Curated OER
The Earth's Atmosphere and Temperature
Students describe and compare the layers of the atmosphere. They explain how to measure the temperature of the atmosphere and discover what causes the atmosphere to heat up in some places more than in others.
Curated OER
Observation and Inference
Assess your young scientists' understanding of the difference between observation and inference with this 20-question multiple choice quiz. It reviews a variety of physics and astronomy concepts, such as solar eclipses and sunspots, the...
Curated OER
Think GREEN - Utilizing Renewable Solar Energy
Learners use data to find the best renewable energy potential. In this solar energy lesson students import data into Excel and explain how solar energy is beneficial.
Curated OER
The Solstices
Compare surface temperatures when the solstice occurs in the different hemispheres. Young scientists draw conclusions from their investigation of data collected using spreadsheets and a globe.
NOAA
Community Ecology and Sampling
Seamounts in the Coral and Tasman Seas are home to more than 850 different species. Groups explore hydrothermal vents, researching the organisms found there and their energy source. They also learn about seamounts, exploring their unique...
Curated OER
Simplified Botany--Leaf Chromatography
Students investigate the different pigments contained in green leaves by completing an experiment that strips away the chlorophyll and separates the pigments left behind.
Nature New Brunswick
Habitat for Endangered Wildlife and You
Compare and contrast your habitat with that of endangered plants and animals! Learners discuss what a habitat is actually comprised of, describing what theirs looks like. They fill out a graphic organizer explaining what they eat, how...
Messenger Education
Give Me a Boost—How Gravity Assists Aid Space Exploration
The propellant needed for space explorations runs in the thousands, while paying to get the craft into orbit costs millions! In the second installment of three, two activities explore laws of conservation of energy and momentum. Using...
Curated OER
Spring
Young scholars examine lichens in an outside field trip. Students explore the diversity of this organism and ask questions about them.
Teach Engineering
Biomes and Population Dynamics - Balance Within Natural Systems
How large can a population become? The fifth installment of a nine-part unit teaches young ecologists about limiting factors that determine the carrying capacity of species in the Sonoran Desert. Here is a PowerPoint to help present this...
Curated OER
Volcanoes!: The Dangers of Snow and Ice
Students observe a demonstration of how melting snow and ice can contribute to mudflows. They then observea list of continents with the number of snow and ice covered mountains on each continent and discuss. They then label a group of...
Curated OER
Forest Ecosystems
Forests are briefly defined and broken down into four different types in this PowerPoint. Facts and photos are provided for each type, including: deciduous, tropical rain, coastal, and coniferous forests. This is a wonderful presentation...
National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc.
How Many “Un-endangered Species” Do You Know?
Can endangered species become un-endangered? Of course! Examine six lucky animals whose populations once were dwindling, but now are healthy and thriving. Learners match animal images to brief descriptions, complete a true/false...
Curated OER
Mother Nature Has Her Say
Young scholars use their creative writing skills to develop interview questions for Mother Nature. Using writing, they respond to the questions another student developed and use the internet to research any topic they need more...
Curated OER
Making Weather-Tracking Tools
Young scholars build tools to help track the weather. In this weather lesson plan, students follow directions to build a rain gauge, barometer and hair hygrometer.
Curated OER
Cloud Poems
First graders make daily observations about clouds, write in their cloud books, make cloud charts, and make a poem about clouds.
Curated OER
Prairie Mural Project
Seventh graders construct a large mural of a praire showing plants, and animals that would live there.
Curated OER
Citifying the Country
First graders present a list of the attributes of a region and tell how changes occur in a region.
Curated OER
Cloud Observations using GLOBE Protocols
Students observe which of ten types of clouds are visible and how much of the sky is cloud covered. They see that by observing clouds, we can get information about temperature, moisture, and wind conditions in different places in the...
Curated OER
Look at Those Leaves!
Learners observe leaves in hands-on ways. As they observe attributes, they will group the leaves according to these attributes and consider any patterns they see emerge. In addition, they will communicate what they have learned about...
Curated OER
Prairie Adaptations
Twelfth graders consider the survival of prairie plants. They examine how some tallgrass prairie species are adapted to the conditions of their ecosystem. They make a prediction of how a species might change given new conditions.
Curated OER
Climatic Zones
Third graders recognize and locate Frigid, Temperate, and Torrid climatic zones on the word map or globe. They explain that plants, animals, and human societies display adaptations to the climates they live in .
National Park Service
Petrified Forest National Park
Poetry Soup, a reading and writing unit constructed by the Petrified Forest National Park, will have scholars hungry to learn about nature. The cross-content unit contains topics related to history, science, and language arts. Content...
Curated OER
Biomes: Extreme Climate
Middle schoolers create a web connecting global warming, the Arctic, and wold climate. They write a paragraph explaining the role of the Arctic in world climate.