Curated OER
The Earth Around Us: Air, Water & Soil
Students build an air cannon and study air mass. In this air cannon lesson, students create and shoot an air cannon and observe what happens. Students answer critical thinking questions about air mass and air cannons.
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Fourth graders examine a machine and how its parts work together. In this simple machines lesson, 4th graders work in groups to study different gadgets, analyze how the parts of the gadget work and draw sketches of the gadget. Students...
Curated OER
"Eggsploring" Engineering!
Put a new twist on the egg drop by turning your students into aerospace engineers!
Curated OER
Cut Ice Cubes in Half Like Magic
Learners explore the process of melting or cutting ice. In this scientific observation lesson, students discover that the pressure from two weights will pull a string through an ice cube by melting the ice directly under the line of...
Curated OER
Make A Crystal Snowflake!
Students make a crystal snowflake decoration out of string, pipe cleaners, food coloring, boiling water, and more. In this snowflake lesson plan, students let it dry over night and see crystals in the morning.
Code.org
Minecraft Hour of Code
Devote an hour to computer coding ... it's time well spent! The activity has young computer scientists write code to solve puzzles in the Minecraft game. They learn how to apply block codes and repeat loops.
Beauty and Joy of Computing
Conditional Blocks
If you use the resource, then pupils will understand conditional block instructions. In the first lab of a six-part unit, pupils learn how to use conditional statements (if/then) in block instructions for computer programming. They apply...
Code.org
Good and Bad Data Visualizations
Good versus bad data. Pairs rate online collections of data representations from good to bad and then suggest ways to improve the visualizations. The class then creates a list of best practices and common errors in data representations...
Curated OER
What Does the Sun Give Us?
Pupils study the sun and how solar energy works. To learn about renewable energy, they complete a lab activity using a pizza box as a solar heater. Quite clever!
Curated OER
Raindrops Keep Falling on my Art
Kids may be a little resistant to this rainy day idea, but it could produce some amazing art. They paint a watercolor picture of anything they like. When they are done, they take their paintings outside and let the rain work its magic!...
Curated OER
The World's Simplest Cartesian Diver
Have your class learn about buoyancy using this simple lesson. First, they bring in condiment packets and see what happens when they place it in a glass of water. Then, they use one of the packets to illustrate the concept of a Cartesian...
Curated OER
The Shadow Knows - Creating Shadows
Young learners recognize a shadow and witness how shadows occur when light is blocked. They access streamed video, standard video, and websites in order to engage in their study of how light is naturally blocked to create shadows. An...
Michigan State University
May I Take Your Order?
If you're a pest, come and get a tasty meal here! Scholars work collaboratively to construct a mini restaurant out of a shoe box and create a menu that feeds a pest their favorite food.
Curated OER
Summer Water & Sand Activity: Go with the Flow
Students discover different materials that help to transport water in order to develop their observation and problem solving science skills. In this water lesson, students first brainstorm about different ways that water can be moved;...
Curated OER
Eyes on the Sky, Feet on the Ground
Fifth graders participate in online astronomy activities with hundreds of fun explorations into astronomy as a classroom tool for learning how to theorize, experiment, and analyze data.
Curated OER
Electricity Lesson Plan
Students conduct experiments on static electricity using the Internet. They compose a 30 second electricity safety jingle to be aired on a local radio station.
Curated OER
Who Needs What?
Students identify the physical needs of animals and if plants need the same things as animals. They conduct an experiment to see if plants need light and water to grow. They compare the growth of the plants exposed to the different...
Curated OER
How Things Fly
Students, by drawing on their own experiences, discuss and examine the basic physics of flight. They participate in a variety of activities regarding flight.
Curated OER
Tasty Solution
Students examine the difference between a solvent, solute and solution. In this solutions lesson students complete an experiment and observe what happens when a solution is stirred.
Curated OER
Do These Properties Matter?
Third graders rotate between three property stations, the solid station, the gas station, and the liquid station. They experiment with each activity until the teacher gives the signal to change.
Curated OER
Have You Ever Wondered?
Students use their personal knowledge and the Internet to discover where and how spiders live. In groups, they discuss their experiences with spiders and how their lives differ from other insects. They use new vocabulary to discuss their...
Curated OER
What Stores Solar Energy Best?
Students discuss reasons and methods for keeping a home warm in winter and cool in summer as examples of energy storage. Students participate in a solar energy experiment.
Curated OER
The Magic School Bus Goes Upstream
Students participate in an experiment that shows them how to use their senses to find their way "home." This experiment is based on the video that shows how salmon find their way to their home stream.
Curated OER
Amazing Grazing
Students discuss their experiences on a ranch. As a class, they tell the best part of their experiences or one thing they gathered from being on the ranch. They listen to the story and identify five items to focus on in the reading and...