Curated OER
Going in Cycles: The Life of an Aluminum Can
Students investigate the manufacture of aluminum cans and consider the energy and resources saved when the cans are made from recycled material. They explore the concept of closed-loop recycling using charts, worksheets and discussion.
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What Do Trees Do for Dinner?
Students investigate how trees produce their own food. They examine chlorophyll cells with a microscope, analyze a cross section of a log, determine how old the tree was, simulate the distance of the roots, and create a play.
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The Magic School Bus Wet All Over Clean-up!
Students investigate the water cycle using activities from The Magic School Bus series. They determine what happens when water is heated and cooled by observing two different experimental set-ups.
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Making a Water Filter
Fifth graders investigate the process of water treatment. They listen to the book, "The Magic School Bus Visits the Waterworks," design a plan for a water treatment system, construct a water filter using various materials, and test the...
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Where's the Period in the Periodic Tables?
Students investigate the Periodic Table of Elements. The teacher is provided with the necessary background information to complete the lesson. Students practice matching the element symbol to its place on the chart.
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Indoor Air: What's the Matter?
Young scholars investigate the variety and amount of particulate matter in the air. They locate the general sources of pollution for a specific area and develop some suggestions for improving air quality.
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Sound and Hearing
Students form an understanding that there are many different types of sound. The core concepts are presented in the most basic form for elementary school. Also students investigate how sound travels.
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Earth, Sun and Moon
Students investigate that the sun is at the center of the solar system through role play. One student is the sun and one student is the Earth. The students then show how the Earth orbits around the sun. Students view a flashlight and...
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Forces in Action
Students investigate different forces and draw arrows to signify specific directions of force. Students are then shown a brick and they are asked to draw a diagram which will include labels for the forces that are acting on the brick....
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Forces and Movement
Students investigate the forces of pushing and pulling by participating in a whole group activity involving a toy car. Students then participate in a small group experiment involving a toy car, small weights and various materials....
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Pushes and Pulls
Learners discuss and investigate how various vehicles move. In a small groups, students then create a wheeled vehicle and find a way to make it move using various resources provided by the teacher.
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A Plume of Contamination
Students perform an experiment/investigative simulation regarding the movement of contaminants in groundwater. They test the pH of three water samples, and then use their reasoning skills to determine the source of an invisible...
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Habitats
Learners investigate the habitats of living things and the cycle of the food chain. In this scientific inquiry online instructional activity, students examine the habitats of plants and animals as well as the food chain as they sort...
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Keeping Warm
Learners investigate how different types of objects act as thermal insulators. In this online lesson plan, students hypothesize how particular objects act as insulators and then complete the online activity to determine which materials...
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Gases Around Us
Young scholars investigate gases and liquids. In this states of matter online activity, students examine how evaporation plays a part in the transition of liquids into gases as they watch a kettle of water boil and then work in small...
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How They Get Building Materials Out of the Ground
Students experience a virtual quarry. In this science musical lesson plan, students understand how materials are quarried and manufactured from rocks, musically interpret a quarrying sequence with untuned musical instruments, and...
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Sorting
Students identify how objects can be sorted or classified for easy access. In this sorting activity, students will investigate how letters, numbers, and symbols are used in sorting and classifying.
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Water, Water Everywhere
Students explore water. In this water cycle lesson, students conduct a scientific investigation that requires build a terrarium models of the earth. Students record their observations of the changes regarding water in the terrarium.
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Studying a Piece of an Ecosystem
Students carry out an outdoor land study in which they identify organisms living in the soil, and any other animals living within the site. Groups also examine abiotic factors. They respond to a series of questions concerning their data...
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Ecoregions of Texas
Students map the ecoregions in Texas and illustrate the vegetation native to the region. They will use their maps to investigate why prehistoric hunter-gatherers might have decided to live in one area over another, such as the ancient...
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The Unknown Secrets of the Rain Forest
Students explore the rain forest and where they are located. Students examine why the rain forests are important and what is happening to them. They investigate the water cycle and life cycle of a frog. Students build a rain forest in...
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Glacier Flow
Students investigate how glaciers flow through valleys. They answer discussion questions, and in small groups create a simulation of a glacier using a plastic shoe box, water, cornstarch, and pebbles, evaluating their results on a...
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The Nitrogen Cycle
Fifth graders investigate the nitrogen cycle and examine the concepts of decomposition and nitrification. Students participate in a class discussion about the creation of waste and ammonia compounds, then using nitrogen cycle cut-outs...