Curated OER
Using Greek and Latin Roots to Help Students Learn Vocabulary in Science Classes
You can help students confidently approach science vocabulary by teaching them about Greek and Latin roots.
Curated OER
Nature Print Silk Suncatchers
Students are introduced to the beauty of silk painting. They create a colorful leaf-print sun catcher that glows when placed in a window. Each student experiences the mixing of the colors and tie a link with Asian cultures, science and...
Curated OER
Bugging Out
Students explore how insects behave in their natural habitats and build dioramas to create an Insect World in their classroom. They investigate various insects and the roles they play in the environment. They write creative short...
Curated OER
Eye on the Storm
Young scholars discover the way geologists collect information about past hurricanes to determine patterns that may help with storm prediction. They then research the history of natural disasters in different regions of the United States...
Curated OER
Sustainability
Fifth graders investigate the concept of natural resources. They participate in a simulation project to see possible uses. They use the internet to study how Hacienda Verde is used as a model for others for sustainable coffee crops.
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of Bottled Water
Students research natural resources. In this environmental lesson, students define what a natural resource is and explore the life of a single-use water bottle. Students create a waste-reduction plan.
Curated OER
What Role Do Forest Play in Continuing or Renewing Our Planet's Resources?
Students explore the interaction between the forest and wildlife. In this forestry lesson, students collect data about forest ecosystems, species of trees, photosynthesis, and interaction of organisms. They prepare a lab activity to...
Curated OER
Floods
Students explore Earth science by answering study questions on-line. In this natural disasters instructional activity, students research Australia flood statistics over the past 40 years and identify patterns. Students utilize the web to...
Curated OER
Science: Evolution and Natural Selection
Students watch a clip from the film, Jurassic Park, as an introduction to analysis and discussion of the evolutionary history of dinosaurs. As an exercise in evolution, students in groups, draw dinosaur pictures based on the previous...
NOAA
Plankton
Dive into the world of plankton. The 17th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program introduces different types of plankton. Young scientists then use what they have learned to classify...
Curated OER
Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Fifth graders are introduced to the important topic of renewable, and non-renewable, resources. They are expected to be able to correctly categorize different types of resources as renewable or non-renewable. Another emphasis of this...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Respect for Land
Youngsters examine how people show respect and care for the land. Specifically, learners see how the Native Americans truly did care for and respect the land, and still do so to this day! They also explore how they themselves can care...
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
A Strange Fish Indeed
Communication is one of the most important aspects of science. In a two-day activity, your high school or college-level biologists will read excerpts from a fictional diary of Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, the woman who discovered the...
Curated OER
Ready-Set-Tech: When a Volcano Erupts
Wouldn't it be a blast to uncover the science behind volcanic eruptions? Explore, research, and examine the nature of volcanoes with three fun hands-on projects kids will love. First the class takes to the Internet to research volcanoes....
University of Colorado
Terra Bagga
One way to identify possible volcanic activity on other planets is by testing the planet for magnetism. A science instructional activity begins with pupils constructing their own planet from a dead battery, magnets, paper, and...
Curated OER
Technological Twins
Learners list comparisons between technology and nature. Then they create superheroes with special animal characteristics and describe how ordinary persons might replicate the changes with technology.
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
A Case Study Involving Influenza and the Influenza Vaccine
Using a hypothetical discussion between two coworkers broken up into four parts, budding biologists examine the flu shot and some of the typical arguments for and against it. The conversational nature of the reading makes it engaging and...
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...
NOAA
El Niño
El Nino, La Nina ... and the Santa Maria? The 11th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program explains the mechanism of El Nino/Southern Oscillation. Pupils use previous data to determine...
NOAA
Coastal Dynamics
Life's a beach! The 16th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program first examines different types of coasts and how they form. An activity then has learners investigate the shoreline...
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...
NOAA
The Dead Zone
The fifth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program defines dead zones and how they form. Pupils then examine data from the Gulf of Mexico to determine dead zone formation.
Curated OER
Design a Reef!
Using a miniature coral reef aquarium kit, young ecologists model this unique ecosystem. They research various coral reef organisms and their niches, and they culminate the project by working together to write a report. Use this activity...
Curated OER
Endangered Species in the Sonoran Desert
Students identify and explain some caused of endangerment and extinction for species as well as explain the effects of extinction on an ecosystem. Teachers use this lesson plan before teaching students about collecting insects or plants.