupils illustrate what they learned about the causes and effects of climate change by filling out a graphic organizer to complete the 5-part series of lessons. They discuss them...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Food for Thought: Climate Change and Trophic Cascades
Learners examines the arctic food web with a short video about polar bears and an article about bears and warming temperatures. They design an arctic food web and discuss the trophic cascade that could come from climate change.
Colorado State University
How Can Freezing Make Something Warmer?
Crazy fact—freezing liquid actually gives off heat! Young scholars investigate the transfer of energy when liquids freeze using a chemical heat pack. The heat pack gives off heat as its liquid core freezes.
Curated OER
30 GOOD REASONS FOR TREES
Learners create their own book of ideas about saving the environment. They research information the role of trees in the environment. Then make a large tree for a classroom bulletin board and put the leaves on the tree.
Curated OER
Erosion in Different Soils [Erosion Races]
Fourth graders review how erosion can happen by wind, water, and gravity which they studied in previous lesson. They attempt to discover if all soils erode at the same rate. In small groups, 4th graders experiment with three different...
Curated OER
Let's Take a Rock Apart
Young scholars take a crushed rock and sort the remains of the rock minerals into different categories based on the different properties. In this sorting lesson plan, students learn what makes up a rock and how to sort something into...
Curated OER
Mighty Minerals-We Use Them Everyday
Third graders investigate the importance of knowing about rocks and minerals. They study the way in which many products are produced from rocks and minerals. Students are shown how we obtain many of the rocks and minerals we use.
Curated OER
Environment" The Mining Cycle
Students explore the world of mining and explain its importance in daily life. After describing how companies search for mineral deposits, they examine the environmental consequences of mining as well as the positive aspects. The...
Curated OER
Rain Machine (Solar Still)
Young scholars experiment with a solar still. In this distillation lesson, students find a simple way to use evaporation to make salty water drinkable.
Curated OER
Classifying Rocks
Third graders classify rocks. In this rocks and minerals lesson, 3rd graders observe, make inferences and conclusions about rocks, minerals, soil and fossils.
Curated OER
Climate Characteristics of Canadian Localities
Tenth graders match the climate data to a Canadian city. They justify their choice, referring to factors that affect climate. They use the Atlas of Canada's Advanced Search to locate specific communities.
Curated OER
We All Need Trees
Young scholars complete a guessing game. In this tree products instructional activity, students view various household items and try to determine if they were made from trees. They discuss their findings and then read books about trees.
Curated OER
Snowfall
Learners examine the differences between snow and rain. In this precipitation lesson, students measure one inch of rain and snow to calculate the amount of liquid water. Learners use a snowfall "conversion" chart to measure how much...
Curated OER
Properties of Soil
Fourth graders conduct investigations to test different types of soil from different regions of Texas. They make comparisons and identify the characteristics of the soil. The end product of the inquiry is a student report.
Curated OER
Biomes Around The World
Fifth graders explore the six major biomes found in the world and choose one for further research and presentation. Using internet sources, they identify the major characteristics of their biome and synthesize their information into a...
Curated OER
Where Does Water Come From: The Water Cycle
Students explore the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson, students read the book The Magic School Bus Wet All Over and summarize the steps of the water cycle. Students label a picture map of the water cycle.
Curated OER
Does Shape Affect Drag?
Students study drag and how it affects a parachute in the sky. In this parachutes instructional activity students build models and compare their drag.
Curated OER
Stick-Slip Movement
Ninth graders operate a model to observe the type of motion that occurs at a fault during an earthquake. They explore the effects of several variables. Students measure movement, calculate averages and plot and graph information.
Curated OER
Weather Lesson 1
Students describe and compare the layers of the atmosphere. They explain how to measure the temperature of the atmosphere. They also explain what causes the atmosphere to heat up in some places more than in others.
Curated OER
Spuds in Space
Students explore the effects of velocity on an object when it collides with another object. They design and outfit a potato astronaut in a spacesuit to withstand the hazards of high velocity impacts from space debris and meteoroids.