Towson University
Mystery Disease
How did scientists determine the cause of illness before technology? Science scholars play the role of medical researcher in an engaging guided inquiry activity. Using observations, technical reading, and Punnett squares, learners...
Towson University
Mystery of the Crooked Cell
Can your class solve the Mystery of the Crooked Cell? Junior geneticists collaborate to learn about sickle cell anemia in a fascinating lesson plan. The included materials help them to examine the genetic factors behind the disease...
National Science Teacher Association
Middle School Sampler: Science
Focus on inquiry-based learning in your science class with a series of activities designed for middle schoolers. A helpful packet samples four different texts, which include activities about predator-prey relationships, Earth's axis...
Curated OER
Who Took Jerell's iPod? ~ An Organic Compound Mystery
Within the setting of a crime scene investigation, biochemistry beginners analyze organic compounds as a means of determining "Who dunnit." They use a brown paper test for lipids, glucose test strips and iodine to identify carbohydrates,...
Curated OER
The Titanic Impact of Science
Discuss personal ideas about science and how a filmmaker can employ the arts to promote science. After reading an article, young scientists will discover how James Cameron is trying to interest people in the oceans. In groups, they will...
Curated OER
Whodunnit?
Want to create an exciting mystery activity? Investigators will identify the elements of a mystery, review mystery stories, then write their own mysteries. They engage in forensic science experiments related to mysteries and learn to ask...
American Museum of Natural History
Planetary Mysteries
Get to know our little part of the vast universe. Learners read about the common and not-so-common facts about each of the planets in the solar system. The interactive lesson includes a large amount of information as well as a quiz to...
Edmond Public Schools
8th Grade Science Resource Book: Unit 2 - Physics
Get things moving with this extensive collection of physical science resources. Covering the fundamentals of measurement, graphing, lab safety, and experimental design as well as the specific scientific concepts...
Curated OER
Engaging Young Scientists with Inquiry: Part One
Building inquiry into your science lessons will make science concepts more concrete for your class.
NASA
Mystery Planet
What can one learn about a planet based on a small surface sample? Learners will explore artifacts from a mystery planet and see what they can determine about the planet based on the evidence in front of them.
University of Colorado
A Spectral Mystery
It's no mystery that every gas has an emission spectrum. Scholars use a spectrograph to look at the emission spectra of nitrogen, oxygen, air, and other gases in gas discharge tubes. They use their results to determine the identity of a...
Virginia Department of Education
Mystery Anions
Lost an electron? You should keep an ion them. Young chemists learn qualitative analysis in the second lesson plan of an 11-part chemistry series. After observing reactions of simple salts, the teacher provides pupils with unknown...
Virginia Department of Education
Mystery Iron Ions
Young chemists perform an experiment to determine if a compound is iron (II) chloride or iron (III) chloride. Then they determine the formula, balance the equation, and answer analysis questions.
Curated OER
Mystery Marauders
Students investigate plants with pest damage. In this plant life lesson, students study plants that have been damaged by insects. Students try to discover which insects are causing the damage.
National Wildlife Federation
Bison Mystery Box
Natural design is amazing. Young scientists connect the features of a bison to an assortment of everyday items. A bison's tail is an ideal flyswatter, and a pot stores water just like a bison's stomach. The lesson connects the usefulness...
Curated OER
Testing for Life’s Molecules
Want to hear a joke about sodium? Na. Young scientists test various materials to identify if they include protein, starch, and glucose by using the Biuret test, iodine starch test, and Benedict's test respectively. After practicing with...
Baylor College
How Much Water Do Humans Need?
Physical or life science learners measure the amounts of water eliminated by intestines and the urinary system, and the amounts lost via respiration and perspiration. In doing so, they discover that the body's water must be replenished...
Montana Natural History Center
Studying Grassland Ecosystems
At first glance, grassland ecosystems might seem dull and uninteresting, but once you start to explore it's amazing the things you'll find! Through this series of engaging lessons, activities, and experiments, elementary students examine...
American Museum of Natural History
What's This? Gold
Cell phones are likely made of gold—at least part of them! An interesting lesson explains the conventional and not-so-conventional uses of the popular element gold. From the Inca empire to modern-day technology, learners discover gold...
Towson University
Case of the Crown Jewels
Can your biology class crack the Case of the Crown Jewels? Junior forensics experts try their hands at DNA restriction analysis in an exciting lab activity. The lesson introduces the concept of restriction analysis, teaches pipetting and...
Science 4 Inquiry
The Ups and Downs of Populations
Life has its ups and downs ... especially if you're an animal! Biology scholars engage in a population study through an inquiry-based lesson plan. Pupils work together to explore the factors that affect deer populations, then examine the...
Curated OER
Sensational Science Fair Presentation
Students identify everyday mysteries for scientific investigation. They design and lead research into self-generated qeustions, form hypotheses, experiment and gather data, and process results. They then create visual displays of their...
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Higher Cells Incorporate an Ancient Chromosome
Chromosomes contain keys to history including links from royalty to Neanderthals. Young scientists learn about Ivan Wallin's research into chromosomes with an animation and videos. Then, the concept connects to mysteries related to...
Columbus City Schools
The Mystery of Earth’s History
Every living creature can leave a fossil record, yet most fossils belong to extinct organisms rather than ones currently living. Scholars learn about dating rock layers, fossils, and the environment of the past. Pupils understand that...