Scholastic
Study Jams! Fractions
What can quesadillas teach your class about fractions? More than you might think. AJ and Zoe from the StudyJams! crew use this Mexican cuisine to explain how fractions are just equal parts of a whole, defining the key terms numerator and...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Integers
Stay positive, teaching about integers just got a little easier! Explain how positive and negative numbers are opposites using number lines and real-world examples. The included assessment provides an excellent opportunity to check for...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Periodic Table
In a friendly, casual conversation on the beach, two animated teens discuss the periodic table. Assign this video to be viewed at home by physical science fans. After viewing, they can write definitions for key vocabulary terms and take...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Energy & Matter
After Sam knocks a glass off the lunchroom table, he uses it as a springboard for explaining kinetic and potential energy. He mentions that sound is a type of kinetic energy and introduces the different forms of energy: thermal,...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Physical & Chemical Changes of Matter
Poor Sam! His graham crackers have undergone a physical change, so he can't make his s'mores! Mia explains that their molecules haven't changed, therefore they are still graham crackers. The two teens then discuss clues that would...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Mixtures
Mix it up at a party as Sam and Zoe discuss heterogeneous and homogenous mixtures and solutions. Follow this film by allowing your class to put together individual snack foods to make their own mixture!
Scholastic
Study Jams! Acids and Bases
This video about pH will not leave a sour taste in your mouth! Through clear explanations and a little humor, upcoming chemists will learn the definitions and properties of acids and bases, as well as how pH is measured. This would make...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Elements & Compounds
Compound class members' knowledge of elements and compounds with this delightful video clip! As the animated characters work on baking a birthday cake, they reveal that elements are simple substances that can be combined to form...
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: Mars Opposition Dance
Your class will watch as one child orbits the sun as Earth, while another orbits as Mars. If the timing is right, they will see the repetitive dance between the two planets and discover how often they are opposite from each other. For...
California Academy of Science
What's on a Penny?
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...
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: The Meaning of a Year
How many times have you traveled around the sun? Aspiring astronomers grasp what a year is and they differentiate between orbit and rotation by walking around the sun right within your classroom. Place a lamp in the center of the room to...
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: Moon Phases
We are the world! Each of your class members models Earth and holds a styrofoam ball to see its phases. Thorough teacher background information and a detailed lesson plan will make this a cinch to teach. If you do not want to purchase...
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: Longer Days, Shorter Nights
A lamp, four globes, and some signs taped around the room are all you need to set up a solar system simulation for teaching how Earth's tilted axis creates the seasons. (Sticky dots are also needed, but not mentioned in the materials...
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: Earth's Rotation
After completing the activity, "Kinesthetic Astronomy: The Meaning of a Year," zoom in on Earth's rotation using the same simulation setup and this outline. Each class member dons a map of the Western Hemisphere and plays the part of...
California Academy of Science
Kinesthetic Astronomy: Birthday Stars
Space explorers take a virtual trip around the sun right within your classroom! They stand in a circle facing away from the "sun" (a lamp) in the center of the room. As they move according to your instructions, they view different...
California Academy of Science
How Big is Big?
In a math or life science class, "mini-me" models are created with cardstock to reflect a 1:10 scale of students' bodies. Learners measure each others' heights with meter sticks, and then reduce the size by 10. After this exercise, they...
California Academy of Science
Coral and Chemistry
Using cabbage juice as a pH indicator, future scientists explore the effect of increasing carbon dioxide on the pH of the ocean and relate it to the health of coral reefs. Ideal for an earth or environmental sciences course, this lesson...
California Academy of Science
Global Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
Ice is nice, and its condition on the planet has a significant effect. Junior geoscientists experiment with ice melting in both water and on land to discover how each affect the rising sea level. This detailed lesson outline even...
California Academy of Science
Greening Your Middle School
Middle schoolers redesign their school to make it more energy efficient, and create a model of their design. Learners get together in groups of 5, and they take on the task of making their school more energy efficient. To do this, they...
Scholastic
Study Jams! The Nervous System
Get your class thinking with animations of neurons in action and explanations of how stimuli is transported and processed. This film makes an ideal introduction or review of the nervous system. The parts of the brain and what they...
Scholastic
Study Jams! The Senses: Hearing
How does this sound? It's a rockin' video starring two teenage girls talking about music, hearing, and the ear. Listeners hear that the ear does not only gather sound waves, but also helps us maintain balance. They also will get an...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Population Growth
Along came a spider, who sat down beside her. She screamed, but RJ wouldn't smash it because spiders are a limiting factor for other insects in an ecosystem. In this video, other common limiting factors for populations are listed....
Scholastic
Study Jams! Roots and Stems
Six slides come with information about roots and stems. In addition to the slide show, find a seven-question, multiple choice quiz and vocabulary guide. As a homework assignment, get your class to view the slides, take the quiz, print...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Ecosystems
With the forest as an example, Sam and Zoe talk about the components biotic and abiotic of an ecosystem. They also discuss the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers. This concise clip covers all of the basics. As an introduction...