Curated OER
The Monarch Butterfly Watch
Students explore monarch migration through the Journey North web site. In this butterfly lesson, students use the internet to identify a butterfly's migration pattern. Students write in electronic journals.
Curated OER
Gene Puzzles
Students come to understand that in sexually reproducing organisms, such as humans, typically half of the genes come from each parent.
Students examine a fictional pedigree and determine which gene is responsible for a given trait. The...
Curated OER
Beach Zonation
Young scholars investigate the characteristics of the beach environment and explore beach zonation. After gathering samples from different areas of the beach, students discuss how the beaches work and the characteristic of each zone....
Curated OER
Exploring Magnetic Fields
Students explore the concept that magnets attract and repel items and exert a magnetic field that can vary in strength. They see evidence of the magnetic field of a small magnet. They see that there are forces on earth which cannot be seen.
Curated OER
Skin as an Organ
Students are introduced to human skin as an organ of the body with many roles, functions and interactions with other organs. They investigate the integumentary system in groups and complete a worksheet with their findings.
Curated OER
Boomerangs Keep Coming Back
Students investigate the flight of paper boomerangs. In this flight lesson plan, students examine the flight variables of paper boomerangs, which they make, by investigating the concepts of lift and drag. They examine what happens when...
Curated OER
Classify Machines that Fly!
Eighth graders explore flight and the dichotomous key. In this flight lesson, 8th graders gain understanding of the dichotomous key and create one of their own. Students then use their dichotomous key to classify types of aircraft.
Curated OER
Coping with Changes
Students build on knowledge of brain and nervous system in order to write about how their nervous systems help them cope with change in environment. Students navigate online sites to explore different parts of brain and nervous system.
Curated OER
Birds & Caterpillars
In this biology worksheet, students explain the use of camouflage as a defense mechanism. Then they list examples of insects that use camouflage to protect them from predators. Students also identify and name other types of defense...
Curated OER
A Generation that Cares: Saving our Environment!
Students discover the dangers posing our environment. In this environmental awareness instructional activity, students investigate problems like global warming and pollution and discuss ways their generation can solve these issues....
Curated OER
Skin and Sports
The topic is protecting our own protective covering: the skin. In particular, the information deals with sweating as a means of temperature regulation and the need to wear clothing appropriate for allowing the process to occur. Learners...
Curated OER
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE
Students explore friction and use objects such as coins and marbles to study the concept.
Curated OER
Develop Journalistic Style--Birds
Students develop journalistic style of writing through considering selection and presentation of information. Students tie science with journalistic writing. Students summarize several science species.
Curated OER
Visual Patterns in Tessellations
Young scholars explore tessellations as well as various types of polygon. Students examine tessellating patterns in the world around them. Young scholars examine tessellations by creating their own tessellations and completing the...
Curated OER
Native American Lesson Plan: Someone's in the Kitchen
Young scholars use vocabulary necessary to complete cooking activities and tell others about the food. They discuss similarities and differences between Native American and other nationalities' foods made in their families.
Smithsonian Institution
Dia de los Muertos: Honoring our Ancestors Through Community Celebration
Oral storytelling has been an important part of every culture. The time-honored practice uses stories as a conduit for a culture's values and customs from one generation to the next. Keep the tradition going with a family interview...
Intel
Energy Innovations
Collaborative groups examine the importance of energy resources on quality of life by researching different energy sources and alternative energy sources through data analysis. They make a comparison of different countries and cultures,...
Achieve
Dairy Barn
Agriculture is truly a math-based profession! Help the dairy farmer determine the supplies needed to complete his barn. Using given dimensions, learners build equations and use units to determine the correct amount of materials.
Achieve
BMI Calculations
Obesity is a worldwide concern. Using survey results, learners compare local BMI statistics to celebrity BMI statistics. Scholars create box plots of the data, make observations about the shape and spread of the data, and examine the...
Curated OER
Habitat Happenings
Students examine the characteristics of the Prairie Creek Habitat in Illinois. In groups, they travel between various stations writing haikus and reading brochures. They identify what occurs in each habitat and identify the animals...
Discovery Education
It's Too Loud!
STEM scholars investigate sound attenuation by conducting an experiment in which they compare the farthest distance that they can hear a sound with and without ear protection.
Curated OER
Aquatic Exotics
Students identify and describe the aquatic exotic species found in Illinois. Using the internet, they research the species origins and discover their effects on native species in the area. They discuss how appropriate it is to introduce...
Curated OER
Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back
Kids fight obesity by comparing the USDA food intake suggestions to what they personally consume throughout the day. They watch a video, read texts, and explore related vocabulary which they use as they compose an oral presentation.
Curated OER
Testing Weather Proverbs
Middle schoolers study weather proverbs. In this weather lesson plan, students list weather proverbs and complete the worksheet to test the proverb. Middle schoolers design an experiment to test the weather proverbs and conduct the...