Teach Engineering
Energy and the Pogo Stick
Let your class bounce to examine the concept elastic potential energy. Individuals bounce on a pogo stick in order to calculate its elastic potential energy. Groups then compare the elastic potential energy to the gravitational...
Curated OER
Biggest Trees in the United States
Learners use the Internet (or printed sources) to locate information. They fill in missing information on a graphic organizer (chart) and use the data to answer questions. The research skills help students to develop higher order...
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How Does Your Tree Measure Up?
Students work in pairs or small groups to gather data about a tree. Each group might gather data about a different tree; all groups might collect data about the same tree; or two teams might gather data about each tree and compare their...
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Flowing From Here to There
Sixth graders discover how humans modify their environment. They work together to design their own simple machine to transport materials. They record observations and suggest modifications.
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Good Habits Grow in Room 3
Students go out on a limb with these ideas for using a tree to recognize good behavior, celebrate holidays, and build skills. They recognize and celebrate the positive behavior of their peers.
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Mother Nature Has Her Say
Learners 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 information on....
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Protecting the Environment
Learners explain what biodegradable materials are and list examples of them. They design, with online partners' feedback and input, a product made of biodegradable materials and develop a marketing campaign to best sell their product.
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Colors of Stars
Students observe the colors found in the flame of a burning candle and examine the basic concepts of matter and energy. Students apply this information to the color's of starts and the temperature of the stars photosphere. Students...
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My Forest or the Rainforest?
Students explore the flora and fauna of temperate forests and rainforests. They examine the environmental conditions that allow certain plants and animals to live in the rainforest.
ARKive
Butterflies and Blooms
The Northwoods of Wisconsin are lovely in the summer,and they are also home to many flower and butterfly species. Investigate the ways in which seasonal flowers and butterflies are interdependent on each other for survival with a fun...
New York City Department of Education
Egypt
This six-week unit encompasses all subjects with a focus study on world history and the development of ancient civilizations. As gifted and talented students dive into the interesting yet challenging topic of Egypt, they...
Curated OER
Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back
Explore nutrition and healthy eating habits with a study on youth obesity. Learners watch a PBS documentary on the obesity epidemic which discusses government programs aimed at healthier choices, as well as more localized efforts. Kids...
Curated OER
Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back
Kids fight obesity by comparing the USDA food intake suggestions to what they personally consume throughout the day. They watch a video, read texts, and explore related vocabulary which they use as they compose an oral presentation.
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Scientific Inquiry: Periodic Motion
Learners construct their own pendulum. In this physics lesson plan, students design an experiment to find the factors affecting its period. They formulate a conclusion based on experimental data.
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Polarized Light
Students study polarized light and explain how they know it is polarized. In this polarized light lesson students complete a lab that shows them how light can be polarized.
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Survivor
Seventh graders investigate changes in the ecosystem within the school year. They see that ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms are dynamic and change over time. They, in groups, collect data in quadrants in the fall,...
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Graphing San Diego Tides
Students observe the tides in San Diego for one month. Using this information, they graph the tides on a chart along with the phases of the moon. They answer questions related to the graph to end the instructional activity.
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Walk and Learn
Fourth graders take a nature walk on a nice sunny spring day. They discuss different things in nature. They write down observations in their notebook.
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Newton's Third Law of Motion
Seventh graders are introduced to Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this physics lesson students examine the concept of thrust as one of the forces acting on aircraft.
Curated OER
Give Me Energy
Students explore kinetic energy. In this energy lesson students complete an activity and explain what happened.
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More About Water Below the Ground
Students define groundwater. They identify groundwater's relationship to springs, artesian wells, ordinary wells and sinkholes. They describe the process by which sinkholes are formed. they define saltwater contamination and explain its...
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Water Taste Test
Learners brainstorm the different characteristics of potable water. In this general science instructional activity, students test several water samples and hypothesize which samples and brands they are. They discuss where drinking water...
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The Tilting Earth
Fourth graders use a styrofoam ball on a stick to represent earth and a light bulb in the center of the room to represent the sun. They walk around the light, holding their sticks at an angle to show the tilt of the earth's axis. They...
Curated OER
That Mu You Do
Students discussion frictional force, kinetic friction, and static friction and the role each plays in acceleration and velocity in relationship to a car and the road on which it is traveling. Students complete instructional activity...