Curated OER
Rocks and Minerals
Fifth graders examine different types of rocks and classify rocks by their different characteristics. In small groups they sort their rocks into two categories, then create three categories to sort by on a sorting worksheet. Next, they...
Curated OER
Identify Similar Figures
Students explore the concept of similar figures. In this similar figures lesson, students develop the idea that similar figures are a different size but the same shape by comparing similar rectangles. Students use patty paper to trace...
Curated OER
Finding the Shape of a Web
Students examine spider webs they find as they explore outside. They make T-chart of the shapes found in two different webs and draw them on geoboard paper. Next, they measure length and width of a spider's web before checking to see if...
Curated OER
Energy Conversion in Electricity – Resistors and Circuits
Young scholars explore electrical energy. In this electricity lesson, students design and build a large circuit in order to determine whether circuit size correlates with the light of a bulb.
Curated OER
Simple Machines I - Inclined Planes, Wedges, and Screws
Fourth graders examine the physics behind and uses for inclined planes, screws, and wedges. They determine examples of how these simple machines are used in daily life. Working in three small groups, they move from station to station...
Curated OER
Make a Dinosaur
Students estimate the size of dinosaurs and create a dinosaur model. They create bar graphs of the sizes of dinosaurs one in meters and the other in "student" units. They draw a pictures and add words or sentences about their dinosaur.
Curated OER
Island Countries
Students define the meaning of an island. In this island mapping lesson, students identify islands on the map. Students discuss the sizes of various islands.
Curated OER
"Is a Blue Whale the Biggest Thing There Is?" by Robert Wells
Students discuss how big is big. They compare the area and perimeter of an acre and a football field.
Curated OER
Sampling Rocks
Learners will collect and analyze a sample of rocks from the schoolyard. They will array the collected rocks by characteristics such as size, weight, and color, to see if any generalizations can be made about the types of rocks that can...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights and the News
Students examine current news stories and from them develop "BIG" questions related to individual and group rights. They then relate their questions to the U.S. Constitution and supreme court decisions.
Curated OER
Turn off your Engines!
Learners explore how idling vehicles contribute to the greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. They conduct a survey of idling in their community. Students calculate and develop corresponding graphs of the carbon dioxide produced...
Curated OER
Emphasizing Scale When Creating a Site-Specific Work of Art
Students study art by Matthew Ritchie. Students view pictures of the artist and discuss art that is created specifically for a designated area. Students create pen and ink drawings on letter size paper. Using an overhead, students...
Curated OER
The Appearance of the Moon
Third graders watch a demonstration on how craters were formed on the moon. Individually, they care given a set of materials that represent the moon surface and make their own craters. To end the lesson, they measure the size of the...
Curated OER
Our Solar System to Scale
Students calculate the diameter of planets and their relative distances. In this space science activity, students discover how small or big the planets are in comparison to each other. Students use cross multiplying fractions to...
Curated OER
MAKING PAPER FROM PAPER
Students tear paper into very small pieces and follow a formula to make recycled paper. They follow up with a discussion about the quality of their paper and its benefits.
Curated OER
How High?
Fourth graders play an estimation game to guess how sheets of paper are in a pile and then guess who high a stack of one million would be. They work in small groups to explore ideas for working out how high the stack would be.
Curated OER
Experiencing Tiananmen Square
Middle schoolers investigate the Tiananmen Square demonstration and massacre in China. They watch a video clip, in small groups conduct Internet research, present their findings to the class, simulate a demonstration, and create an art...
Basic Handwriting for Kids
Adjectives - Definition and Sentence Completion
In this grammar worksheet, 3rd graders read the definition of adjectives at the top of the page. They fill in the blank in each of 5 sentences using one of the adjectives from the list at the end of each sentence.
Journey Through the Universe
Impact Craters: A Look at the Past
The Galle crater on Mars is also known as the Happy Face crater because of its appearance. First, scholars use pebbles and flour to simulate craters and study their properties. They then apply this knowledge to help decipher the history...
Curated OER
Geometric Shapes- Draw a Longer Version
In this geometric shape worksheet, 1st graders name each of three shapes in the first column of the worksheet. They draw the same shape in the space to the right, making the new shape longer than the original. They draw a rectangle, an...
American Museum of Natural History
Solar System Scavenger Hunt
Scholars go on a hunt to locate objects that best fit the measurements to create an eye-catching scale model of the solar system.
Curated OER
May the Force be with You -- All about Force and Gravity
Here is a fabulous set of teacher's notes that will make your next hands-on gravity and force lab fun and interesting. These notes provide you with three activities that allow children to make and test hypothesis regarding force,...
Star Date
Build Your Own Galaxy
Don't just look at pictures of the Milky Way galaxy, build it with this hands-on activity in which scientists recreate the galaxy we live in.
Mr. E. Science
The Periodic Table
This science presentation focuses on the elements in the periodic table. It begins with the parts of an atom, explaining atomic mass and atomic number, valence electrons, and isotopes. Then it moves on to discuss various ways of...