Curated OER
Telling Time: Hours
Students participate in a discussion about the different types of timepieces and the energy sources necessary to run them. They observe the numbers on a clock and review the hands and what they mean and make individual clocks using a...
Curated OER
Water Power
Learners observe a model of a waterwheel to investigate the transformations of energy involved in turning the blades of a hydro-turbine into work. They work as engineers to create a model for a new waterwheel while considering resources,...
Curated OER
Food Chain: what's for dinner?
Fourth graders identify where foods came from and sequence a food chain. In this food chain instructional activity, 4th graders define vocabulary related to food chains and order a food chain. Students follow the energy of a food...
Curated OER
Chemistry of Food
In this chemistry of food instructional activity, learners complete 20 various types of questions related to food and nutrition. First, they complete a crossword puzzle with vocabulary terms. Then, students use the figure shown to write...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Cycles, Systems, and Webs
Fourth graders review the parts of the plant and their functions. In this plant lesson, 4th graders recognize that plants must transfer energy to make food. Students understand the interdependence of organisms in an...
Curated OER
Primary Resources
In this teacher website, teachers have access to various worksheets and lesson plans at no cost. Teachers can select from all subject areas for lesson plans, activities, and available resources.
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.
University of Texas
Lives of Stars
Stars exist from a few million years to over 10 billion years, depending on their mass. Scholars perform a play acting as stars to learn about their different life cycles. They develop an understanding of many of the fundamental concepts...
Channel Islands Film
Human Impact on the Food Web of Santa Cruz Island
What happens when a non-native species is introduced onto an island? Santa Cruz Island, part of the Channel Island chain located off the coast of southern California, provides the perfect laboratory for young environmental scientists to...
Curated OER
The Math of Light
Investigate light intensity, illuminance, and power consumption of different light source.Compare the efficiency of light bulbs then create a persuasive advertisement about it.
Curated OER
Stop Heat from Escaping
Students explore the uses of insulation and describe how insulation helps to conserve energy. They work in groups and use plastic, wool, paper and aluminum to experiment with the heat-retaining properties of various materials.
Curated OER
The Phenomenon of Sound: Waves
Students explore sound waves. In this sound waves lesson plan, students brainstorm different sounds and how sounds move or travel. Students then create a KWL chart and work through six different lab activities to examine how sound waves...
Curated OER
Electromagnetic and Physical Waves
Students compare and contrast electromagnetic and physical waves. In this wave lesson, students discover that all waves reflect, refract, and diffract energy. Students work in small groups to experiment with waves and evaluate the type...
Curated OER
Plant an Ozone Monitoring Garden
Students create a garden. In this ozone lesson, students discuss ozone injury, identify plants sensitive to ozone, and then plant their own ozone garden.
Curated OER
Environment: Wild Wind Direction
Students examine the different types of wind patterns. Using common materials, they construct weather vanes to measure and record wind direction over a two-week period. After analyzing the data, they draw conclusions about the...
Curated OER
Fit With Fiber
Sixth graders investigate the nutritional value of different types of cereal. They take a survey of students that ate breakfast and create a circle graph with the results. Students examine the nutritional information on the sides of the...
Curated OER
Biotic and Abiotic Factors
In this biotic and abiotic factors activity, students complete 20 various types of questions related to biotic and abiotic factors. First, they write the vocabulary word that best completes the sentence. Then, students state an example...
Curated OER
Air Pollution
In this air pollution worksheet, learners complete a crossword puzzle by reviewing the different types and sources of air pollution. This worksheet has 13 terms to place into the puzzle.
Curated OER
Jackie Gore
Students identify the amount of heat given off by solar energy. In this solar energy lesson, students complete an experiment using soil and sand measuring the heat from solar energy.
Curated OER
Lighten Up!
Third graders observe light as a form of energy, that it can be reflected/bounced, refracted/bent and absorbed. They explore how different types of light affect our lives as a whole. Songs are researched that involve light (ex. "You...
Curated OER
Plankton / Phytoplankton
Young scholars discuss the importance of plankton in the ocean ecosystem. In this biology lesson, students identify the different types plankton by observing them under the microscope. They explain how plankton population affect global...
Curated OER
Chocolate Chipping Away at the Rock Cycle
Eighth graders identify the different types of rocks. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders compare and contrast rocks and chocolate cookies. They explain how materials are recycled beneath the Earth.
Curated OER
Volcanic Activity in the U.S.
Students locate and map ten volcanoes in United States, create chart comparing volcanoes by last eruption, type of volcano, location, and interesting fact, and create Powerpoint slide show describing basic
information about volcanoes and...