Curated OER
Ecosystem Lesson Plan: Food Chain/Food Web
Students discuss ecosystems, eliciting their current knowledge of an ecosystem. Students receive an Ecosystems document and look at the picture. Students brainstorm connection between the cover picture and ecosystems. The indicated...
Cornell University
Spectral Analysis with DVDs and CDs
Build a spectrometer to analyze properties of light. Scholars examine the spectrum from CDs and DVDs from two different light sources. Using the spectrum, they work to identify different elements.
Curated OER
What's Under There?
Young scholars determine ways to make "observations" about unknowns, such as the land beneath an ice sheet or the interior of the Earth, using tools other than sight. They build "mystery boxes" and exchange them with other groups to...
Curated OER
Chemical Weathering
Students measure the effect of water temperature on the rate of a chemical reaction, similar to the interaction of a weak acid and carbonate rock, using hot water and effervescent antacid tablets.
Curated OER
Peat Pots
Students place a peat pot in water to observe and calculate the rate of capillarity in a model of a soil. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, collect, record, and represent data, use a data table to...
Curated OER
Biome Trip
Tenth graders comprehed how individual organism adapt and relate to an environment. They investigate where biomes are located and what specific biomes are like. Pupils give examples of biomes (land and water), and how temperature and...
Curated OER
Permafrost: Permanently Frozen Ground
Students explore permafrost. In this 3 states of matter lesson, students identify characteristics of solids and liquids. Students observe water and soil melting and freezing at various temperatures. Students make predictions about a...
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
Observing Rocks
Fifth graders explore the various properties of earth and rocks. They play "Twenty Questions" with the teacher, and analyze a rock using a magnifying glass. They record their rock observations and list the differences between the wet...
Curated OER
The Power of Atmospheric Pressure Process
Students are introduced to the basic principles of atmospheric pressure. After watching demonstrations, they discover the capability of air pressure and how it affects weather. In groups, they use an inquiry template to solve different...
Curated OER
River Planning
Students use a model to conduct an experiment involving dam construction. Based on their observations, they draw conclusions about social, economic, and and environmental issues and make a decision concerning dam location. As a group,...
Curated OER
Demonstrating Erosion in Action
Young scholars easure and record volume of water, then measure and record mass of soil. They explain the effects of the following in controlling erosion: Contouring, cover crop, strip cropping, reforestation, inter-seeding.
Curated OER
Rock Cycles, Crayon Cycles
Students examine the rock cycle and the path that rocks go through to rearranged in different ways. They define key vocabulary terms, then in small groups conduct a variety of experiments using crayon shavings as simulated rocks and...
Curated OER
Dirty Decomposers
Students explore the ecosystem by conducting a ziploc bag experiment. In this recycling lesson, students identify decomposer organisms in our environment and how they speed up the recycling process. Students utilize a ziploc plastic bag,...
Curated OER
What are Rocks and Minerals? How can they help us?
Sixth graders investigate the difference between rocks and minerals. They name the three kinds of rocks (sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic) and know the differences between them.
Curated OER
Watersheds, Watersheds Everywhere
Students identify the watershed in which their school is located. They use maps to locate their homes and school. They define and use the correct vocabulary.
Curated OER
Water, Water, Everywhere!
Students become aware of the important role the ocean plays in our lives. Students will gain general knowledge about the ocean by reading information on the Internet. They discover the weather events generated by ocean conditions.
Curated OER
Pollution or Prevention?
Students examine potential contamination on the environment due to products and by-products of a new industrial process. Students conduct a lab that explores the economic differences between choices of pollution cleanup and prevention.
Curated OER
Fish and zooplankton habitat through remote sensing
Students are exposed to the variety of ways in which scientist use remote sensing and it used in everyday life. They investigate about zooplankton and fish. Students list the two important groups of organisms in both aquatic and marine...
Curated OER
Sky Observations Sky & Cloud Windows
Young scholars observe the sky and weather to gather data. They conduct experiments to answer questions about the sky and weather phenomena. They measure, analyze and present data. They create sky windows by gluing sky colored paint...
Pyro Innovations
Beach Exploration
Little ones will absolutely love this instructional activity. It's all about the beach and what they can find while sifting through the sand. A large bucket of sand filled with hidden items is brought into the classroom. Learners will...
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
Dissolved Oxygen and Photosynthesis: 1
Students are taught that plants produce oxygen underwater, and they design an experiment that test this question. They discuss whether plants give off oxygen, and how to measure this. Students measure the increase in dissolved oxygen...
Curated OER
Introduction to the Barnegat Bay Estuary
Students research estuaries. In this estuaries lesson, students discuss the differences in a bay and an ocean. Students watch a PowerPoint of the properties of the estuaries and geography of Barnegat Bay. Students complete a worksheet...