Curated OER
Out of the Dust: Figurative Language
Learners find examples of figurative language in "First Rain" in Out of the Dust. In this Out of the Dust lesson, students takes notes on various type of figurative language and identify examples of each type in the poem.
Scholastic
Perfect Postcards: Illinois
Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered lesson on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional cross-state...
Curated OER
Cracked Marbles
Fourth graders determine how weathering, specifically ice, snow, and freezing water change the Earth's surface and rocks. After completing the investigations, they explain how heating and cooling expand and contract marbles until cracks...
Curated OER
Looking Out Is Looking Back...
Students explore the size of our Universe by understanding how long it takes to travel around from object to object in it - even if you travel at the speed of light! In making our exploration, we will examine ways of measuring distance,...
Curated OER
Survival in the Open Ocean
Students examine how scientists conduct pelagic research and identify pelagic predators as they study the open-ocean ecosystem. They discuss and conduct small group research of this environment in order to produce a presentation.
Curated OER
Who Ever Heard of the Big Bang?
Students examine the theories that attempt to explain the origins of the Universe. Some theories are based on scientific facts. Others find their source in folklore. The variety of beliefs systems are discussed as a motivating factor for...
Curated OER
Exothermic Rehydration of Gypsum
Students observe exothermic reactions in the lab using plaster. In this chemistry lesson, students collect data from their experimental set up every five minutes. They explain the different stages in the hardening of plaster.
Curated OER
Digital Picture Water Source Hunt
Students use a technological format to illustrate their understanding of the importance of water to life. In this water lesson, students read a picture a book and discuss the need for water. Students create a class chart about uses of...
Curated OER
Classifying Rocks
Students classify rocks into groups after they observe the rocks and identify properties that can be used to divide them into groups. They then identify other properties that could be used to classify other objects into groups.
Curated OER
"Tri-County" Project--Well in a Cup
Students construct a model of a well to identify how water is brought to the surface. Signs of pollution are investigated.
Curated OER
Weathering Rocks
Here is a geology lesson plan that is sure to get your charges excited. It's all about the process of weathering of rocks. Learners study natural events that can cause rocks to break apart. Some of these events are: ice wedging, plant...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Fifth graders explore the major components of the water cycle. They pay close attention to evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. A water cycle kit is set up in the classroom, which learners observe for a couple of days before the...
Curated OER
Keying Rocks
Young geologists learn how to use an identification key in order to classify rocks. The key is designed to help them classify rocks into three types: ignesous, metamorphic, and sediimentary. After an initial teacher-led demonstration,...
Curated OER
Effect of Technology on the Environment
There's no doubt that one of the most consistent dangers to our environment is the risks associated with the extraction and shipment of oil. This lesson focuses on oil spills - how they happen, the effects they have on the environment,...
Curated OER
Wind Power
What a wonderful way to explore wind power! Through this lesson plan, learners get a background in the history of wind power, create their own wind turbine, and the test their designs. This is a terrific way to tie scientific principles...
Curated OER
NIH Image Fault Investigation
High schoolers use the image processing software, NIH Imageto view images of Earth taken from the space shuttle. They use NIH Image to determine the length of the visible portion of the fault, where it has ruptured the Earth's surface.
Curated OER
Reading Around the World
Students use the internet to identify the seven continents. Using maps, they locate and identify major physical features of Earth. They are read different books by various authors on the Earth and answer questions related to it. They...
Curated OER
Landscape Picture Map: Natural and People Made Features
Students explore the places and objects that make up the Earth's surface. In this natural and people made features lesson, students identify things they've seen that are people made and those that are natural to the environment. ...
Curated OER
Examples for Socratic Questioning: Climate And Solar Radiation
Young scholars explore the various controls on the amount of solar radiation received at different parts of the Earth's surface by participating in a whole class discussion. They respond to prompts that lead them to conclusions about ...
Curated OER
Burp Under the Ice
Students examine the impact of climate warming on Arctic methane deposits. They identify natural methane processes and describe how this contributes to species extinction. They write reports on their findings.
Curated OER
Using several learning modalities to teach about the Periodic Table.
Students identify how to relate the position of an element in the periodic table to its atomic number and atomic mass. They identify how to use the periodic table to identify metals, semimetals, nonmetals, and halogens, and also,...
Curated OER
Scavenger Hunt
Students study a research telescope to obtain quantitative information about these objects. They use the SkyServer Navigation Tool to identify objects and record celestial coordinates. In addition, they associate star brightness and...
Curated OER
And Now for Something Completely Different...
Students identify organisms that are typical a part of a hydrothermal vent. They examine why hydrothermal vents are short-lived.
Curated OER
Mission Planning: Geography
Students investigate the use of latitude and longitude to locate specific locations on Earth and evaluate that location as a potential landing site for researchers, terrestrial or alien space missions.