Curated OER
The Delicate Balance - Iowa's Natural Resources
Discover the natural resources in Iowa by studying it's history. In this environmental lesson, your students will observe a topographical map of Iowa and identify where its most valuable resources are. They complete an Iowa name...
Curated OER
Wright Again: 100 Years of Flight
Aspiring aeronautical engineers demonstrate different forces as they construct and test paper airplanes. This lesson plan links you to a website that models the most effective paper airplane design, an animation describing the forces...
Curated OER
Beauty: Patterns in Nature
Students explore the patterns of nature. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students examine beauty in nature and participate in a hands-on simulation that demonstrates how human preferences for beauty have led to an increased frequency...
PHET
The Dynamic Nature of the Sun
In this second instructional activity of the series, pupils learn to observe similarities and differences in photos of the sun and record them in a Venn diagram. Then, small groups practice the same skill on unique images before...
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Adaptation of Species (Birds and Butterflies)
A video about the impact of climate change on butterfly populations and a PowerPoint about butterfly and bird adaptations warm science learners up for the activity to follow. Using a variety of tools that reprsent unique styles of bird...
Curated OER
Chocolate Chip Cookie Mining
To understand the impact coal mining has on the environment, pupils will extract chocolate chips from a cookie. Imagine the cookie is the environment and the chips are the coal. Instruct them to mine as many chips as they can, then have...
Curated OER
Introduction to the Nature Journal
Students create nature journals. In this introduction to the nature journal lesson plan, students discover the uses of nature journals and begin their own. Students are challenged to use vivid, concise terms in their descriptive...
Curated OER
Destination Outer Space
Young scholars investigate space travel. In this space travel lesson students examine space exploration history, engineers and scientists involved in space exploration, and Newton's third law of motion. Young scholars make rockets.
Curated OER
The Physics of Flight
Three activities allow young flight engineers to understand the 4 principles of flight (weight, lift, thrust, and drag), to construct a glider, and to create a propeller. Multicultural history and literature are integrated by reading...
Curated OER
Tools: Science Stations
Students explore technology by completing engineering activities in class. In this simple tools lesson, students utilize three science stations to perform tasks using a nutcracker, bottle openers, hammers and other tools. Students review...
Curated OER
Floodplain Modeling
Students simulate the impact of fluctuating river volumes on structures and landforms. They experiment with table top-sized riverbed models and water. Students consider how human design can help mitigate the effects of a flood.
Curated OER
Water Filtration
Students investigate our water system and how it is filtered. In this science lesson plan, students perform a laboratory activity to investigate the process that goes into filtering water. They relate this activity to other subject areas...
Curated OER
Corn An A-Maizing Plant
Fifth graders consider the uses of corn. For this agricultural lesson, 5th graders examine corn as a natural resource and discuss the many ways to reuse the grain. A variety of activities, books, and web resources are included with the...
Curated OER
Areology-The Study of Mars
Students examine core samples from Mars and discover what they can use it to tell the history of Mars. In this core sample lesson students create and analyze their own core samples then eat them at the end.
Curated OER
Sunburns and Sore Muscles: Working to Save the Farm During the Great Depression
Fifth through eighth graders engage in a lesson in which they study working class people during the Great Depression. They work to develop an understanding of the economic developments in Arkansas during the 1930's. Learners access...
Curated OER
Capacitors: What Are They?
Students discover how capacitors help store data. In this computer science lesson, students investigate how capacitors can store an electronic charge, eventually helping computers store data. Students create their own capacitors with...
Curated OER
Building Up, Breaking Down
Students investigate how rocks are modified into construction materials. In this building up and breaking down lesson plan, students explore what happens to building materials over time and how people modify natural materials. Students...
Curated OER
ToxMystery Lesson Plan 2 : Case Book: Catch That Hazard!!!
Learners explore toxic hazards. In this personal health lesson, students discover appropriate uses for household chemicals as they identify potentially harmful products in their homes.
Curated OER
Paper Making
Students work together to make recycled paper. They identify examples of recycled materials and discover what can and cannot be recycled. They explore the history of paper making as well.
Curated OER
Water
Young scholars learn about the history of Indiana's water and understand how easily pollution can contaminate the water supply. They also learn how little fresh water we have and how important it is to protect it.
Curated OER
Corn: An A-maizing Plant
Students explore the corn crop. For this farming lesson, students identify which states are in the corn belt and read about the history of corn, its uses and its development and growth. Students dissect a corn kernel. Students discuss...
Curated OER
Olympic Solar Energy
Students use cardboard and aluminum foil to construct a solar oven that concentrates enough sunlight to cook a hotdog. They review the history and use of solar energy in relation to the Olympics.
Curated OER
Cell Wall Recipe: A Lesson on Biofuels
Biotech engineers discover that changes in the DNA code for cell wall formation can help create crops better suited for biofuel production. They extract DNA from wheat germ. They decode paper strips with codes and relate the activity to...
Curated OER
Canoe and Kayak
Learners explore canoes and kayaks. In this canoe and kayak instructional activity, students research the history, parts, and sport of the canoe and kayak. Learners then practice how to use a paddle for each boat, and go on a field trip...