Playing with balloons, water, oil, and bottles help put this lesson over the top! Participants use air-filled balloons in water tanks to experience gas compression. They also use oil-filled bottles to experiment with buoyancy. Included...

When we think of ocean exploration, many of us have visions of sunken pirate ships full of treasure or mysterious creatures of the deep. What really motivates deep-sea investigation? The first in a series of diverse six-part lessons...

Students conduct an experiment. In this fish lesson, students discover how fish cells respond to fresh and salty water and if temperature effect the movement of a fish's gills. Students also identify the characteristics of a fish.

Why do some things float and others sink? A creative simulation allows learners to adjust mass and volume of an object to affect its buoyancy in water. A graph records the effect of each manipulation.

The class will make observations to determine how environment has shaped the way particular birds and fish eat. They will view a series of photographs, read two short articles, and then consider how food availability has determined how...

Students collect data, interpret data summarize proportional reasoning. Students determine (with various alternate goods) the number of fish in a nearby pond. Students capture the goldfish crackers, deal with pretzels and then write...

Students discover what happens when people take advantage of shared resources. In this ecology lesson plan, students explore "The Tragedy of the Commons" by playing a role playing simulation game in small groups. Students soon discover...

Students investigate the lives of fish. In this biology lesson plan, students demonstrate how fish cells respond to fresh and salty water, determine the age of a fish and if temperature effects the movement of a fish's operculum (gill...

Learners discover the anatomy of a fish by identifying its body parts.  In this oceanography lesson, students view a live fish in their classroom and draw a poster of the fish one body part at a time while identifying it....

A referenced PowerPoint is not included, but this lesson can still make an impact with emerging environmentalists. After introducing them to the facts about overfishing, they experiment with a fishing simulation using colored beads and...

Students, after taking a "fish quiz" in class, assess the different parts of a fish and their purposes. They dissect two yellow perch fish in class. In addition, they discuss the different parts of the fish as they dissect their organs.

Musical chairs may be a classic game, but Ruffe Musical Chairs is a unique lesson on invasive species! Using the time-honored game, pupils role play the behaviors of the invasive fish called Eurasian ruffe. Learning about this aggressive...

Students explore fish. In this aquatic life science lesson, students complete a KWL chart about fish, listen to What's it Like to be a Fish?, and observe a classroom aquarium or take a trip to a local aquarium. Students complete an...

Learners explore the concept of ordered pairs. In this ordered pairs instructional activity, pupils list the ordered pairs of a graph in the shape of a fish. They use their calculator to translate the fish using lists, then translate the...

Second graders go on nature scavenger hunts. In this nature scavenger hunt lesson plan, 2nd graders explore the natural habitat of their school grounds and make observations regarding the objects and animals they find in the air, on the...

Students are introduced to the culture of the Kumeyaay. Using their text, they discover how they used their native flora and fauna in San Diego. They participate in a matching game and examine the types of organisms who make their home...

Fifth graders study the impact of human activity on water quality and on the ecosystems of Earth. After a discussion on the various ways that water can be polluted, groups of youngsters get together to figure out the best way to clean a...

Ninth graders investigate the Cartesian coordinate plane.  In this Algebra I lesson, 9th graders explore the coordinates of a drawing of a fish and examine the effects of moving the drawing on the ordered pairs. Students predict the...

A 3-day French lesson targeting food shopping vocabulary. It is designed for elementary French learners pretending to communicate with merchants in a small village outside of Dakar. The plan follows a class reading of the picture book,...

Every object we see must pass through a lens, but how does each individual's lens differ? Learners explore the science behind refraction and lenses, uncovering the details that allow them to perform daily activities.

Examine the benefits of chemical defense mechanisms. Organisms in oceans use chemicals to ward off predators. Duplicate this adaptation using a hands-on experiment in which you ward off your predators (your pupils) with some...

Fifth graders test plants in the dark and in the light to see which grows better and produces more carbon dioxide. In this plants lesson plan, 5th graders also create ways for plants to go through photosynthesis that they can observe.

Fifth graders explore electrical concepts and host a guest speaker. This instructional activity sets up guidelines for students to follow when they have a guest speaker. Students are primed to become actively involved in a lecture or...

Third graders experience optic illusions by creating flipbooks. In this optics lesson, 3rd graders view a demonstration of the workings of rods and cones using a camera. They are shown an optical illusion and work to create their own...