Curated OER
Scientific Method in Action
Students investigate the current environmental movement by cleaning up their own campus. In this environmental care activity, students practice cleaning their "environment" by picking up trash on their campus and decrease litter by...
Curated OER
Forests of the Sea
Students read about and conduct experiments to learn about the vegetation under Monterey Bay. For this Monterey Bay lesson, students read about and look at brightly colored pictures of the different types of seaweed that grows in the...
Curated OER
Weather: Piecing It All Together
Fourth graders collect, record, and analyze data using simple weather instruments and a variety of weather resources to investigate weather. They observe the teacher demonstrate how a rain gauge functions, record the weather for five...
Curated OER
Microorganisms: Good Guys or Bad Guys?
Students discover the role microorganisms play in our lives. In this decomposition lesson, students examine decaying foods and plants in order to analyze the different bacteria that grows. Students discuss the good and bad of...
Curated OER
Tides
Young scholars discover how the position of the Sun, Moon and Earth affect tides. In this science lesson, students view a presentation about the tides. Young scholars discuss the different types of tides.
Curated OER
Significant Science: Statistics for Planet Earth
Ninth graders discover how statistics are used to interpret results of scientific experiments. Students write hypotheses and test the hypotheses by collecting data and organizing the data. Students graph their data to produce a visual....
Curated OER
How Big is Your Footprint?
Students create awareness for ways in which the "Western" lifestyle negatively impacts the Earth. They create awareness for alternatives to our current ways of living, eating and traveling. Students are challenged to talk with their...
Curated OER
Wax On, Wane Off
Young scholars explore the Earth's only natural sattelite, the moon. They view a demonstration using tennis balls of the waxing crescent moon, waxing gibbous moon and a lunar eclipse.
Kenan Fellows
Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Energy Resources
Is one type of energy inherently good or bad? Young scientists explore energy resources in a week-long unit. After extensive research, groups create powerful position statements and presentations supporting their energy resource of choice.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Recent Weather Patterns
Decide whether weather is changing! A two-part activity first challenges classes to review the differences between weather and climate. Once finished, individuals then analyze historical data to determine if climate change is happening...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Are You Bigfoot?
Scholars independently explore several websites to calculate their ecological footprint. Using their new found knowledge, they answer six short-answer questions and take part in a grand conversation with their peers about how our...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Personal Choices and the Planet
The last activity in the series of four has individuals determine steps they can take to reduce their carbon footprints and then analyze their schools' recycling programs. Through a sustainability audit, they identify how and where their...
Curated OER
Moon Mining
Go on a moon mining expedition from the safety of your classroom with this space exploration simulation. Using simple models of the moon's surface prepared ahead of time by the teacher, young scientists are challenged with locating and...
Science Matters
Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources
Did you know there are at least 12 different energy sources? Scholars apply their knowledge about the different types of energy as they sort energy sources by renewable and nonrenewable. Then they pick one from each section to explain in...
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...
American Museum of Natural History
Rising CO2! What Can We Do?
It is colorless and scentless, but it makes a large impact on the environment. Learners explore carbon dioxide emissions and what they mean for the environment using an interactive graph. They review changes over time and how they impact...
Curated OER
Exploring Seasonal Shadows and Sunlight
What can shadows tell us about the changing season? Over several months, astronomy learners record length and position of an outdoor object's shadow, such as a flagpole. They apply the data to a growing hypothesis and note the patterns...
American Museum of Natural History
A Whale of a Tale
What's the most interesting fact about a blue whale? Learners read an interview about the similarities between the Titanosaur and the blue whale displays at the American Museum of Natural History. Pupils learn not only about blue whales...
Curated OER
Save the Earth: It's Everyone's Home
Students explore how recycling helps save trees and protect the environment. In this environmental concern lesson, students color a handout of animals that live in forests. Students discuss how recycling paper can save trees and set up...
Curated OER
Astronomy
Students explore space science by utilizing education software. In this moon cycles instructional activity, students discuss the importance of the moon and the different phases we observe from earth. Students demonstrate the earth's...
Curated OER
Paper Mache Globes
Third graders create a paper mache model of the earth. At the conclusion of a discussion about the earth, they are given paper mache materials, they create their globe and appropriately draw and label landforms, bodies of water and the...
Curated OER
The Celestial Sphere and Circumpolar Motion
Students investigate the celestial sphere and circumpolar motion. In this science lesson, students view an applet, The Celestial Sphere and Circumpolar Motion. Students discuss the Earth's rotation and stellar movement.
Curated OER
Sun
Learners study how the sun is at the center of the solar system. In this solar lesson students measure the altitude of the sun and its size.
Curated OER
The Tides
Students experience a computer based applet that explains why the Earth experiences tides.