Curated OER
Mars
Students debate the ethical considerations involved in colonizing and terra-forming Mars. They have a preliminary discussion and view a video clip about Mars, then break into support and oppose groups to research and prepare their...
Curated OER
Acid Rain
In this acid rain learning exercise students complete a series of questions on acidity and how acid rain forms. Students view a slide show and list what they can do to help.
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Making Good Decisions
Students analyze the consequences that result from their choices. In this good decision-making lesson plan, students listen to an article in the "Little Planet Times" and complete the associated worksheet. They participate in a role play...
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Meteorites
Students model how meteors fall to the surface of planets. In this space science lesson, students identify different types of meteorites using an interactive online website. They investigate the relationship between a meteorite's size...
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Solar Power
Fifth graders create their own solar panel. They use this experiment to see how the sun can be used as a form of energy.
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Nuclear Decay
In this nuclear decay worksheet, students read about alpha and beta decay and the isotopes formed by the reactions. Students solve nine problems including writing the equations for the decay of radioactive isotopes, identifying the...
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Water Works Wonders
Students examine where water is found in the world, how we use it, and the various forms it takes. They observe the refraction of light through a prism, record the day and night sky over a week's time, and create a topographic model of...
Curated OER
Analytic Geometry
In this analytic geometry worksheet, 9th graders graph and solve 13 different types of problems that include determining whether equations are linear to matching given equations to their corresponding equation in the second column....
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Teaching About the Hydrosphere
Eighth graders are introduced to the Earth's hydrologic system including the cycling of water in the atmosphere and the movement of water on the surface of the planet using the Great Lakes watershed as an example.
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Star Circles
In this star circles worksheet, students solve six problems given a diagram of a time-exposure photograph of the stars. Students determine the scale of the image, the location of the North Celestial Pole, they identify Polaris and they...
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FOLLOW THAT WATER
Students build simple stream tables and vary the angle of the stream tables in order to simulate different flow rates and compare the results. They observe various features formed in a stream table by flowing water and compare these to...
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Properties of Light
In this light spectrum instructional activity, students will read a diagram and a chart listing information about the different types of light rays from Gamma rays to radio waves. Then students will write a short essay about a new...
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The Wind & Sun: Powerful Alternatives
Students examine the power that is possible from the sun through an interactive program. They also analyze how energy turns into different forms in different parts of the human body. They finally explore how wind is created and how wind...
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Models of the Earth and Moon
Students explore the earth's rotation and phases of the moon. In this planets lesson, students rotate and revolve around a light representing the sun. Students use movement and props to simulate what causes the phases of the moon as well...
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Climate Mime-it
Young scholars pantomime new climate vocabulary words. In this climate lesson, students go over new vocabulary words and their meanings. Young scholars form groups and pantomime these word's definitions.
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Letter L
Learners will have fun learning about the letter "L" with the activities in this lesson plan. The author suggests reading "Lightning Bug" from the McGraw-Hill reading book. However, you may find other poems that are fitting for this...
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Out of This World Writing!
Miss Frizzle's class provides the inspiration for your young learners! Read "The Magic School Bus Explores Outer Space," and discuss the solar system. First learners will complete a KWL chart about a planet they're assigned to. Then, as...
Curated OER
Hurricanes
Upper elementary meteorologists take a glance at what a hurricane is and how it is formed. Because this does not get into the differences in air pressure that drive the associated winds, it may not be useful for older learners. The...
Curated OER
The Undiscovered Planet
Students find a planetary object using star fields. In this investigative lesson students determine the distance to an object using trigonometric parallax.
Curated OER
Science Jeopardy - The Earth Sciences
The earth sciences are the focus for this Jeopardy-style review game. Categories include geology, space, scientific investigation, meteorology, and oceanography. Diagrams and pictures are involved with most of the questions, making this...
It's About Time
The Electromagnetic Spectrum and Your Community
Do you have blossoming astronomers who seek to understand the electromagnetic spectrum? Assist them with exploring electromagnetic radiation and the electromagnetic spectrum as the class conducts various activities to demonstrate...
Teach Engineering
Biomes and Population Dynamics - Balance Within Natural Systems
How large can a population become? The fifth installment of a nine-part unit teaches young ecologists about limiting factors that determine the carrying capacity of species in the Sonoran Desert. Here is a PowerPoint to help present this...
NASA
Pop! Rockets
Off they go — launching rockets is fun. The lesson plan contains templates to build paper rockets that can be launched from a PVC pipe launcher. Individuals or groups build the rockets and determine the shapes for their fins. Included...
Herff Jones Education
Chemical Energy
Provide the class with a quick lesson on chemical energy as they are assisted in creating hot and cold packs to demonstrate energy transfer between objects. They observe the energy change in matter as it transforms and distinguish...