Curated OER
Mold Investigations
Students observe mold growth on bread. For this mold growth lesson, students place bread in various locations and in various conditions to investigate how location, moisture, temperature, and other variable impact the growth of mold on...
Curated OER
Adhesives: How Sticky is Your Tape?
Students test the adhesive strength of different tapes. In this adhesive lesson plan, students conduct an experiment to test the shear strength of the adhesives, take measurements, record data, and draw conclusions to explain each...
Curated OER
Name that animal
A great way to classify organisms, is by counting the number of legs it has or how it moves. Little ones count the legs on five different creatures, then match the leg count to the proper animal name. Tip: Have them come up with other...
Curated OER
Sensational Soil
Fourth and fifth graders explore soil by taking a simulated field trip under the earth. They go to an Internet site that runs a simulation which charges them with finding a source of pollution that could destroy all of Earth's soil, and...
Curated OER
Can Scientists Discover a Limit to Discovery?
Is there anything left to discover? Evaluate opposing sides of the debate regarding whether or not there is a future for scientific discovery. Middle and high schoolers assess quotations from the articles included to evaluate claims and...
Curated OER
The Importance of Making Labs a Priority
The benefits of inquiry-based exploration can be attained in any classroom.
Curated OER
Ladybugs, Ladybugs, Ladybugs
Those lovely ladybugs are so cute, and so very useful! Use a short unit to explore insect anatomy, the ladybug life cycle, and the help ladybugs provide organic farmers. The unit is comprised of four short thirty-minute lesson plans that...
Curated OER
Bird Ecology Unit
Tenth graders conduct various activities utilizing the scientific method to formulate a hypothesis, conduct a controlled experiment, collect and analyze the data and communicate their results through a poster. They also identify...
Curated OER
Bacterial Transformation - Biology Teaching Thesis
Students explain the following processes: bacteria transformation, genetic recombination, and antibacterial breakdown of bacteria. They follow lab protocol and use the scientific method: to make predications, and to explain an unexpected...
Curated OER
How Toxic Is It?
Students participate in an activity in which they investigate the scientific method and seed germination as well as practice graphing and metric measuring skills. Students examine toxicity by exposing Wisconsin Fast Plants seeds to toxic...
Curated OER
Coal Science Fair Ideas
Learners select one of the ideas for a science project reflecting their knowledge about coal. They then choose a catchy title to spark interest that describes their project. They use the scientific method to explain the process.
Curated OER
Using a Controlled Experiment to Identify Two Unknown Plasmids
Student demonstrate knowledge of recombinant DNA techniques (restriction enzyme digest, gel electrophoresis, and staining gel). They demonstrate skills needed to complete a gel electrophoresis and interpret a stained gel. Pupils solve...
NOAA
Invertebrates
Crabs and lobsters ... yum! The 18th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program focuses on invertebrate marine life. After the lecture slideshow, learners conduct an activity to sample...
Curated OER
Science and Measurement
A great start to activate thinking about the scientific method, instruments, measurements, accuracy, constants and laws. Each slide describes important procedures and examples essential for the study of science.
Curated OER
Black Death Biology
Students in pairs explore the transmission of the Plague, through experimentation. Cooperative groups use the scientific method to solve the fictional problem of a bacteria spreading in the Amazon. Groups also create a vector to visually...
Virginia Department of Education
Work and Power
Assist your class with correctly calculating the values for force, work, and power as they determine the amount various activities require. They gather data and participate in a group discussion to compare results upon conclusion of the...
Curated OER
Pumpkin Science
Fourth graders examine pumpkins and use the scientific method to explore its contents. In this Pumpkin Science lesson, 4th graders measure pumpkins for circumference. Students dress as if they were in a lab and work in pairs to...
It's About Time
Atoms and Their Masses
Are atoms too small to be isolated? Answer this question and more as you provide young chemists with the tools to conduct a hands-on activity demonstrating atomic mass. Pupils explore the mass of copper and aluminum, compare Dalton's...
Cornell University
Scaling Down: Effects of Size on Behavior
Two activities explore the concept of size, especially small sizes down to the nano. Scholars practice determining volume, mass, and density and calculate exponential increases and decreases. They then predict and test the effect of size...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Winogradsky Columns: Microbial Ecology in the Classroom
Substances that decompose with the help of living organisms do so at different rates. Scholars experiment with Winogradsky columns to determine the rate of decomposition, the oxygen and sulfide content changes, and bacteria levels. The...
Curated OER
What's Your Favorite Color?
Students investigate the psychology behind color choices using two sites on the Internet. They complete a worksheet and construct an Inspiration file with the data from the charts. Then they form a hypothesis and test it using the...
Curated OER
Natural Dyeing with Plants - Scientific Method
Students study the components of scientific investigation by planning and carrying out an experiment in natural dyeing, seeing if different kinds of metal dye pots affect the color one gets from the same plant material.
Curated OER
pH Testing
Students explore the use of variables in the scientific method. They identify the dependent and independent variables through pH testing. Students construct graphs of their data and analyze their findings.
Curated OER
Coal Ash Analysis
Students use ash contnet, one of the important environmental concerns, that can be determined by massing the residue remaining after buring a sample of coal under controlled conditions. They complete a lab making ash content. Students...