Curated OER
There Is A Lady In The Room
Students use magnifiers to observe the characteristics of ladybugs. From recorded observations and gathered data, they construct patterns and graphs of their favorite ladybugs. Children listen to a book on The Grouchy Ladybug and...
Curated OER
Lunar Cycle
Learners become familiar with repeating patterns in nature, namely the phases of the moon.
Curated OER
Give It a Whirl
Students examine and identify polyhedron shapes on a math website. They write journal reflections about two- and three-dimensional shapes, and transform a square into a pinwheel.
Curated OER
Does Santa Claus use the Coriolis Force to Travel East?
Students are given a visual demonstration of the Coriolis Force in the Northern Hemisphere. They are encouraged to find locations around the globe and try to predict what the weather circulation patterns might be like.
Curated OER
Designer Genes
Students view a video on DNA. They discuss mitosis, meiosis and fertilization. They use strips of paper to simulate fertilization and analyze the genotype and phenotype of the combined chromosomes.
Curated OER
Marvelous Mathematics
Students make a table on the computer, but create fractions and equivalent fractions through the use of color. They are able to manipulate fractions in order to gain a greater understanding of the meaning of whole number that is broken...
Curated OER
Timelines
First graders examine what a timeline is and how it shows a sequence of events. They look at a timeline of the teacher's life before they design a timeline of their own based on major events in their lives. Finally, they right one event...
Curated OER
Observations and Procedures
Young scientists critique the breakdown of detailed observations. They discover the importance of writing down experimental procedures. There are some guided discussion questions at the end of the resource.
Teach Engineering
Adapatations for Bird Flight - Inspiration for Aeronautical Engineering
It's a bird, it's a ... device made to mimic birds. The eighth installment of a nine-part module has pupils read various articles to learn about bird flight. They consider the implications for aeronautical engineering.
NASA
Exploring Data
Bring the sun to your class! Young scholars analyze actual solar wind data in the second lesson of a five-part series. Their analysis includes speed, temperature, and density data.
Teach Engineering
Surface Tension Lab
What constitutes a good soap bubble? In the second installment of a nine-part series, scholars apply their understanding of surface tension to soap bubbles. They experiment to determine the best solutions to use for the...
Curated OER
A Closer look at Oil and Energy Consumption
Upper graders analyze basic concepts about the consumption, importation and exportation of the worlds oil production. They create several graphs to organize the data and draw conclusions about the overall use of oil in the world.
Teach Engineering
Show Me the Genes
Give your class a chance to show what they know. In the last installment of a seven-part series, pupils summarize and review what they have learned in the series. They present their solutions for creating a biosensor to detect cancer...
Teach Engineering
Bees: The Invaluable Master Pollinators
There is nothing in the world quite like a bee. Here is a video that explains the importance of bees to pollination. Scholars consider possible solutions to the declining population of bees in the ninth and final installment in the series.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Historical Climate Cycles
Ice core samples give scientists access to climates of old—those from more than 800,000 years ago. Through an analysis of various temperature graphs from ice cores, tree rings, and weather stations, scholars compare historical climates...
Curated OER
Equivalent Mixed Numbers
Fifth graders use various internet sites to complete math programs where they identify different representations of mixed numbers. In this mixed numbers lesson plan, 5th graders practice math before hand and then go on the computers in...
Curated OER
Investigating Fingerprints
Students study the individuality of fingerprints. In this fingerprint instructional activity, students determine that each person has a unique set of fingerprints. They rub their fingertips with soft pencil lead and rub the print off on...
Curated OER
Double Down
Learners shuffle cards identifying different patterns. In this algebra lesson, students investigate the accuracy of the card shufflers in a casino. They discuss out-shuffle, faro shuffle and magicians mixing cards to perform tricks.
Curated OER
Hello, Fractions!
Third graders discover fractions through the use of pattern blocks, literature, website activity and making a fractional pizza.
Curated OER
The Ups and Downs of Weight and Mass
Students explore the concept of mass, and how it differs from weight. They also calculate their weight change as they ride up and down on an elevator. They record the changes in their weight as the elevator moves
graph the collected data.
Curated OER
Production and Costs
Young scholars discuss the concept of productivity and participate in an activity in which they test their own productivity in making Origami cups. Teams determine how to improve productivity and then discuss factors that influence...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Young scholars access prior knowledge of the water cycle by completing a KWL. In this water cycle activity, students follow the movement of water through the water cycle.
Curated OER
Salmon Homing Instincts
Students role-play salmon returning to original streams using their sense of smell like the salmon do. They smell cinnamon, vanilla and peppermint on cards and follow that scent to locations in the classroom that represent their original...
Curated OER
The Greenhouse Effect
Seventh graders investigate the temperature change in open and closed containers. In this earth science instructional activity, 7th graders relate this lab activity to greenhouse effect. They create a line graph from data collected in...