Familiar with the systems-based sports drawing of experimental artist Lee Walton? If so, this drawing exercise if for you. Young artists observe an activity over time, develop a coded language for the activity, and then draw a...

Fans of Sherlock Holmes may be surprised to learn that in addition to stories of the famous deductionist, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is also the creator of Professor Challenger. An irascible, unpredictable scientist, Challenger was featured...

The corona virus pandemic is indeed a historic event. A time capsule activity permits young historians to document these days of social distancing, remote learning, and quarantine by collecting artifacts that capture what their lives are...

Students study the parts of a plant in order to better understand the muhindi as one of the seven symbols of Kwanzaa.

Learners conduct an experiment. For this emergency response lesson, students watch videos about hurricanes and discuss the difference between natural disasters and man-made disasters. Learners perform a hurricane demonstration and...

Students participate in an observational hike to study the natural surroundings.  In this observational hike lesson, students hike through a state park and observe the plant and animal life.  Students learn about appropriate...

Students imagine themselves staying for the weekend in a summer cabin near Mount St. Helens (or other volcanic site,) and having to quickly evacuate the area.

Students discuss natural resources and renewable resources with trees being considered renewable resources which need special attention. In this Earth science lesson, students write a list of reasons for why it would be good to stop...

Students compare the journey of Lewis and Clark with the space flight of Apollo 11. Students sequence events using a timeline. Students write a persuasive essay trying to persuade the people of the US to support space exploration.

Learners discover what causes earthquakes, volcanoes and floods. Using this information, they discuss how these natural disasters change the surface of the Earth. In groups, they make models, draw pictures and make them erupt.

Young scholars share descriptions of science experiments they have conducted. They create a thin film on the surface of water in order to float light objects and observe that a paper clip does, indeed, float on the surface of the...

Students analyze the events that lead up to the failure of the South Fork Dam and the impact the flood had on the region. In this historical lesson students develop presentations on the Johnstown Flood.

Students share their thoughts regarding nature. In this poetry lesson, students compose poems in different formats that feature weather and clouds.

Fourth graders listen to key events in John Muir's life and plot locations on a California map. They discover that John Muir was an immigrant to California who encountered environmental problems and found solutions.

Students examine the basic needs of living organisms. In this science lesson, students study ecosystems and discover that organisms have basic needs that must be met.

Students compare poetry and the night sky. In this poetry instructional activity, students read poetry and compare the imagery from the poem with the night sky. Students explore how science and poetry relate to one another.

Students interview wildlife experts to gain information needed to research and write a report about an aquatic plant or animal affected by climate change.

Fourth graders take a look at the effects of weathering and other geologic activities found in the environments in which they live. Along with a guided geologic walk outside of campus, there is also an effective in-class demonstration of...

Fourth graders see why people came to Wisconsin and what life was like in their new home. They engage in a wonderful series of lessons, which use a variety of multi-media resources. They plan a heritage day party as a culminating event.

Learners represent volcanoes with models and sketches. They research volcanoes and plan how to build a model. They, in groups, build a model volcano and cause it to erupt making observations before and after the eruption.

With The Great Kapok Tree, by Lynne Cherry as the hook learners discuss the rainforest, the animals that live there, and conservation efforts. Then, students write a letter to the man in the story asking him not to cut down the Kapok...

Cities are compared to living, breathing, metabolizing organisms. Fourth in a five-part series of lessons, this one focuses on the flow of materials through a city. Links to interesting websites and images make your delivery of...

Introduce your class to the concept of sinking and floating. In groups, they classify objects after making predictions about which materials will sink or float. They record their results and create graphs and charts to share with the class.