NOAA
Exploring Potential Human Impacts
Arctic sea ice reflects 80 percent of sunlight, striking it back into space; with sea ice melting, the world's oceans become warmer, which furthers global warming. These activities explore how humans are impacting ecosystems around the...
California State Parks
A Teaching Unit on Electricity
It's the invisible energy most people take for granted. Explore the properties of electricity in a complete three-week unit. Learners first manipulate circuits, then experiment with electromagnetism, and finally discover different...
Essential Energy
Being a Safety Star (Stage 3)
A spark of static electricity contains up to 3,000 volts, while a lightning strike contains around 3,000,000 volts. To understand electricity, its power, and the safety considerations relating to it learners engage in a comprehensive...
Purdue University
Design of a Green Roof
Help scholars develop a green thumb by building a green roof. Groups first grow lettuce seeds under normal conditions, then they try to grow the seeds in trays that are slanted by 45 degrees. They learn about tropism and engineering...
Curated OER
Adaptation and Diversity on Sheffield Island
Written for an exploration of shoreline ecosystems on Sheffield Island, this gives ecology or marine biology buffs a hands-on experience. Using GPS or visual triangulation techniques, they lay transect lines on a high and a low energy...
Curated OER
Habitats
First graders investigate animal habitats. In this habitats lesson, 1st graders visit the woods to identify examples of food, water, and shelter that animals use to survive. Students complete a worksheet.
Curated OER
Internet Field Trip: Simple Machines
Learners observe and identify the types of simple machines. They conduct research and gather data to increase the comprehension of simple machines. Students identify and comprehend data to complete a graphic organizer and focus...
Curated OER
A Weighty Issue
Want to get your students motivated in science class? Given only a piece of aluminum foil, assign groups the task of designing a "barge" that will support the weight of a bunch of pennies. The group who is able to put the most pennies...
Curated OER
Making Tracks
Students cast animal tracks on a field trip. They split up to capture tracks from different areas and use plaster of Paris to mold to the footprint. They bring casts back to class, create a negative mold and paint it black.
Curated OER
Animal Characteristics
Students investigate the characteristics of animals by creating a chart. In this animal life lesson, students create a KWL chart listing all the different animals a class can name. Students take a field trip to a science facility to get...
Curated OER
Skateboards, Rocket Balloons and Newton's Laws of Motion
Students investigate forces. In this laws of motion lesson, students visit the Glasgow Science Center or Techniquest to participate in activities related to the Newton's law of motion.
Curated OER
Out and About: The History of Medicine
Students investigate the history of medicine. In this medicine instructional activity, students may visit the Thackray Medical Museum, the Old Operating Theatre, or the Edward Jenner Museum in Britain online or in-person to discover...
Curated OER
Sheffield Island Adaptation Activity
You don't have to visit The Maritime Aquarium to use this plan, but you would need to find a location where a variety of bird species live, re-write the activity worksheet to incorporate the local species, and purchase field guides for...
Curated OER
Marine Habitats of Galveston Island
Four lessons introduce elementary ecologists to salt marsh and sandy beach habitats. In the first lesson, they place shells and other materials in vinegar to determine if they contain calcium carbonate. In the second lesson, they read a...
Curated OER
Seashore Explorers
There are three separate lessons within this resource that can be used together, or that can each stand alone. In the first, five simple activities allow junior scientists to examine the amazing properties of water. In the second, they...
Curated OER
Archaeology 101
Let's go on an archaeological dig! Here is a lesson plan that allows your young scientists to do just that! You fill up an empty water table or tray with sand, and bury miscellaneous objects. Pupils use spoons, sifters, and brushes to...
Curated OER
Ship Building Trip
Young scholars travel to a ship building plant to see how they are built. They enter into discussion and writing about the task of the building. This lesson is multiple intelligence in design and valuable because of the real life exposure.
Curated OER
Use Google Maps to Teach Math
Capture the engagement of young mathematicians with this upper-elementary math instructional activity on measuring time and distance. Using Google Maps, students first measure and compare the distance and time it takes to travel between...
Space Race
Sensory Detectives
Test your learners' sensory awareness with three hands-on activities that ask pupils to use their other senses to identify and describe everyday objects hidden from sight.
Curated OER
Swords, Arrows, and Eggs
Students enjoy hands-on learning experiences. In this current events instructional activity, students may visit the Lulworth Castle, Roald Dahl Museum, Glasgow Science Centre, Salts Mill, or the Sherwood Forest online or in-person to...
Curated OER
Plant Hunt
Students explore botany by conducting field research outside of class. In this plant species lesson, students examine a nearby park or beach in which they can dig and search for plants they aren't familiar with. Students collect many...
Curated OER
Out and About: Plants
Students examine plants. In this hands-on science lesson, students visit the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Eden Project, and Nature's World online or in person to investigate plants and gardens.
Curated OER
Out and About: Minibeasts
Students get up close and personal with invertebrates. For this mini-beasts lesson, students may visit the Natural History Museum, the Bramley Frith Education Centre, the Edinburgh Butterfly and Insect World online or in-person to...
Curated OER
Forest Ecosystem
Learners take a field trip and explore a temperate rainforest. In this rainforest lesson plan, students discuss many items they see on their journey and experiment with different tree leaves.