We all know someone who won't eat the banana with a brown spot, the grape with a dimple, and the apple with a bruise. Scholars use different fruits to explore what happens when fruits really start to decompose. They set up an experiment...

Young scholars build their own spectrophotometer to study light. In this physics lesson, students explain the dual nature of light. They calculate the angle of incidence and refraction using Snell's law equation.

Sixth graders keep track of the amount of paper they consume on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. The goal of the lesson is to have them all find ways to reduce the amount they use. Everyone creates recycled paper from old newspapers...

Students are taken on a simulated "voyage" backward in time, to the beginning of our planet. They "witness" that beginning, the origin of life, and a number of key events from then to the present.

Students explore the idea of magnetic field through investigations of magnetic fields as produced by various common magnetic materials and direct currents. They study the vector nature of fields, the ubiquity of field sources in the...

Pupils assess the impact of human activity on the environment. After reading the book, "A River Ran Wild," they role-play and discuss how people changed the river. Students write stories about living along a river from the point of view...

In this science activity, students answer 10 true or false questions about kinds of materials and their characteristics. They complete a chart by naming 4 different materials, naming an object made from that material, and indicate one...

Learners distinguish between items with and without energy. For this energy lesson, students understand that natural resources power electrical apparatus and that energy needs to be saved.

Students study silicon and where it comes from.  In this solar mining lesson students complete an Internet search of mining and a lab activity. 

Students explore naturally magnetic elements. In this magnets lesson, students examine the periodic table of elements. Students discover the parts of an atom and determine which three elements are magnetic.

Students develop an understanding of the role both nature and nurture play in determining an individual's traits. Using a website, students answer questions about nature and nurture in order to solve the riddle, What do you call a smart...

Students examine how natural disasters impact humans and how to develop a disaster relief plan. They develop a list of natural disasters, and in disaster relief teams, create an emergency plan for their families to follow if a selected...

In this tree identification lesson, 2nd graders read A Tree is Growing, discuss what makes up a forest, brainstorm characteristics of leaves, gather samples of leaves and examine their samples. Students will sort leaves and compare them...

Students explore the principles of flight. In this flight lesson, students construct a model plane and investigate the forces acting on the flier. They will measure the thrust and calculate the stored energy.

Students study nanotechnology and investigate the dimensions of a nanoscale.  In this nanometer study lesson students will see how truly small a nanometer is by measuring things such as a piece of hair.

Twelfth graders explain the role of electromagnetic waves and antenna in radio communication. In this lesson, 12th graders examine circuit diagrams and solve wave related problems. They also calculate theoretical antenna...

In this ecological principles worksheet, students solve 20 clues in a crossword puzzle containing basic ecology definitions of organism interactions.

Class members discover how mathematics can quantify the behavior of light waves with the fourth installment of a seven-part series that teaches future engineers about equations related to refraction, including the equation to...

Fourth graders see how, when balls are dropped from the same height, mass and size affects the motion of the balls.

Learners complete a variety of activities related to the physical characteristics of minerals. They classify and group candy, classify rocks and complete a Pet River Rock worksheet. Students try to guess which rock goes with each...

Students discover how air pressure effects flight.  In this physics lesson plan, students create two types of airplane wings so they can observe the way air pressure creates lift.  Students utilize a printout to create the...

Students build models of wind turbines and experiment with different designs that will improve efficiency. Students will understand the use of wind power as a renewable resource.

Third graders investigate Newton's law of Motion.  In this chemical reaction lesson, 3rd graders participate in an experiment with rockets to study Newton's law. Students observe the effects of a chemical reaction made by combining...

Musical chairs may be a classic game, but Ruffe Musical Chairs is a unique lesson on invasive species! Using the time-honored game, pupils role play the behaviors of the invasive fish called Eurasian ruffe. Learning about this aggressive...