Curated OER
Tracking the Movement of Sunspots
High schoolers examine how the development of new technology has increased our knowledge of how the sun works. Students study sunspots through the use of solar imaging from satellite instruments.
Curated OER
Cumulative Effects Assessment - What if?
Tenth graders discuss natural and human influences that may affect the ecological integrity of national parks. They study the concepts environmental assessments. In groups, they research a park's situation and present their findings at a...
Curated OER
Ozone Pollution: Smog Alert
Students simulate the development of smog. They discover how it forms naturally in nature. They read news articles about the ozone and pollution. They discuss what they can do to lower the pollution they generate.
Curated OER
Designing a Tropical Reserve System
Students explain the complexity of resource, land use, and conservation decisions.
Curated OER
What's it Like Inside the Sun?
Students perform experiment in which they model convection as it occurs in our Sun. They also explain that convection acts where the effect of gravity and heat are present (low density fluids can rise and cool, and high density fluids...
Curated OER
INFRARED OLD FAITHFUL
Students view video clips and still images of Old Faithful and review the main questions and curiosities regarding Old Faithful. They break into groups and take on the roles of explorers and have come upon this interesting geothermal...
Curated OER
Create a Pathway
Fifth graders build and experiment with electric circuits using easily available materials. They hypothesize what may happen if a part is changed.
Curated OER
Black Pearls
Students examine where pearls come from and where mollusks are found. They discover how pearls are formed in nature and how they are they made by humans. They use ordinary oyster shells to examine mother of pearl.
Curated OER
Soybeans in Space
Students work together to design an experiment that compares and contrasts differnet plant cultivation systems. In groups, they evaluate the results of the experiment to discover if the cultivation system could be used in space. They...
Curated OER
Weather Conditions During the Spring Monarch Migration
High schoolers keep a detailed record of weather patterns during the spring migration of the monarch butterfly. The use of weather reports is used to form a class data sheet. This instructional activity connects to the skills of graphing...
Curated OER
Skittles and Springs
Students experiment to discover the relationship between the stretch of a spring and the amount of weight attached to the spring using Skittles. They use a CBR and a graphing calculator to gather data.
Curated OER
Comparative Embryology Using Japanese Medaka Fish
Students 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
State Of The Bay
Young scholars investigate the environmental problems that surround the Chesapeake Bay area. They use an environmental handout as a resource that should be supplemented with research. Also students ask specific questions to report...
Curated OER
Star Quest
Students engage in a lesson of using maps in order to find constellations in the night sky. They also conduct research using three constellations. The research is used to create a project to inform others. The teacher also leads the...
Curated OER
Grow Your Own
Students study the growth and care of plants. They take tour of their school site and plant seeds to observe their growth. Afterward, they answer questions about the origin and value of their plants.
Curated OER
Food Webs
Fourth graders discover how organisms depend upon each other in an ecosystem. In this ecosystems lesson, 4th graders use food webs to discuss the interdependence between organisms in an ecosystem.
Curated OER
Flame Test
Students conduct a flame test on different substances. In this chemistry lesson, students predict the element present based on the color emitted during the flame test. They explain how different elements produce different colors.
Curated OER
All Those Seeing Color, Say Eye!
Students discuss feelings and explore how to recognize how they are feeling. In this exploratory instructional activity students discuss conflict and ways to resolve problems.
Curated OER
Busting More Myths Using the Scientific Method
Use the Mythbusters model to jazz up your scientific method lessons!
Teach Engineering
The Building Blocks of Matter
Everything can be reduced to atoms. The first installment of a six-part Mixtures and Solutions unit focuses on the building blocks of matter. Scholars review basic atomic structure, including protons, neutrons, and electrons, in...
Teach Engineering
Organic Solar Energy and Berries
You can eat a solar cell? A unit on solar energy begins with a discussion about organic solar cells, followed by directions on how to build your own. After following the teacher's directions to build an anthocyanin dye-sensitized solar...
Teach Engineering
Bend That Bar
Bend it, but don't break it. Groups investigate the strength of different materials. Using a procedure in the seventh segment of a 22-part series on aviation, pupils determine how far a rod will bend. They determine the strength-to-mass...
Curated OER
Our Intriguing Star, the Sun!
Explore the sun in a lesson plan about space. The lesson spans ten weeks, with students performing activities to answer weekly questions about the Sun and Earth.
Teach Engineering
Energy Forms and States Demonstrations
Does a tennis ball have energy? What about a bowling ball? Demonstrate concepts of different forms of energy forms and states with a variety of objects. Using the equations for potential and kinetic energy, learners determine the amount...