Curated OER
Seed Dispersal
Students explore seed dispersal by designing their own wind dispersed seed structure. Using one piece of paper and a box fan, they construct a seed dispersal structure, record the distance their seed travels, and answer discussion...
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Liftoff Into Space
Students explore the history of space exploration. In this history of space exploration instructional activity, students create a timeline of space exploration. Students watch a space video and discuss important events. Students research...
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Sound
Students identify sources and importance of sound, discuss sounds heard on way to school, explain why sound waves can be "seen", and participate in various classroom activities and experiments that illustrate how sound travels.
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What Lives in the Open Ocean and Where Do They Live?
Young scholars explore oceanography by participating in a flash card activity. In this ocean inhabitant lesson, students define a list of ocean related vocabulary terms and answer ocean geography study questions. Young scholars utilize...
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Apple: Seed to Tree
Students grow seeds of an apple and learn about Johnny Appleseed. In this apples lesson plan, students map Johnny Appleseed's travels, learn how he got his name, compare different Johnny Appleseed books, and grow apple seeds themselves.
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Columbus' Perception of the New World
students investigate readings relating to the voyage of Columbus in 1492 and to make historical connections based on those readings. They form pairs to share insights and answer specific questions, and share information in a final class...
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Going West
Students examine the lives of early pioneers who traveled west for better opportunities. They listen to story "Josafina and the Story Quilt", and discuss hardships encountered by traveling families. Students then complete research and...
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Martin Luther King Jr. and Nonviolence
Students explore a local seat of government to examine ways to make changes in their communities. In this local government activity, students read about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his nonviolent protests. Students read important dates...
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Blow and Go
Young scholars discover how air can move things by using their breath. In this physics lesson, students hypothesize then attempt to move a pencil 1 meter using nothing but their breath. Young scholars record data from their experiment...
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What Can We Lose? What Do We Lose as we Gain Force With A Lever?
Third graders view a demonstration of a teeter totter as a basis for assessing pre-knowledge of a lever. They create a KwL chart. Students work in small groups to conduct a variety of experiments. The first requires students to tie books...
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Roman Archy
Third graders use Google Earth to examine Roman architecture. In this ancient Rome lesson, 3rd graders visit the noted URLs to look at examples of Roman architecture. Students work in teams to examine data about the structures.
NASA
Soda Straw Rockets
Three, two, one, blast off to a better understanding of force and motion with this exciting science lesson! Beginning with a discussion about rockets and gravity, young scientists go on to complete a series of worksheets about net forces...
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Sounds Like Great Science!
A phenomenal lesson on sound is here for your third graders! In it, learners engage in hands-on activities, watch video, take part in Internet activities, and complete tasks in cooperative groups in order to explore the world of sound...
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On the Road with Marco Polo: Marco Polo in China
Learners investigate who the Mongols were and where their empire was located. They research Kublai Khan and the region he ruled. They study the major products of 13th Century China.
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Cartography Project
A activity involving mapping, the use of a compass, writing and following directions, and exploring the first two themes of geography is here for you. Learners create original maps that show the routes they take through their own...
Explore Sound
Sound and Music
What causes sound? Groups of sound detectives use a variety of tools including ping pong balls, pasta noodles, raisins, rubber mallets, and a tuning fork to investigate what causes sound. The young Sherlocks conduct a series of...
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Music Technology
Students use their practice book to complete their piano lessons. They examine the history of music and complete pages in a workbook. They create their own music by using the computer.
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Understanding Waves
Pupils examine the physical properties of waves to explore the word crest and trough. They use toys to study waves in air, water and light.
NASA
Earth, Earth’s Moon, Mars Balloons
Very specific diameters are given for blowing up three different balloons to represent, in scale, the moon, Earth, and Mars. In groups of three, amateur astronomers explore scale measurements and distance in space.
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Reading Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers
Students discover the impact "Lady Bird" Johnson had on America by reading a short biography. In this historical persons lesson plan, students read a multi page biography of the former first lady and write a summary of her life's work....
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A Village of Painters: Narrative Scrolls from West Bengal
Examine the process of making Indian patua-style narrative scrolls. Look closely at the images in the scrolls and have your young artists create an original patua painting. Using ink and watercolors, the class can illustrate their...
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Author's Purpose
How do you determine an author’s purpose? You ask the author, of course. Invite a local journalist into the class to respond to scripted student questions about his/her writing process. A review of basic classroom etiquette is also...
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Things That Glow
Third graders study the concept of light as an energy source. In this energy instructional activity students participate in a lab that show them the concept of light as an energy source.
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Spuds in Space
Learners explore the effects of velocity on an object when it collides with another object. They design and outfit a potato astronaut in a spacesuit to withstand the hazards of high velocity impacts from space debris and meteoroids.