Curated OER
What are Metamorphic Rocks and How are They Formed?
Even though the student handouts are not included in the write-up, this lesson contains the instructions for terrific activities to use when teaching middle schoolers about metamorphic rocks. First, they compare granite to gneiss and...
Cornell University
Catapults
Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome.
American Chemical Society
Isolation of Phytochrome
Why do soybean plants that are planted weeks apart in the spring mature simultaneously in the fall? Four independent activities cover the history of phytochrome research, scientist collaboration, the electromagnetic spectrum, and...
Curated OER
Density
Learners predict when an object will float or sink based on comparison of density of the object to the density of the substance in which it is placed. The access a website and sketch the object in the first column of their table and then...
STEM for Teachers
Temperature and Bounce
Take part in a fun experiment and hold an impromptu bouncing contest with your class. Young scientists heat and cool balls before bouncing them to determine whether temperature changes affect how they bounce. The set of STEM lesson plans...
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Schoolyard Biodiversity Investigation Educator Guide
In 1980, in the tropical rainforests of Panama, scientists discovered 1,200 species of beetles living in and around just 19 trees, with most of the species new to science—that's biodiversity! In the activity, learners work in teams to...
Cornell University
Catapult
Studying levers couldn't be more exciting! Learners build their own catapults and test the results as they make adjustments to the fulcrum. They compete against other groups to create the most accurate apparatus.
Curated OER
MAISA and the REMC Association of Michigan
Students complete online research to study geography's impact on weather. In this geography and weather lesson, students research weather in their city for ten days using an online website. Students bookmark the site, enter data into a...
Curated OER
Newton's Laws of Motion
Ninth graders utilize Newton's Laws of Motion to explain how things move, create poster illustrating each law of motion, and present and explain their poster to classmates.
Curated OER
Slow Rot or Not?
Fifth graders examine how environmental factors affect decomposition. In this decomposition lesson, 5th graders experiment with the decomposition of grapes in five different environmental settings. They look at images of items that have...
Curated OER
Aquifer Model
Students, after researching and brainstorming about aquifers and locating aquifer maps of Texas, participate in the building of a model of an aquifer complete with a pumping station. They also answer a variety of questions at the...
Curated OER
Bernoulli's Principle
Learners explore Bernoulli's principle, how it is related to flight, and the effect of lift, thrust, and drag on flight. They design and develop an experiment that tests for distance traveled by their paper airplane, and record and...
Curated OER
Keep it Active
Students explore the active layer above permafrost and investigate various factors on the insulation value of the active layer. In this energy transfer lesson, students conduct and experiment to determine the effects of snow cover,...
Curated OER
Oreo Cookies: Delicious and Educational
There are innovative ways to teach standard classroom curriculum. Here are some ideas using Oreo cookies.
Curated OER
Honesty and Ethics in the Science Lab
Students complete a variety of lab and discussion activities as they are introduced to ethics and honest lab practices. They perform various biology, chemistry, or physics labs which test their ethical lab practices.
Curated OER
Science Lessons that Create the Right Chemistry!
Mix it up in your classroom with some chemistry investigations!
Curated OER
A Neighborhood Expedition
Students plan and conduct an expedition through their neighborhood based on the techniques used by the Harriman Expedition to Alaska in 1899. They research the Harriman expedition on the internet and then create a route and collection...
Curated OER
The Effects of Temperature Variations on the Heartbeat Rate of Daphnia
Young scholars use DigiScope technology to investigate Daphinia, popularly known as water fleas. They design, conduct, and report on an experiment to determine the effects of varying water temperatures on the heartbeat rate of Daphnia.
Curated OER
How Big is a Breath?
Students demonstrate how to use math skills to measure their lung capacity. For this human biology lesson, students use a clear plastic container, measuring cup and rubber balloons to demonstrate how the lungs work. Students estimate the...
Curated OER
Osmosis
Fifth graders explore osmosis as they watch organisms divide. In this organism lesson plan, 5th graders use potatoes to experiment with the effects of salty water in the body. Students discuss what osmosis is and record what happens in...
Curated OER
How Far Did They Go?
Students create a map. For this direction and distance lesson, students come up with familiar places in the community and calculate the distances from these places to the school. Students create a map that displays these places and their...
Curated OER
Who Lives in the Water? Stream Side Science
Andree Walker thought of everything when he wrote this resource. It includes a detailed list of materials and background information links for the teacher. In addition, it has procedures, a macroinvertebrate identification key, and tally...
Curated OER
Sounds Like Great Science!
A phenomenal lesson on sound is here for your third graders! In it, learners engage in hands-on activities, watch video, take part in Internet activities, and complete tasks in cooperative groups in order to explore the world of sound...