University of Arizona
Fusing Firecrackers with Narrative
Improve your youngsters' descriptive writing. They study an object and write about what they see as a warm-up, then they read an excerpt from Paul Guest's memoir, One More Theory about Happiness. The next part of the activity prompts...
National Park Service
Erosion
A set of PowerPoint slides supports a lecture or class review of weathering and erosion. Viewers learn the definition of each and examine various photos for evidence. Erosion is further depicted as caused by wind, water, and ice....
Dick Blick Art Materials
Natural Twig Journals
Connect science, art, and language arts with a nature-themed bookmaking project. Kids craft book covers, cut paper for pages, and learn how to bind their creations.
Cornell University
Let’s Raise Lacewings
Young entomologists explored beneficial insects and how they help control pests in the first lesson of the series. Now class members take a close look at the lacewing, which is a beneficial insect.
Curated OER
My Favorite Room
Young scholars practice describing a room. In this descriptive writing lesson plan, students use all of their five senses to describe their favorite room. The teacher will model for the class by creating a word list that describe the...
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
Roll On
Second graders, in groups, develop models to show how forces such as gravity, friction, equal, unequal forces and change in direction work on marbles.
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore water and ice. In this 3 states of matter lesson, students work with a partner to observe, illustrate, and describe the characteristics of an ice cube in a cup. The ice cube is observed again in 15 minutes and changes...
Curated OER
Sky 2: Shadows
Students explore space science by participating in a shadow experiment. In this sky observation lesson, students identify how the sun creates different sized shadows by moving across the horizon. Students utilize yard sticks, markers,...
Curated OER
The Nature and Science of Technology
Fifth graders practice using the scientific method by observing and creating mold. In this bacteria lesson, 5th graders experiment creating their own mold and fungus using petri dishes and oatmeal. Students create an information table...
Curated OER
Discovering Language Arts: Introduction to Research
Students research plants. In this researching lesson, students watch a video about the different ways to research a topic before writing about it. Students use the information gathered in this video to learn more about plants. Students...
Curated OER
Convection in a Pan
Students watch a demonstration using a plastic bag and a hair dryer to create a hot air balloon. After the demonstration, they discuss the results and whether or not hot water behaves the in the same manner as hot air. They conduct...
Curated OER
Using Adjectives to Describe Observations
Seventh graders write observations of organisms based on both audio and video sources. They describe organisms which they view using appropriate adjectives.
Curated OER
Twirly Whirly Milk
Student observe the effect soap (or detergent) has on the movement of food color in milk. Pupils observe the properties of solids and liquids while making butter. They read a poem, Shaking, and listen for ryhming words. Studdents...
Gwinnett County Public Schools
Analysis of the Tuck Everlasting and The Birchbark House Text Exemplars
Looking to introduce some text-based questions into your ELA lessons? Practice the kinds of skills the Common Core demands with the seven text-based questions and the essay prompt provided here. Designed to be a three-day lesson, day one...
Curated OER
Weather Instruments
Third graders practice making predictions about weather from conditions they observe on weather instruments and weather reports. Learners are introduced to the most basic weather reporting instruments: the thermometer, the wind vane, the...
NOAA
Ground-truthing Satellite Imagery with Drifting Buoy Data
Ground-truthing ... is it even a word? The last installment of a five-part series analyzes how scientists collect sea surface temperature data. Scholars use government websites to compare temperature data collected directly from buoys...
Curated OER
F = ma, Inertia, and Action-Reaction
Fourth graders apply concepts of Newton's Laws in scientific inquiries. Use this instructional activity to have your charges test and identify the characteristics of objects that make them easier or harder to push. After a teacher-led...
Jefferson Lab
The Shape of Things
Here is an interesting science lesson/activity which has learners working in groups in order to simulate experiments done at the Jefferson Science Lab. In this one, groups use a pie tin, a Hula Hoops, a marble, and a magic marker to...
Curated OER
True North, Magnetic North
Students explain why compass angles need to be corrected for regional magnetic variation. They observe the difference between magnetic and true north. Each student measures the angle of variation for a town in a different state.
Curated OER
Can Young Children Distinguish Between Living and Non-living Things?
What does it mean to be living? Help your young scientists identify living and non-living things as a result of their learning through discovery. Observation of and interaction with a set of natural phenomena in their community will make...
Curated OER
Exploring Density with Salt and Fresh Water: Part 5
This particular lesson was written by the National Earth Science Teachers Association, but density is a concept that you can teach at the beginning of the school year in your life, physical, or earth science classes. It would be fun to...
Teach Engineering
Backyard Weather Station
Challenge young meteorologists to apply their knowledge of weather to build their own weather stations. The resource provides the directions to build a weather station that contains a wind vane, barometer, thermometer, and rain gauge....
It's About Time
Chemistry and Physical Changes
Engage the class like never before as pupils learn to differentiate between multiple physical and chemical changes by conducting a list of small experiments, most often with household materials. They make observations and discuss the...