American Chemical Society
Evaporation
This is one in several lessons that explore the relationship between temperature and phase changes of water. After some discussion, elementary physical scientists place wet paper toweling on a hot and a room-temperature water bag and...
University of Wisconsin
Measuring Slope for Rain Gardens
The slope of the land is an important feature when considering the erosion that will occur. In this resource, which is part of a rain garden unit, learners calculate the slope of the proposed garden site. Even if you are not planning a...
Curated OER
Debating Controversial Issues: Integrating Science and Current Events
In order to give young scientists experience with critical thinking skills, introduce them to a current controversy and prepare them to debate. Choose a topic, such as genetically modified organisms, and assign groups to represent...
Space Awareness
Fizzy Balloons - C02 in School
Carbon dioxide is a very important gas; it is present in the air, used in cooking, and supports plant and animal life. Scholars investigate the properties of carbon dioxide with three different activities. They experience a color change,...
Wild BC
The Greenhouse Effect: Warming the Earth Experiment
First in a two-part lesson on the greenhouse effect, this lesson involves a classroom demonstration of the phenomenon, and a lab group experiment with color and absorption. Although there are easier ways to demonstrate the greenhouse...
NOAA
Plate Tectonics II
Mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys, island arcs, mountain ranges, earthquakes, volcanoes ... there are so many features associated with plate tectonics. The 14th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography...
Curated OER
Hubris Lesson Plan
Bring this lesson on hubris to your short story unit. After reading Jack London's "To Build a Fire," young readers discuss the role of hubris in the protagonist's death. The lesson has connections to other short stories, such as "The...
Science Matters
Magnetic Fields: The Earth Acts as a Giant Magnet
Attract learners to an interesting lesson! The third in a 14-part series of lessons on electricity and magnetism uses a hands-on approach to exploring magnetic fields. Scholars experiment with a compass to test Earth's magnetic field and...
Sea World
Seaworld Science Activity
A fun collection of activities about marine life would be a great addition to your elementary science unit. From cute penguins to scary sharks, the unit features crafts, experiments, and basic research projects that will teach your...
Curated OER
Earth Day Lesson
Students analyze Earth science by answering environmental study questions. In this Earth Day activity, students read the book The Lorax and identify the themes within it. Students define several recycling vocabulary terms and create an...
Curated OER
The Alkaline Earth Metals
Students investigate the characteristics of alkaline earth metals. In this alkaline earth metals lesson plan, students experiment with a variety of alkaline earth metal compounds and perform tests to observe their properties. Students...
Curated OER
Science Crossword Puzzle
Class members read 25 clues about all areas of science, including biology, chemistry, weather, physical science, and insert their answers into a crossword puzzle. There is no word bank and the students would need experience with tough...
Curated OER
Fueling Extreme Weather
First graders identify the different stages in the hydrologic cycle. To study earth science, they investigate how sunlight affects the earth's temperature. They also discuss how the sun's energy is transformed.
Curated OER
Day and Night
Inform your elementary scientists why we experience day and night. They are provided with facts and explanation as to why the day and night cycle occur, discuss what they've learned with a partner, and are then given the task of writing...
Curated OER
Circuit Diagrams: Switching Circuits
Use a lab sheet on circuit diagrams in your electricity unit. Fifth graders draw two series circuits with diagrams, based on two examples. A science experiment prompts learners to use 3x5 cards to illustrate the way a series circuit works.
Curated OER
Attract or Repel?
Opposites attract with a fun science experiment on magnets. With a short paragraph on background knowledge, the lab sheet prompts third and fourth graders to choose which pairs of magnets will attract, and which pairs will repel. A...
Curated OER
Gelatin Volcanoes
Students investigate magma flow using gelatin volcano models. In this earth science lesson, students sketch the magma bodies as observed from the top of their model. They explain why magma moves that way.
Curated OER
Earth Science: The Structure of the Earth
Students identify and complete activities about the structure of the Earth. For this Earth structure lesson, students view a Powerpoint about the Earth's layers and complete a diagram. students compare temperatures in the Earth's layers...
Curated OER
Earthquake Experiments
Young scholars discuss the effects of earthquakes. For this earth science lesson, students create earthquake models and earthquake-proof buildings. They construct their own seismograph.
Curated OER
The Changing Earth
Students observe and analyze weathering. In this earth science instructional activity, students demonstrate physical and chemical weathering in two experiments, then write questions for a class Jeopardy game.
CK-12 Foundation
Rocks: Anatomy of Granite
Get earth science students excited about the formation of rocks with an engaging interactive resource. Learners analyze the composition of granite, then study the various processes that work together to make igneous, sedimentary, and...
Curated OER
Night Here, Day There
Explore astronomy with a lab sheet for fifth grade scientists. After reading a short explanation about the earth's rotation, they solve a word problem about the differences in times across the world. Next, they make a model of the solar...
PBS
Breaking it Down
After challenging themselves to correctly choose the form of erosion and length of time required for a given landform to develop, earth science class members model mechanical and chemical weathering with various lab demonstrations over...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Aquifer in a Cup
Young scientists create their very own aquifers in this science lesson on ground water. After learning about how some people get their drinking water from underground wells, young learners use sand, modeling clay, and aquarium rocks to...