Curated OER
Colored Shadows
Young scholars explore how different colors are seen through the cone cells in our eyes. In this light lesson students complete a lab activity with light and record their observations.
Curated OER
DNA Chips
Students explore issues surrounding DNA microarray technology. They focus on a single area of biomedical research to help them explain how science, people, ethics, and history all fit together. They analyze gene-expression data.
Curated OER
Introduction to Nutrition and Gardening
Young scholars examine the different parts of a plant and each ones role. In this exploratory activity students complete several activities including a game of charades.
Curated OER
Similes, Metaphors, and Personification
Eighth graders explore figurative language, specifically focusing on similes, metaphors and personification. They work on the web to identify poems that demonstrate simile, metaphor, and personification, then analyze how it enhances...
Curated OER
Interactive Meiosis
Students study meiosis and the stages of mitosis. In this meiosis lesson students divide into groups and complete an activity.
Curated OER
Com-Post With Us? Learn About Recycling While Having Fun
Students examine the importance of recycling to help the environment. In groups, they make a compost bin on the school grounds recording how the material changes from week to week. They collect other materials for recycling like cell...
Curated OER
Generators: Three Mile Island vs. Hoover Dam
Students are given a history of electricity and its development into the modern age lifeline upon which we so depend. The methods of power generation are introduced, and further discussion of each technology's pros and cons follows. ...
Curated OER
Tracking a Virus
Students simulate the spread of a virus such as HIV through a population by "sharing" (but not drinking) the water in a plastic cup with several classmates. Although invisible, the water in a few of the cups will already be tainted with...
Curated OER
Completing the Circuit
Students use a battery, wires, small light bulb and a light bulb holder to learn the difference between an open circuit and a closed circuit, and understand that electric current only occurs in a closed circuit. They describe the...
Curated OER
The Path of Electrons
Students engage in an interactive "hot potato" demonstration to gain an appreciation for the flow of electrons through a circuit. They role play the different parts of a simple circuit and send small items representing electrons (paper...
Curated OER
Cleanliness
Students identify ways that staying clean contribute to good health. They perform an experiment involving potatoes and washed and unwashed hands, observing the results. They complete a cleanliness chart, checking off each healthful habit...
Curated OER
Toothpick Breakdown
Fourth graders model the activity of an enzyme acting on a substrate and observe relationships. Have students place toothpicks in a pile. One member of the team should break as many toothpicks as possible, in 10 seconds.
Curated OER
Sorting
Students examine how sorting is the process of putting things into an orderly sequence based on some key value. In this lesson plan students create a spreadsheet with 26 rows of data, then sort those rows by different values.
Curated OER
Self Portrait, What Nerve!
Students conduct an experiment to determine the distance between touch receptor fields in parts of the right-hand side of the body. They enter data into the data table.
Curated OER
Cloning
Students view the history to cloning cats. Students show examples of what they know about cloning. Students surf the net on all theories on cloning. Students view the critics views on cloning.
Curated OER
What Does Your "Homunculus" Look Like?
Students determine the density of touch receptors in various parts of the body on the right hand side. They use collected data to draw a picture of the
"homunculus" of an experimental subject.
Teach Engineering
Algae: Tiny Plants with Big Energy Potential
My, what big energy potential you have! Scholars learn about the energy potential of using algae as a biofuel. A PowerPoint presentation first describes the structure of algae and then how researchers use algae as biofuel to produce energy.
Curated OER
Understanding Dialect as Used by Mark Twain
A reading of Mark Twain’s The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County not only offers pupils an opportunity to practice their listening skills but also provides them with examples of dialectic speech. This is the gol’derndest lesson...
Serendip
Genetic Engineering Challenge – How Can Scientists Develop a Type of Rice That Could Prevent Vitamin A Deficiency?
Brown rice contains vitamins B and E, while white rice lasts longer in storage. The availability of rice around the world makes it a great candidate for genetic engineering. Scholars apply their knowledge of genetic engineering to solve...
Teach Engineering
Don't Be a Square
If Parseltongue is a genetic trait, what is the probability a wizard will inherit the ability to speak Parseltongue? Scholars investigate magical and biological genetics with Punnett squares.
Curated OER
Thunderstorms and Lightning
Middle schoolers, in groups, investigate and demonstrate the science behind the development of lightning and thunderstorms.
Teach Engineering
Nanotechnology as a Whole
It's a small (nanotechnology) world after all! The first segment of a six-part series gives an overview of nanotechnology, its principles and applications, and shares some of the engineering applications of nanotechnology. A presentation...
Curated OER
Spud Smear
Students study various samples of microorganisms in petri dishes. In this microorganism lesson, students place various samples of items in petri dishes and observe them after several days of incubation.
Curated OER
It's About Time
Middle schoolers investigate how Global Positioning Systems work and how and why GPS receivers make errors. They graph data points and apply estimation and prediction to real-life GPS situations, discuss time delay, and complete a...