Curated OER
Survival of the Fittest – Battling Beetles
Students explore natural selection. For this genetic adaptation lesson plan, students discover why certain traits continue and some traits disappear. Students discover how species evolve and change. Resources are provided.
Curated OER
Ancient Roman Monuments and Timeline
While a terrific idea, this lesson in which learners create a timeline showing the date that a variety of buildings and monuments were built in Ancient Rome, requires resources teachers may not have. It requires the use of a Smartboard,...
Curated OER
Inquiry: Rudolfo Anaya and James Baldwin
Students investigate three works by the author James Baldwin. They work in groups to research the author and create a website based on the research.
Curated OER
Understanding Bernoulli's Principle
Fifth graders explain why we fly. In this space science activity, 5th graders discuss Bernoulli's prinicple and its relation to flight.
K20 LEARN
Transpiring Trees: Plant Transpiration and the Water Cycle
Looking for a tree-rific addition to your water cycle unit? Teams of young foresters examine the role of transpiration in the water cycle through a week's worth of activities. Pupils analyze how trees take in and transport water during...
American Chemical Society
Different Substances React Differently
Looks don't tell the whole story. Young experimenters explore reactions with substances that look similar. They observe the reactions that take place when combined with baking soda and use indicators to conclude they react differently...
Curated OER
Refining the Why? Turning Student Questions into Research
Middle schoolers have years of experience when it comes to how their bodies work. Surely they have some questions as well. Here is an opportunity for them to practice the scientific method in an attempt to answer some of those questions....
Curated OER
The Magic School bus Inside A Hurricane
Students investigate the concept of a hurricane by using the cartoon series "The Magic Schoolbus" to simulate the fantasy of traveling through a hurricane. The lesson uses a KWL graphic organizer in order to guide student inquiry and as...
Science 4 Inquiry
Genetics, Genetics, and More Genetics: Exploring Independent Assortment and Non-Mendelian Genetics
Two individuals share 99.9 percent of their genetic codes, yet diversity is observed everywhere. Young scientists learn about diversity through hands-on activities and an experiment. They apply the concepts of independent assortment and...
Curated OER
Learning from Primary Source Documents One Day at a Time
Young scholars differentiate between primary and secondary research sources before making a visual representation of their research into the colonist of Fort St. Louis. They write inquiry questions to guide their research.
Curated OER
The Robot Ranger
Students participate in an experiment to understand how robotic systems can estimate distances. In this robotic ranger lesson, students measure the the time it takes for and object to move back and forth. Students will use a tennis...
Curated OER
Graphing Sea Ice Extent in the Arctic and Antarctic
Students graph sea ice data and predict long term trends in the data. In this climate change lesson, students use sea ice data from the Arctic and Antarctic to construct line graphs. They use their graphs to predict the effects of global...
Curated OER
Getting to Know Saturn: Moons, Rings, and Relationships
Students identify the different objects that orbit Saturn. In this space science lesson, students plot the graph of orbital speed and distance. They explain why planets and asteroids remain in orbit around the sun.
Curated OER
The Tree Detective - Basic Dendrology
Students identify tree species by their leaf characteristics. In this dendrology lesson plan, students learn leaf vocabulary and collect leaves. They identify the leaves using the leaf characteristics and the vocabulary that they learned.
Curated OER
Earth's Energy Cycle: Albedo
Students complete all of the steps in the scientific inquiry process to study Earth's energy cycle; most specifically temperature and the effects of albedo (energy reflected back from Earth's surface) on temperature.
Curated OER
Life on the Hardbottom
Students find similarities and differences between a biotrope habitat and an ecosystem. In this hardbottom biotrope instructional activity, students research and respond to inquiry questions about a biotrope. Students identify three...
Curated OER
Botanical Discoveries
Sixth graders examine the Lewis and Clark Expedition. For this plant discovery lesson, 6th graders put in chronological order the plant discoveries of Lewis and Clark. Students understand the characteristics of leaves and find the area...
Curated OER
How Many People Live in Your Household?
Students create a pictograph showing household size for the class.In this data collection and graphing lesson, the teacher guides students through the creation of a concrete object graph, then students analyze and summarize the results.
Curated OER
Tree Seedling Planting- My Relationship and Responsibility to our Forests
In this trees lesson plan, 4th graders read the book, A Tree is Growing and complete a KWL chart on how trees grow and how they are used. Students research the symbiotic relationship of humans and trees, create tree collages, plant a...
Curated OER
Harriman and Plant Identification
Students observe and record botanical details from the plant specimens. They identify plants using sorting key and field guide and classify specimens for preservation and display purposes.
Curated OER
Acids and Bases: Together again!
Students identify principles behind acid-base reactions. They predict factors that may affect an acid-base reaction. Students identify questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations.
Curated OER
A Frog's Life Story
Students investigate the lives of frogs by completing several worksheets. In this biology lesson, students discover the life cycle of a frog from tadpole to death. Students complete frog life cycle puzzle as well as create a life cycle...
Curated OER
An Oceanographic Proxy
Students conduct experiments on a sample of sea water. In this oceanography lesson, students inquire how conductivity is used to approximate the salinity ocean water. Students construct their own conductivity meters and test solutions...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Cosmic Measurements
Students develop two units of measurement to relate to the astronomical unit and the light year. In this astronomy lesson, students use a Twizzler to develop a measurement unit similar to the astronomical unit. They use a moving object,...