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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Minerals

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
I love this geology lesson plan. Third and fourth graders look at the connections, and the differences, between rocks and minerals. Learners are charged with identifying specific rocks and minerals, learning how to properly use...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classifying Candy I

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students explore the observable properties of matter. They develop two binary classification systems using concrete objects. based on two different properties of the concrete objects.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biology In Elementary Schools

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students classify animals into six major animal groups and describe the characteristics of the animals found within each group.  In this living and non-living animals lesson, students observe a variety of animals, both living and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Designing a Real Life Ecosystem!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research abiotic and biotic factors concerning the concept of an ecosystem. Record and analyze data collected. Write a lab report in proper and scientific format with thinking and analytical skills. Work as a cooperative team.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changing Planet: Rising Ocean Temperatures - Rising Sea Levels

For Teachers 5th - 9th
As an anticipatory set, young environmental technicians watch a video about how ocean temperatures seem to be changing along with the global climate. They perform a laboratory demonstration with the purpose of observing what happens to...
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Lesson Plan
The New York Times

Writing Fiction Based on Real Science - NYTimes.com

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Refuse to alienate your scientific-minded young scholars during your creative writing unit. Learners explore how literary writing can reflect observable fact, and be based in actual science. The links include examples of fiction and...
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Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Mysterious M&M's

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
The first in a six-lesson mini unit, all using M&Ms® candies, this physical science activity gets kids to observe a single piece and discover what happens when it is placed in a plate of water. The activity can be used to introduce...
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Unit Plan
Intel

Starquest

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Almost every ancient culture observed the stars and saw pictures in the patterns. Studying stars allowed them to guide travelers, determine when to plant crops, when to harvest food, and the stories surrounding the images include some of...
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Lesson Plan
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Kenan Fellows

Sustainability: Learning for a Lifetime – Soil

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Do great gardeners really have green thumbs—or just really great soil? Environmental scholars discover what makes Earth's soil and soil quality so important through research and experimentation. Learners also develop an understanding of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploration of 'pill bugs'

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders define words. They create a dichotomous key. After carefully examining pill bugs, 5th graders record observations. They compare and contrast habitats of pillbugs.
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Lesson Plan
Field Museum

The Case of Darwin's Finches

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
One of the most striking pieces of evidence for Darwin's Evolution of Species was his observations of finches and how their beaks differed from island to island, depending on their primary food sources. So what would happen to the theory...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classification

For Teachers K - 4th
Students explore the observable properties of matter and utilize them in classification. They use a binary classification system to divide objects, then justify their scheme.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Star Light, Star Bright: Exploring How Stars are Classified

For Students 6th - 8th
In this star classification worksheet, middle schoolers are given laminated star charts to make observations about stars. They work in groups to classify groups of stars based on different characteristics. For each group of stars they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food Classification

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are introduced to classification and some of the difficulties surrounding classification and how classification systems need to be able to adapt and how they may need to be changed when new information is discovered. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seaside Science

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students research sea life using laptop computers. In this sea life lesson, students participate in a field trip to the beach and enter observations into their laptop computers. Students classify shells and sea life.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Buzzing is BEE-lieving

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate insects. In this insect lesson, students explore various insect models and identify the characteristics of each. Students observe insects outside and tally how many insects they observe.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Turning the Tide on Trash: Marine Debris Curriculum

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Seven pages of fascinating reading on marine debris preface the activities in this lesson plan. Four different activities are employed to simulate how the debris is distributed in the ocean and along beaches. Early ecology learners...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Calculating Sales Tax

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Observe and demonstrate how to calculate state sales taxes. Learners create a sales tax chart by calculating the sales tax amount and tax inclusive retail price for school store items, then calculate the subtotals, sales tax amounts, and...
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Lesson Plan
Serendip

Is Yeast Alive?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Through two investigations, life science learners determine whether or not yeast is alive. They perform tests for metabolism by providing sugar and observing if gas is produced as a byproduct. They incubate some of the sample for at...
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Lesson Plan
Center Science Education

Investigating the Climate

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What do graphs of atmospheric gases over time show us? Do they indicate that carbon sources and carbon sinks are not in balance? Up-and-coming meteorologists watch video clips, read information, and analyze data from the HIPPO (HIAPER...
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Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Exploring Moisture on the Outside of a Cold Cup

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
As a stand-alone or as part of the intended unit, this is a valid investigation of what causes condensation to occur.  By limiting the amount of air around a cold cup of water and comparing it to one out in the open, they find that the...
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Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Historical Climate Cycles

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
What better way to make predictions about future weather and climate patterns than with actual climate data from the past? Young climatologists analyze data from 400,000 to 10,000 years ago to determine if climate has changed over time....
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Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Color Vision Genetics Evolution Simulation

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
At one point, all mammals carried only two color receptors, but now most humans carry three. An informative presentation and hands-on activity demonstrate how this evolved through genetics. By participating in the activity, pupils...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Key To Classifying Animals

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Explorers of the environment construct a dichotomous key for a variety of organisms and design a key to classify Galapagos animals based on descriptions and images. The lesson includes a link to an animal gallery and the worksheet for...