Curated OER
Solar Arrays for the Space Station
Learners explore the challenges that are faced when transporting materials into space. They review the various forms of energy, including solar arrays, that are used on the International Space Station and how generating this energy calls...
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Ice Cream
Students create ice cream in a bag and snow ice cream to study the effects of freezing on foods. In this ice cream lesson, students understand the effects of freezing on cells.
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Pond 2: Life in a Drop of Pond Water
Students observe organisms found in pond water with a microscope. In groups, they discuss how single-celled organisms satisfy their needs for food, water and air. They compare and contrast the needs of macroscopic and microscopic...
Curated OER
It's Alive! Or is it?
Students differentiate the characteristics of living and nonliving things. In this life science lesson, students compare and contrast robots and living things. Given an object, they decide whether it's is living or not and defend their...
Curated OER
The Virtual Electron Microscope
Young scholars explore the world of the very small using a Flash plug-in Virtual Electron Microscope. They complete and discuss an activity in which unknown samples are placed under the computer simulated microscope to determine where...
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Pond Life
Students explore pond ecosystems. In this living environment lesson plan, students observe the local pond and identify the living things they find by drawing pictures. Students observe organisms that were found in the pond by using a...
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Plankton in the Air
Here is a lab activity adequate for use with any full lesson plan on environmental factors that shape animal adaptations or marine animal characteristics. Pupils will discuss the role plankton plays in the environment and filter-feeding...
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Photosynthesis
Students are introduced to the process of photosynthesis. In groups, they test the effects of the lack of sunlight on plant leaves and compare the results with their hypothesis. They note the characteristics that plants and animals share...
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Pick a Pet
Students design informational materials to educate people on the importance of matching a new pet to the family's lifestyle and living arrangements. Students use critical thinking skills to make a decision on the appropriate choice for a...
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What is a Living Thing, and How Does a Living Thing Respond to Its Environment?
Students investigate how living things interact with their environment. In this living things lesson, students complete lessons for science investigations on what living things have in common. Students study cells, complete...
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Onion Skins
Students explore the structure of a plant cell. They carefully peel a single layer of onion skin from a slice of onion and stain it with methylene blue to observe the structures inside. They use a Digiscope connected to a computer to...
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Mr. Bones
Students play CD-ROM game My Amazing Human Body, and participate in relay game in Phys. Ed. where they put together skeleton on which body parts are labeled.
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Filter-Feeding in Reef Sponges
Students make observations and describe the filter-feeding in sponges as it relates to the ecological role of sponges on coral reefs. In this filter-feeding in reef sponges lesson, students are introduced to the feeding methods of...
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Panther Exam: Writing a Play
Students demonstrate their knowledge of panthers by writing a play on the subject. For this animal life lesson, students view a slide-show on school computers of a veterinary exam of a panther. Students utilize this scenario to write a...
Curated OER
Effects of the Sun on Our Planet (Grades 2-4)
Pupils observe how the sun's rays can cause evaporation and discuss its role in the weather cycle. They discover what the sun's energy brings to plants. They examine how different types of technology can enhance the amount of solar energy.
Curated OER
The Way a Tree Works
Students explore nature by conducting botany experiments. In this plant life lesson, students define the necessary resources for a plant to thrive on our planet while defining scientific vocabulary terms. Students utilize different plant...
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Applied Science - Science and Math Lab (read without sight)
Students consider the senses. In this sight and touch instructional activity, students discover what it is like to function like a person who is blind. They work in groups and individually on various activities to experience this...
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Algae Part One: An Introduction
Students have the opportunity to view two types of algae under 400x magnification with a compound microscope. They make observations and record their observations through drawings and words. In addition, they identify different qualities...
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Eureka! I’ve Got an Idea!
Students explore many inventions and inventors. In this science lesson plan, students collaborate as they research inventors and their times in order to compile information to build an informative Web site.
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Inside the Egg, Hatching Chickens
Students explore how an egg becomes fertilized. In this biology lesson, students "candle" a variety of eggs in order to determine which ones have been fertilized and which ones haven't. Student use paper plates to create a graphic on the...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Animal Classes and Their Ecosystems
Students explore animal characteristics by participating in an environment identification activity. In this animal habitat lesson, students discuss a range of different wild life and the ecosystems that they are a part of. Students view...
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Solar Matters II
Students research solar energy. In this solar energy lesson, students construct a KWL chart and research solar energy through various websites and related readings. Students complete a science journal page as an assessment.
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Why Plants Are Green
Learners discover the properties of chlorophyll in plants. In this plant biology lesson, students conduct an experiment to find where the chlorophyll in the plant is located. Learners are split into small groups and study plant parts....
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Diversity of Life
Students identify the difference between eukaryote and prokaryotes and examine the structure of bacteria. In this bacteria lesson students examine the different ways that bacteria are classified through an activity.