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Lesson Plan
NOAA

Watch the Screen!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Can a sponge cure cancer? Life science pupils visit the drugstore under the sea in the fifth lesson of six. Working groups research the topic then get hands-on experience by testing the inhibiting effects of several plant extracts on E....
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Interactive
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

Science at 100,000 Feet

For Students 9th - 12th
Take your class up, up, and away with an engaging weather balloon simulation! Individuals get hands-on experience in creating and launching their own airborne labs to study how temperature and pressure affect substances at 100,000 feet. 
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Lesson Plan
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Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Building Structures and Exploring Shapes

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st Standards
Forget the hammering, the heat, and the blue prints. These little construction workers are going to build, design, and develop structures using a variety of materials. Not only will they be immersed in STEM, they will learn length,...
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Lesson Plan
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Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Using Our Senses to Observe

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Look around and explore. Little ones use their five senses with some day-to-day activities designed to guide observation and apply STEM strategies. Young scientists learn through comparing/contrasting and observing with magnifiers as...
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Lesson Plan
Project Noah

Writing Goes Wild

For Teachers 4th Standards
Young scientists develop their observation and writing skills as they craft and then post a detailed description of a plant or animal they have spotted and photographed.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Riding on a Pendulum

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
A comprehensive resource gets fourth grade physical scientists making observations about the period of a pendulum and then applying knowledge to a playground swing. Through seven different stations, they will record observations and...
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Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

What's on a Penny?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
As a lesson plan on scientific observation, have your class investigate the features of a penny and a nickel. Working in pairs, they practice writing detailed descriptions using their senses and a ruler to gather information. This is an...
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

The Science of a Historic Sinking

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Incorporate science investigations to expand pupils' understanding of the Titanic.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Attention to Detail

For Teachers K - 5th
After a quick warm up activity, learners get ready to use their keen observation skills to examine an ornate Japanese pencil box. They discuss the artistry, skills, and story of the box, paying close attention to details. They then...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan: Blending Observation and Imagination

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Upper graders analyze the work, Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase by Maria van Oosterwyck. They consider the value of her paintings and how they are still relevent and sought after, 350 years after they were created. The blending of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan: Finding Treasures Within

For Teachers K - 5th
Sherlock Holmes had fantastic skills of observation. Your super sleuths will examine the pattern, rhythm, texture, and color of a painting to uncover the symbolism beneath. A great lesson, that incorporates observation, art analysis,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Deep Convective Clouds

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students observe clouds. In this deep convective clouds lesson plan, students analyze cloud data recorded over one month and draw conclusions based on results.  Students predict "Thunderstorm Season" and prepare to defend their decision...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Can We Learn From the Past?

For Teachers 7th - 11th
What would future archeologists learn from your scholars' personal belongings? Have them bring in a box of "primary sources" from their home. Discuss the difference between observations and inference, using some of your own items to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan: A Bird's Tale

For Teachers K - 5th
Who wouldn't love to get a letter from a blue bird? Elementary art enthusiasts analyze the social and historical context of Ason Yellowhair's Navajo piece, Bird and Cornstalk Rug. They examine the construction and images on the rug...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Independent Plant Growth Experiment

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This is an awesome lesson filled with tons of engaging learning activities. Over a period of weeks learners will make observations, collect plant and analyze plant data, read and review agricultural articles, design and conduct an...
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Engaging Young Scientists with Inquiry: Part One

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Building inquiry into your science lessons will make science concepts more concrete for your class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Butterflies, Butterflies, Butterflies

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Transform your class into a butterfly museum! Research different types of butterflies, their habitat, and life cycle. Interactive components such as PowerPoint presentations, Claymation movies, and webpages add pizzaz to the museum...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Lettuce" Learn About the Water Cycle

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Young scientists investigate the water cycle through a lettuce seed experiment. For this experiment, learners plant lettuce seeds inside of a ziplock bag in order to create a small greenhouse. They observe condensation and precipitation,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

When the Wind Blows Lesson Plan

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Learners read a book and observe the wind and how it affects the environment. They explore what wind does by looking at pictures, reading a book, and by completing an experiment. They will use their own knowledge of the wind and compare...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

States Of Matter

For Teachers 4th
Delv into the states of Matter. Students engage in the scientific inquiry process to uncover the exciting world of Matter. They watch a series of videos, and conduct experiments in order to collect and analyze data on the various state...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Scientists Work

For Teachers 4th - 6th
The arsenal of tools a scientist uses to observe the world are varied. This great presentation gives students a look at some of the strategies they should use when looking at the world around them. The information can be used as a...
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Lesson Plan
University of Minnesota

Inquiry Cubes

For Teachers 5th - 12th Standards
How do you teach kids to "science" effectively? Inquiry cubes are a "sort of" puzzle with no answer—promoting even more questions! Group members work together to use the evidence on the visible sides of each cube to infer what lies on...
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Lesson Plan
University of Minnesota

Close-up of the Nervous System

For Teachers 5th - 12th Standards
Make sure your class gets on your nerves! Learners of all ages practice peering into the nervous system to see what's inside. Groups examine prepared slides of mammalian nervous system tissues, all while gaining microscope skills. The...
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Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: "The Metier of Blossoming" by Denise Levertov

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Poetry analysis need not be a lugubrious exercise for young learners. The approach used with Denise Levertov's poem, "The Metier of Blossoming" is one of close observation, of noticing and reflecting on the words, phrases, and images the...