Curated OER
Fractals, An Inquiry: Day 4
Students put their growing understanding of the scientific inquiry process to work. They use paint to implement their plans to experiment with how changing one aspect of the fractal making process influences their appearance.
Curated OER
The Importance of Detailed Procedures in Science
Students examine the importance of clear communication in scientific exploration. In pairs, they write clear directions for an everyday activity for their partner to read and follow.
Curated OER
SAFETY KNOWLEDGE BASE CHANGES
Middle schoolers research and formulate a hypothesis for research to correlate changing safety regulations in regards to personal and environmental safety polices for storage, handling and disposal of chemicals, risk involved in...
Curated OER
Introducing the Use of Dichotomous Keys to Students
Students are introduced to the use of dichotomous keys as a simple means of beginning scientific observations in nature. They comprehend how to use a dichotomous key. Students distinguish characteristics of a group of organisms. They...
Curated OER
Let's Get Warm!
Learners investigate various methods that animals use to warm up in cold weather. They also explore the science principals involved. They then identify a human parallel, discuss what we can learn from nature, and create multimedia...
Curated OER
Does Soap Float?
Students form hypotheses and carry out an investigation in order to answer a central question: Does soap float? The focus of this lesson is on scientific inquiry, but it incorporates scientific topics such as sinking and floating.
Curated OER
Investigating the Relationship of Mass to Volume
Third graders explore the relationship of mass to volume. In this physical science lesson, 3rd graders participate in an investigation with a several materials and measure the mass and volume using scientific tools. Students discuss and...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration
Fifth graders participate in scientific inquires regarding the concepts of photosynthesis and cell respiration. In this photosynthesis and cell respiration lesson, 5th graders describe the process of photosynthesis with relation to...
Curated OER
Introduction To Fractals: an Inquiry
Students evaluate a playful case study about a dog searching for fetching sticks to identify the steps in the science inquiry method. They read the case study and fill in a worksheet with the examples of questions, observations and...
Curated OER
Arthropod Data Collection
Students describe the life cycle of various bugs as well as their predators and feeding habits. The class participates in a discussion of the various methods scientists use to gather data including research and experiment. After...
Curated OER
Fun with Flowers
Students make observations of flowers. In this life science instructional activity, students look at flowers, then draw and color their favorite flowers. Lesson includes extension activities.
Curated OER
Fly Detective
Learners use classification skills and clues to determine which flying insect is the one they need to circle. They read four clues and examine each of the five insects depicted. They then deduce which one is the mystery insect. Answers...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Winogradsky Columns: Microbial Ecology in the Classroom
Winogradsky columns are ideal for observing the role of bacteria and other microorganisms in an ecosystem. This student activity guide is complete with data tables for observations and analysis questions for processing what was observed....
Science 4 Inquiry
The Classification of Living Things
It's a classification sensation! Demystify why we classify using an inquiry activity that helps your class sort things out. Groups begin by classifying a variety of shoes before they research organisms and design their own dichotomous...
Curated OER
How hard is it?
Inquiry is probably one of the most fun ways kids learn. They will test the hardness of 10 different minerals in order to classify them. They rate each of the minerals from most to least hard. Note: Having real minerals for this...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Coffee Break with Nanoscience: Film Formation and “Coffee Rings”
Prepare scholars for micro and nanoscale investigations. A lab activity allows individuals to practice their experimental techniques while becoming to accustomed to the smaller scale of the materials. They also make decisions about the...
Bonneville
Solar Powered Water Pumping
Here's the perfect lesson for those who think the world needs faster pumps. Building on the previous activity, scholars work to make the pumps function faster in transferring water between containers. They try adding an additional solar...
Wilderness Classroom
Pollution
Educate scholars on pollution—air, water, and land—with a series of lessons that begin with a thorough explanation of each type. Learners then take part in three activities to reinforce the importance of reducing pollution. They...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Let’s Throw an Electric Science Party!
Are you looking for a shockingly good lesson? Check out one that has middle schoolers recreate four of Benjamin Franklin's experiments. Groups investigate, observe, and draw conclusions about static electricity and electrical current....
Curated OER
Examining Samples and Asking Testable Research
Students formulate a testable research question containing a comparison and a
quantitative measure. They state the null and alternative hypothesis for a testable research question. In addition, they describe some of the abiotic
and...
Curated OER
The Great Jellybean Hunt
Students explore natural selection and its influence on the populations to fine tune traits and characteristics. The acquisition of traits developed out of need is examined through a game played in class.
Curated OER
Non-Compressibility of Water
Students will observe a property of water. For this inquiry-based properties of air lesson, students observe how a change in water pressure impacts the positioning of an eye-dropper in the water container and they make hypotheses about...
Curated OER
Diffusion of Molecules
Students conduct a series of experiments to observe factors that impact molecular movement. In this molecular chemistry instructional activity, students drop food coloring in water with different properties (hot, with ice, with alcohol)...
Curated OER
Adhesives: Measuring Stickiness
Students test the stickiness of natural substances. In this adhesion as a property of matter lesson plan, students build a tool to test the adhesion of natural "glues" such as honey, peanut butter, flour and water paste, and jelly. ...