California Academy of Science
Carbon Cycle Role Play
Anytime you make concepts clear with role playing or hands-on experience, it's a win for the whole class. Ping-Pong balls are used to represent carbon in a carbon cycle role-play activity. In small groups, children first discuss what...
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Coal Formation
Learners perform an in-depth study of coal - one of most important fossil fuels. Over a three-week period of time, they become familiar with how coal is formed underground, and will create a "fossil" right there in the classroom in order...
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What Lives in the Open Ocean and Where Do They Live?
Students explore oceanography by participating in a flash card activity. In this ocean inhabitant activity, students define a list of ocean related vocabulary terms and answer ocean geography study questions. Students utilize organism...
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Pet Rocks
Students 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...
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Elements for Disaster Reporting
Students identify the elements of natural disasters and gain an understanding on how the media influences people's responses to disasters. In this natural disaster lesson plan, students study the impact of natural disasters, and the...
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Kite Experiments and Building Information
Students build their own kite following certain procedures. In this physics lesson, students explain the aerodynamics concepts involved in flying kites. They trace the development of aviation.
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Moh's Scale of Hardness
Students investigate how to use Moh's Hardness Scale. In this geology lesson, students examine several minerals and develop a hypothesis about which mineral is the hardest. Students use the Moh's Scale Identification Chart to determine...
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Aviation, Aeronautics and Aerodynamics
Students investigate the physics of flight through various experiments. For this physics lesson, students construct different flying objects. They explain the dynamics that make these object fly.
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Fit for Our Future
Students understand the importance of physical fitness as part of a healthy lifestyle. In this health lesson students create a display and presentation about what they learned.
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Marshland Ecosystems
Students identify animals in ecosystem depicted on 16th Century ceramic basin and classify them as herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores based on physical characteristics and prior knowledge, determine which life forms in ecosystem are...
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The Chemistry of Ceramics
Learners compare the characteristics of a fired porcelain sculpture to the clay used to create it. They discuss the physical and chemical changes that occur in the clay as it is heated and then create their own clay sculpture. This...
Alabama Learning Exchange
How Fast Can You Go?
Learners investigate force and speed. In this physics instructional activity, students construct model cars in small groups and perform experiments to identify what factors influence speed and force.
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Flight Dreams - Flight Factors
Students investigate the physics of flight by experimenting in class. In this history of flight lesson, students define terms such as gravity, lift, and drag in order to better understand how a plane is able to stay in the air....
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How Are Open Ocean Organisms Structured for Their Environment?
Students explore biology by conducting an animal dissection. In this oceanography lesson, students identify the life cycle of a squid and other animals that are involved with commercial fishing. Students dissect a squid in class and...
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Using "Student Power" to Generate Electricity to Run a Portable Compact Disc Player
Students explain the relationship between magnetism and electricity. In this physics lesson, students describe the transformation of energy. They create an electromagnet and investigate the factors affecting its strength.
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Disposable Diaper Comparison and Mystery Powder Identification
Students investigate which diaper is the most absorbent. In this chemistry instructional activity, students calculate how much water is absorbed by diapers. They identify an unknown powder based on physical and chemical properties.
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Extension Activities Mr. Popper's Penguins
Students read Mr. Popper's Penguins. In this Mr. Popper's Penguins lesson, students record descriptive clues from the book. Students research Adelie penguins and compare and contrast to their local community. Students prepare...
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Using a Compass
Young scholars determine how to shoot a bearing. For this compass and orienteering lesson, students review the parts of a compass, practice how to find a bearing and work in groups to practice finding landmark bearings.
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Paint's Family Tree
Students sort and classify the genetic traits of horses. In this heredity and genetics lesson, students read dialogue in a skit in which specific physical traits of several horses are described and a horse family tree is created....
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From Foraging to Farming
Students experience the difficulty that goes along with foraging for food. In this lesson plan on the importance of modern agriculture, students simulate how there simply is not enough food and water for everyone when agricultural means...
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Exercise and Heartrate
Fourth graders experiment to find the effects of exercise on the heart rate. In this exercise and heart rate lesson plan, 4th graders create questions about exercise and heart rate. Students use the scientific method to test and...
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What's The Matter: A Sinker or Floater?
Students conduct an experiment. In this water lesson, students watch the lesson "Float and Sink" on an interactive website. Students learn how to test items in water and then work in groups to test their items. Students discuss their...
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Ice Floats
Students explore the changing density of water. In this physics lesson plan, students investigate how an object's density determines whether it will float or sink in water. They explain why this unique property of is important to living...
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Linear Motion
In this fantastic physics and math lesson, student pairs create a ramp that will transport a rolling marble in order to learn about linear motion. Students use cardboard, straws, toothpicks, marshmallows, and paper clips in order to make...