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Classification Schemes
Students place organisms into the correct classification and justify their reasoning. They must include all objects and have a reason for their decisions.
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Investigation 2 - Classifying Rocks
Fourth graders identify basic properties of minerals and rocks. They access websites and utilize worksheets imbedded in this lesson to further their understanding of rock classification.
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Farm Products Help Me Grow
Young scholars view a display of empty food containers (or illustrations). They select a food and decide as a class if it has an animal or plant origin. Students view a display of common farm animals that are commonly eaten (cow, pig,...
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Evolution: Natural Selection
Students analyze and discuss the evolutionary history of dinosaurs. In this investigative instructional activity students monitor different organisms in the environment and analyze the pressures that affect the chances of...
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Animals and the Food Webs that Love Them
Young scholars study the animals that Lewis and Clark would have encountered. In this animals lesson students study the food web and how human populations have affected them.
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Seeds and Similarities
Students use the scientific inquiry method to identify the changes in a plant's life cycle. In groups, they plant different types of plants and use a chart to compare and contrast their growth rates. They share their conclusions with...
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Discovering the Structure of the Atom
Learners investigate atomic and nuclear structure of matter by researching historical atomic theories. Students examine Rutherford's studies and discover that many scientific conclusions change over time as new data is collected.
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Organs to Go...
Learners explain the principles of experimental design and reinforce the steps of the scientific method. Each group of students create a "slush" type mixture to store a chicken liver.
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The Living Weapon
Pupils explore American history, military strategy and scientific discovery near the end of the World War II era. They examine the principles of the Cold War, pacifism, and the desire to keep government programs secret from the general...
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Habsburgs Inc.
Students use the Internet to research the Hapsburg Dynasty. In groups, they choose one role to take during the WebQuest and evaluate the effectiveness of the dynasty. They apply the principles to a modern day business and share their...
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Groundwater Realities
Students review the components of the scientific inquiry method. In groups, they use the internet to research the sustainability of water resources in their community. They examine an environmental impact study, answer questions and...
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Moving Along
Students are introduced to the concept of motion. In groups, they practice calculating the rate, time, and distance of various objects on a variety of surfaces. To end the instructional activity, they apply the same principles to those...
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From Molecules to Mole Day Do's
Students recognize methods used to define the mole. After converting various quantities to the mole, students provide a context for understanding the usefulness of scientific notation and the mole.
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It Won't Budge: Balloon
Eighth graders use the scientific method to discover why a balloon is not inflated.
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Illinois' Habitats Happening
Students use the scientific inquiry method to examine the ecosystems and biomes in Illinois. Using the characteristics of a local habitat, they identify the best conditions for an ecosystem to survive and how a slight change can damage...
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Measuring the Diameter of Our Star
Students conduct an experiment to measure the diameter of the sun. For this astronomy lesson, students construct a simple equipment to collect scientific data. They calculate the sun's diameter using a given formula.
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Mapping Your Neighborhood
Students define and outline their neighborhoods using GIS (geographic information systems) or a regional map and relate their neighborhoods to the principles of Smart Growth.
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Who's the Father?
Learners analyze gels to determine parentage in this lesson about scientific evidence, investigation, and DNA concepts. The lesson includes a pre-activity worksheet, a final individual assessment, and student handouts for in-class...
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Science: Lenz's Law and the Spinning Can
Students observe a demonstration of Lenz's Law using an aluminum can and a bar magnet. They hypothesize what will occur as the can is placed in water and the magnet is lowered above it on a string. Students discover the phase shift...
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Examining Infiltration Rates of Various Soil Types
Students formulate their own hypothesis, determine which variables are important to test their hypothesis, design an experiment in which they collect data. They utilize instruments and tools to measure, calculate, and organize data.
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Classifying Candy III
Students create a classification tree based on grouping candy with eight different properties. This allows students to understand how living things are classified.
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Classifying Rocks
Students classify rocks into groups after they observe the rocks and identify properties that can be used to divide them into groups. They then identify other properties that could be used to classify other objects into groups.
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Photography and Composition
Students examine the techniques and principles of photographic composition using various scientific tools such as a camera, a digital computer scanner, and a computer.
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U.S. History: de Soto's Alternate Route
Eighth graders examine various maps associated with Hernando de Soto's expedition. By comparing their textbook maps with newer maps, they answer a battery of focus questions. Using Microsoft Word, 8th graders answer the questions...