University of Southern California
What Lives In The Ocean?
One of the most diverse environments on Earth is the ocean. Young scientists explore the living things found in the ocean during an exciting seven-lesson unit. Their study includes organisms from plankton to invertebrates...
Read Theory
Analogies 3 (Level 6)
Positive and negative may be opposites, but what does that have to do with the words clean and filthy? Ask your pupils to consider word relationships as they complete the 10 analogies presented here. Note that the exercise gradually...
Curated OER
Rock On! Featuring the Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic Trio!
Get your classroom rocking with this four-lesson earth science unit. Through a series of shared reading activities and hands-on investigations, young geologists learn about the three types of rocks and the unique properties of each.
Cornell University
Study Soil
What's in soil? Young scientists study the pH levels of soil from their school yard. They observe the land and area the soil came from to decide if location has anything to do with acidity level.
Curated OER
The Cell: Unit of Life
Students identify the parts of plant and animal cells, how samples can be obtained and what the differences are.
Curated OER
Dinnertime On The Reef
Students identify the main parts of a coral reef. They describe a coral reef food chain.
Curated OER
Dishing the Dirt Part 1
Students create a soil center on their school grounds. They begin to write in their science journals. They participate in an experiment that helps the community begin their own gardens.
Curated OER
Comparative Embryology Using Japanese Medaka Fish
Learners conduct an experiment to control the breeding of Japanese Medaka fish. They collect the fertilized eggs and view and record the fish's embryological development daily to compare the stages to human development.
Curated OER
Introduction To Cell Structure and Function: What's Inside a Cell?
Tenth graders are introduced to the cell and some of its parts. Through the use of video, 10th graders see animal and plants cells and their parts. They learn terms used to explain the cell.
Curated OER
Particulate Observation Lab
Learners collect samples of common dust from their homes and school for examination under a microscope. They identify the components of their samples using the provided "Atlas of Indoor Dust Particles." Pupils take samples form a variety...
Curated OER
Find the Speed of a Protist
Learners identify protists under a microscope, and using a stopwatch calculate the speed of a protist from a pond water sample. They use distance and time to identify the speed of a protist, and create a distance versus time graph to...
Curated OER
Investigation Xylem
Students investigate how water travels up the stem of vascular plants by using food coloring to stain the xylem of a number of different plants. They know the function of leaves, stems, and root at the end of the experiment.
Curated OER
Pond 2: Life in a Drop of Pond Water
Students observe organisms found in pond water with a microscope. In groups, they discuss how single-celled organisms satisfy their needs for food, water and air. They compare and contrast the needs of macroscopic and microscopic...
Curated OER
Onion Cells
Students observe the cells of an onion by wet mounting it and viewing it in a microscope. In this hands on lesson students make their own wet mount slide of an onion and are able to identify the cells in it such as, the nucleus,...
Curated OER
Seeing the Cell as a System
Students explain how the components of a cell operate as a system. Students examine a bicycle and find out if parts were arranged differently, could the system still be carried out. They look at cells as well and see what function they...
Curated OER
Plasmolysis in Elodea Plant Cells
Students microscopically observe various subcellular components. They determine the effects of different salt solutions on Elodea plant cells. Students explain the major function of a cell membrane and describe its structure.
Curated OER
The Human Cheek Cell
In this human cells worksheet, 7th graders complete a science experiment using human cheek cells. Students sketch the cells at high and lower power and label the cell nucleus, cytoplasm, and cell membrane.
Curated OER
A Limnology Study of Drainage Ditches
Students chemically test water, observe microscopic organisms in the classroom, and screen the sample for macroinvertebrates. They design a reporting sheet that list all the items to be tested and a space to record the results.
Curated OER
Cell Structure and Function
Students identify the main ideas of different cell theories. Using a microscope, they compare and contrast the structures and functions of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. They also compare and contrast animal and plant cells and complete...
Curated OER
Technology and the Human Eye
Fifth graders compare technology and the human eye. In this science lesson, 5th graders label the parts of the human eye and trace the path of light as it travels through the eye.
Curated OER
Neuron Anatomy Comparison
Pupils create a scale model of a motor neuron that is two hundred times larger than the actual neuron. They identify the structures of a neuron and observe neurons under the microscope then use a worksheet to convert actual sizes into...
Curated OER
Classification of an Echinoderm
Students study starfish through dissection. In this biology lesson plan, students explore the lives of starfish as they view a slide show, observe parts of echinoderms, and compare the classification of the starfish with other...
Curated OER
Comparing Light Bulbs
Fifth graders compare filaments in different light bulbs. In this science lesson, 5th graders view the filaments of light bulbs under a microscope.
Curated OER
Polytene Chromosomes from Salivary Glands
Students use this laboratory procedure to outline the mechanism by which salivary glands are removed and prepared so that the polytene chromosomes may be observed.Drosophila virilis is used instead of Drosophila melanogaster because D....