Curated OER
Learning To Look
Sixth graders investigate a flower plant and the plant cycle. They extend observational skills when looking at a tree by observing, questioning and sharing ideas. They observe a living and nonliving flower and compare and contrast how...
Curated OER
Exercise in creating drawings for field notebooks
Learners (with a partner) draw and describe a leaf in its natural setting, and then re-find leaves drawn and described by classmates. The point is to have them start to think about observations in science, what to put in a field...
Curated OER
Fighting Corrosion to Save an Ancient Greek Bronze
Study corrosion on bronze statues with a hands-on lesson plan. As pupils place a penny in water with salt, they observe the changes in the penny throughout a period of a week. They then analyze the pre-conservation and the...
Curated OER
Food Classification
Students are introduced to classification and some of the difficulties surrounding classification and how classification systems need to be able to adapt and how they may need to be changed when new information is discovered. They...
Curated OER
Scavenger Hunt
Students explore area around schoolyard by participating in scavenger hunt, examine things that live there, such as noxious weeds, develop observation skills by using five senses, and find and identify ten to fifteen local, natural objects.
Curated OER
Rocks and Minerals
Take young geologists on an exploration of the collection of rocks and minerals that we call Earth with an upper-elementary science instructional activity. Through a series of class discussion and hands-on investigations, students learn...
Curated OER
When Floating Ice Melts in the Sea
With this simple inquiry exercise young scientists observe the effects of melting ice on water level. Set up an easy experiment with floating ice cubes in a dish of water then have your pupils make and record their observations of the...
Curated OER
Bioethics
Students are introduced to the issues surrounding bioethics and begin to discover how some of these values can influence decision making. The exciting part of this lesson is the constructivist method used to engage students of all...
Curated OER
Comparing the Amoeba to Paramecium
This laboratory activity is valuable practice in comparing features of different organisms. You could use it to introduce junior biologists to protozoans. The materials and procudures for the learners are simple, and analysis questions...
Curated OER
Gravity: What is it?
What is gravity and how do you explain it? Use this presentation to guide an inquiry-based lesson centered on understanding gravity through hands-on experience. Each slide provides a definition, example, or activity for students to...
Curated OER
The Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM) Lesson
Introduce your class to one of the ways that technology is benefiting humanity. The Global Precipitation Measurement Mission involves the data collected by nine satellites from different countries with a united focus on studying world...
Center for Math and Science Education
Stackable Moon Phases
Observe the phases of the moon with this stackable moon phases model. Here, super scientists create the phases of the moon by cutting, coloring, and attaching pieces in the order in which the moon changes.
Curated OER
Observation
Students practice observation skills by discussing physical attributes of family artifacts. They determine what characteristics of an object are considered important details.
Curated OER
Plaster Casts of Natural Objects
Fourth graders observe objects in science and create a contour picture of the the object. In this arts and science observation instructional activity, 4th graders develop a clay sculpture of their object. Students generate a list of...
Curated OER
What's The World Made Of?
Second graders identify the three states of matter by examining fishbowls with various contents. They discuss their observations and the characteristics of matter in each state. Pupils read the story The Rainbow Fish and look for...
PHET
The Earth as a Magnet
Everyone loves playing with magnets and iron filings. Here, young scientists first observe and then participate in an activity demonstrating magnetic fields. After completing their observations, they apply this knowledge to...
Science Friday
Cooking with Chemistry
Use class time to perfect your hollandaise sauce with a chemistry lesson. It includes two activities to teach about immiscible liquids, emulsifiers, and creating a stable homogenous mixture. Young scientists first mix liquids in a...
Curated OER
The Parachute
Students discuss parachutes and write a procedure to determine the effect of different size parachutes and different masses on the time it takes the masses to fall. They record all their data from their experiment then write three...
Curated OER
Ocean Life
Mini-marine biologists use Scholastic Explorers website to learn about declining numbers of leatherback sea turtles and dusky dolphins. They fill out a K-W-L chart and observation journal worksheet, which are both provided in the lesson...
Curated OER
Plants have needs, too!
Plants can die if they don't get enough sunlight and water. Kindergartners observe a picture of a hanging plant and grass under a tree, and interpret which each plant has died. Next, they grow watercress seeds in wet cotton to compare...
Curated OER
Where are Koalas on the Food Chain?
Take a field trip to observe Koalas, absolutely! Budding scientists become familiar with the Koala's position in the food chain. They answer questions based on what they see and draw a food chain explaining the Koalas position. Tip: A...
Discovery Education
Smoke on the Water
How do clouds form? Learners demonstrate the formation of clouds and the water cycle by testing four different setups in a plastic bottle. They identify the key components of a cloud to help them understand the process of cloud...
Curated OER
Do new kinds of insects appear after soil modification?
Students explore and experiment with the concept do new kinds of insects appear after soil modification. They assess and review scientific methods of observation, predicting, variables, math skills, ratio, proportions, graphs and the art...
Pingry School
Comparing Activities of Selected Metals
Don't overreact! A simple experiment demonstrates chemical reactions as scholars mix chemical solutions and metals in a large well plate. They note all changes to the metals, solutions, precipitate, colors, and more. A full data table...