NASA
Water Rocket Construction
What are the basics for building a rocket out of a two-liter bottle? The procedures outline the basics to create an air- and water-powered bottle rocket. Prior to launching the rockets, teams perform safety checks to ensure their designs...
GLOBE Program
Observing Visibility and Sky Color
What does a beautiful sunset have to do with the atmosphere? An inquiry-based lesson has learners make observations about the visibility and color of the sky during different time periods. They then relate their observations to...
GLOBE Program
Making a Sundial
Sundials are more than just primitive clocks. Learners build their own sundials to study the location of the sun across the sky throughout the day. They use shadow evidence related to their sundials to make conclusions about solar movement.
PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: Farms
A Reading Adventure Pack features a fiction and nonfiction text—The Oxcart Man by Donald Hall and illustrated by Barbara Cooney and Farming by Gail Gibbons. Following the readings, scholars make a collage showcasing foods farmed from...
NASA
Art and the Cosmic Connection
Solar art inspires! Scholars study planetary geology with an artistic analysis. Pupils view a PowerPoint presentation on the solar system and space exploration and then try their hand at planetary image analysis using art techniques.
PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: Animals
Scholars explore the animal kingdom with help from two texts, Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey and A Bed for the Winter by Karen Wallace. The literature and informational text set the learning stage for thoughtful discussion and...
PBS
Curious George: Water Drops
A short video features Curious George playing with pots filled with colored water. Scholars then take to colored water with eye droppers and observation skills. They examine what happens to water drops when dropped from different...
PBS
Curious George: Sand and Soil
Two sensory tables—wet and dry—allow scholars to use their sense of sight, touch, and smell to observe the changes when the dirt mixes with water. A short video relates the STEM learning experience to a fun video clip where Curious...
PBS
Curious George: Blowing in the Wind
A lesson all about wind begins with a short video featuring the loveable monkey, Curious George. Scholars take part in thoughtful discussion then set forth to identify objects that wind can move. They record their findings on a chart and...
PBS
Curious George: Fan and Blow
What kind of wind works best to make things move? After watching a short video from Curious George, super scientists answer the question by testing various wind-making tools. Learners observe, record, and share their findings.
PBS
Curious George: Five Senses
Curious scholars make like Curious George and use their five senses to identify mystery objects. After a brief discussion, learners watch an engaging Curious George video in preparation for an activity. Scholars visit three tables that...
NASA
What Tools Would You Take to Mars?
Having the right tool for the job is a must. Young space explorers design their own missions to Mars by deciding what they would like to learn about the planet. At the end, they draw and write about the tools they need to accomplish...
NASA
Parachute Design
Bring the science of space exploration to the classroom. Young learners explore the mechanics of the parachute-landing mechanisms on the Mars Rover. They design and build their own parachute models and test their ability to land a probe...
NASA
What Do You Know About Mars?
Learn exciting facts about Earth's neighboring planet—Mars! Young scientists collaborate on a KWL chart about Mars, adding information as the activity progresses. Scholars listen while teachers read an article about Mars and watch...
NASA
The Types of Clouds and What They Mean
Learn to forecast the weather using cloud types. Budding meteorologists identify cloud types and learn to use a dichotomous key. As scholars develop observation and identification skills, they discover how different cloud types cause...
Smithsonian Institution
How Would You Design a Lighthouse?
Guide the way to a better understanding of lighthouses. Young scholars first read a story about lighthouse and consider the problem that lighthouses try to solve. They then identify parts of a lighthouse and draw daymark patterns. As a...
American Chemical Society
Designing a Shade Structure
Bring the learning outdoors with an enjoyable activity about Earth's heating, sunlight, and shade. Scholars use problem-solving skills as they design, build, and test a sunshade structure. Participants view a video summarizing the...
American Chemical Society
What Makes it Rain?
Clouds come alive when curious minds create rain in an action-packed activity. Scholars view a video of rain and analyze an image of water uses to generate a class discussion leading into a hands-on exploration. Using a set of...
American Chemical Society
Keeping Warm in the Cold
Bundle up to stay warm! A fun-filled investigation opens with a group discussion about heat loss and using materials to prevent it. Young scientists then view an animation about thermometers and the Celsius scale and practice reading...
American Chemical Society
What is Wind?
Engage creative minds with an exciting activity about the power of wind. Investigators participate in class discussions while viewing images and animations of air and wind. Scholars test the relationship between wind speed and an...
American Chemical Society
What Makes It Snow?
Discover the icy world of snow from the comfort of the indoors. Young meteorologists study visuals and a video to examine snow formation and structure. Using the information they learn, scientists follow a procedure to construct a...
American Chemical Society
Why Do Puddles Dry Up?
Bring evaporation right into the hands of young scientists with an entertaining, hands-on activity. Investigators view videos and images while participating in class dialogue focused on water evaporating from surfaces. A short experiment...
American Chemical Society
Heat Up and Cool Down
Don't be so dense! Using food coloring, pupils conduct two experiments with the difference in densities of hot and cold water. In the first experiment, learners add dyed hot and cold water into room temperature water and observe how the...
American Chemical Society
The Fate of Calcium Carbonate
Soften up an egg. Learners use vinegar to test for calcium carbonate in an egg shell and an antacid tablet and compare the reaction with vinegar to the reaction with water. In a second experiment, class members break down an egg shell...