Curated OER
How Does Climate Affect Our Shelter Needs?
Fourth graders investigate how weather influences shelter choices. They explore the concept of insulation and discuss some traditional Native American shelters. They discuss the shelters used by the Okanogan people during the various...
Curated OER
Science: Discovering Earth's Air Prressure
Fourth graders discover earth's air pressure through observation of several experiments. In the "Experiment of the Leaky Bottle," they observe how air pressure forces water out of the lowest hole farther than the holes above it. In...
Curated OER
Sun or Shade?
Third graders use a thermometer to measure the air temperature in several places around the school and then graph the data. They grow 3 plants in different sunlight and record the growth.
Curated OER
Exploring Magnetism
Eighth graders study magnetism. In this solar wind lesson students complete several activities on space and weather.
Curated OER
Tick-Tock: Biological Clock
Students complete several activities that stimulate their assessment of time. They consider the term 'biological clock' and how animals in the wild depend on their own internal clocks for survival.
Curated OER
Fisheries Research Methods
Learners explore how scientists keep track of fish populations and why it is important to do so. They describe three methods currently used to sample fish populations. They participate in activities to simulate several of the sampling...
Curated OER
Gopher, Part 2: Gopherin'
Students explore how to access a gopher site using a root menu. Several options are presented with their definitions and the fastest routes examined in this lesson. The lesson is designed for librarians with little or no net experience.
Curated OER
Cloud Shadows
Students classify clouds as transparent, translucent or opaque. They conduct an experiment to determine the visual opacity of several classroom objects and then conduct further observations of clouds.
Curated OER
Science: The Changing Life of Air Pressure
Fourth graders observe demonstrations how heated air rises and becomes a low pressure area. After watching several teacher-conducted experiments, 4th graders, in groups, discuss and answer questions in their journals. Finally, they...
Curated OER
Living in the Greenhouse
Students discuss the different types of climate zones found throughout the world. They participate in activities which relate to real events. They make observations and the consequences of their actions on the environment.
Curated OER
Water 1: Water and Ice
Young scholars examine the changes as water goes from solid to liquid. In this states of matter lesson, students observe and record the changes to water as it changes from solid to liquid and back to solid.
Curated OER
Earth Processes
Fourth graders explore and discuss the process of evaporation. They discuss how wet things become dry. Students observe the process of evaporation and they make predictions about the observations they make about evaporation. Students...
NASA
Erosion and Landslides
A professional-quality PowerPoint, which includes links to footage of actual landslides in action, opens this moving activity. Viewers learn what conditions lead to erosion and land giving way. They simulate landslides with a variety of...
NOAA
Waves
Is it possible to outrun a tsunami? After watching a presentation that explains how waves and tsunamis occur, class members investigate the speed of tsunamis triggered by an earthquake.
Curated OER
Tornado Brainstorming
While the focus of this lesson is on writing about tornadoes, any topic could be substituted. The lesson provides a well-thought out overview of the writing process. Learners come up with a thesis statement, supporting details, and a...
Virginia Department of Education
Hurricanes: An Environmental Concern
Hurricanes, typhoons, and tropical cyclones are the same type of storm, but their names change based on where they happen. Scholars use a computer simulation to learn about hurricanes. Then they hypothesize ideas to prevent hurricanes...
Curated OER
Sarah Plain and Tall
Students read the story, dividing it into chapters per day until complete. They respond to the ad, just as Sarah, Plain and Tall did and use the correct parts of a letter used including a return address, greeting, body, closing and...
Curated OER
The Shape of Things
Fourth graders develop their writing skills. In this paragraph structure lesson, 4th graders research natural disasters, compile their findings, create mobiles and write stories based on the mobiles.
Curated OER
Water & Ice
Students investigate the properties of water. For this states of water lesson, students explore how water goes from liquid to solid and back to liquid again. Students use measurement, observation, and communication to describe the change.
Curated OER
Eye on the Storm
Young scholars discover the way geologists collect information about past hurricanes to determine patterns that may help with storm prediction. They then research the history of natural disasters in different regions of the United States...
Curated OER
Hurricane Frequency and Intensity
Students examine hurricanes. In this web-based meteorology lesson, students study the relationship between ocean temperature and hurricane intensity. They differentiate between intensity and frequency of hurricanes.
Curated OER
Does Global Warming Increase the Intensity of Atmospheric Natural Disasters?
Students study global warming by communicating the problem, process and solutions. In this global lesson students use graphs, research and write a critical stance on natural disasters.
Curated OER
Flash Flood!
Students study floods and flash floods. The About Floods page explains the difference between floods and flash floods, and why flash floods occur. The Flood Types page explores some of the different types of floods that occur. There is...
Curated OER
Global Warming Statistics
Students research real-time and historic temperature data of U.S. and world locations, and analyze the data using mean, median, and mode averages. They graph the data and draw conclusions by analyzing the data. A spreadsheet is used to...