Curated OER
Planet Earth: Almost 6 Billion Served
Young scholars investigate the global population explosion, by comparing India's and China's population control efforts and results. They interpret the UN's Human Development Report, and conduct research on another highly-populated country.
Curated OER
A Whole Lotta Changin' Goin' On
Here's a fabulous lesson on the life cycle of a butterfly. Youngsters are able to identify and understand the four stages of life. They construct models of a caterpillar and write a sequence story about the life of a butterfly. This...
Captain Planet Foundation
Rotting Away
What happens at the end of a plant's life cycle? Show kids the natural way that plants show that they're decomposing, as well as the importance of compost, with a lesson about living organisms. After reading Log Cabin by Anne Schreiber,...
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And You Don't Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop, Episode 2, Lesson 1
Students discuss Public Enemy's lyrics and compare and contrast them with songs popular during the Civil Rights Movement. They write their own rap song that expresses feelings of oppression or freedom from oppression.
Curated OER
Retrograde Motion of Mars
Middle schoolers investigate the motion of Mars. In this space science lesson, students use transparencies to trace the path of Mars through constellations. Middle schoolers discuss the characteristics of the planet.
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Life on Mars
Students research the feasibility of life on Mars and debate what it would need in order to sustain life. They work in teams to predict, research, infer, and explain their theory using models they build.
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What Do Magnets Do?
Second graders discover the physical properties of magnets. In this physics lesson, 2nd graders investigate the differences between natural and man made magnets and the uses of each. Students complete 4 separate RAFT assignments based...
Curated OER
Inside the Crater
Learners explore and analyze what's inside the crater of an active volcano. They research the history of powerful eruptions and how they have helped to make our planet what it is today. Each student then illustrates, designs and...
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Make Quiz Time a Fun Time
Students investigate a topic and prepare a quiz activity. In this space science lesson plan, students investigate one of the planets and construct a quiz for their classmates.
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Reaching the Solar System
Students sing the Rap of the Solar System, view pictures of the planets, and calculate their weights and ages on all the planets and the sun. They create a presentation comparing themselves with a planet or object in the solar system.
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Space - In Your Face or Not?
Second graders, in groups, examine how it doesn't matter if they can see the planets in the solar system or not--they're there.
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Planetary Tourism
Young scholars pretend they are the first student to be allowed in space. They examine all nine planets on their journey. They complete a KWL chart and worksheets before they do their research. They create an itinerary of their tour and...
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Stellarium
Students explore the rotation of the planets from various locations on Earth
Using planetarium software, they will make observations, and explain how the rotation of the planets varies based on ones location on the Earth. Students...
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E.T. Write Home
Students read the book, The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System, and discuss the planets visited by the characters in the book. They write journal entries from the viewpoint of E.T., writing letters home describing his travels in...
Curated OER
Are There Other Neighborhoods Like Our Own?
Learners investigate the possibility of life existing on other planets. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The lesson includes an overview that is used for classroom discussion practices. They tell the teacher how to...
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The Great Hubble
Students explain how Hubble telescope captures images from space. In this space science lesson, students use the internet to view space photos. They debate on an issue raised by the teacher.
Curated OER
Sky Stories Curriculum
Students investigate the stories told by ancient cultures about the constellations. They listen to stories told by the Greeks and Romans. The classroom should have posters of constellations for the lesson and the teacher performs...
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Water and Ice
Students participate in various air experiments to understand that air is all around us. In this states of matter lesson, students focus on the role of air in the water cycle. Students understand that air is densest near the ground....
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Spacecraft Launched on Mission to Pluto
Students read a news article about a space mission being launched to the planet Pluto. They study the necessary vocabulary and complete an anticipation guide of questions which they revisit after they read the article.
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The Story of the Solar System
There is more to the solar system than the typical study of the sun and planets. Launch a study of asteroids, meteoroids, and comets by watching the video The Story of the Solar System, available for purchase through this resource on the...
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Water and Ice
Young scholars investigate how water goes from a solid to a liquid then back again. In this experimental lesson students conduct their own experiment and see how water changes form.
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Making Good Decisions
Students engage in some form of classroom decision making and look at possible options and consequences of each decision. In this investigative lesson students look at different options in solving social issues and can debate each.
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Is Anyone Out There? Examining Astrobiology and the Value of SETI
Blow their minds with a lesson on the search for life outside of our planet! A brief video proposes the question of how to define life. A couple of articles investigate the possibility of alien existence. Finally, the class is divided...
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Endangered Species 1: Why are Species Endangered?
Emerging ecologists examine endangered species by visiting the US Environmental Protection Agency website. They consider human contribution to the decline of different species. They research an endangered animal and then craft a poster...