Desert regions are hotter for multiple reasons; the lack of vegetation causes the sun's heat to go straight into the surface and the lack of moisture means none of the heat is being transferred into evaporation. This concept, and other...

Always check your assumptions when interpreting data and data visualizations. That's the take away from this exercise. Class members examine a failed project that looks at search trends to predict flu outbreaks and consider the...

Satellite photographs prove the dramatic changes to the environment over long periods of time. Young scientists observe photographs and make hypotheses. They then check real data on weather and climate patterns to better understand the...

Double click that mouse because you just found an amazing lesson! This cross-curricular Ornithology lesson incorporates literature, writing, reading informational text, data collection, scientific inquiry, Internet research, art, and...

How would you use census data from 1880-1900? Here are a set of ways you can incorporate the book Little House on the Prairie and US census data from that time period. Learners will research the validity or the book based on factual...

Did you know the hole in the ozone is seasonal and filled by January every year? The lesson uses scientific measurements of the ozone over the South Pole to understand patterns. Scholars learn that the hole grew bigger annually before...

Have you always wanted to take your science class on an amazing field trip they will never forget? Now you can! Observe the wildlife in an African savanna through trail cameras with a five-part data analysis activity. Learners analyze...

Young scholars apply a data set to create a graph show how iron ore impacts an ecosystem. They explain how the iron effects the distribution and abundance of phytoplankton in coastal ecosystems using spreadsheet software.

Teams analyze the data they collected during the past six lessons and finalize where they will build a survival cavern. They then present their decisions to the rest of the class and justify their locations. 

Students describe the life cycle of various bugs as well as their predators and feeding habits. The class participates in a discussion of the various methods scientists use to gather data including research and experiment. After...

Twelfth graders collect and analyze data.  In this secondary end-of-course mathematics lesson, 12th graders formulate a question they would like to answer and decide on an appropriate means of data collection.  Students...

Research data analysis by creating charts in class. Define the differences between an "average" and "range" while examining measurement data based on student height. Utilize computer software to create a height graph which is shared with...

Some of the CO2 emitted by burning fossil fuels is removed from the atmosphere by natural sinks, such as the ocean. The fifth engaging lesson in the series of 21 examines the CO2 data from three very different locations. It then makes a...

What do you call a tiny collection of galaxies? A puny-verse! Young scholars graph data gathered by scientists studying Cepheids. They attempt to identify a relationship between the variables through standard and logarithmical...

Fifth graders work in groups to investigate the proper use of a graph during a schoolyard ecology project. The challenge of the project is for students to choose the proper form of a graph. They gather data and conduct analysis with the...

Are wages based on race? On gender? Class members research wages for workers according to race and gender, create graphs and charts of their data, and compute differences by percentages. They then share their findings with adults and...

Students investigate scientific methods by analyzing an article from the Natural Inquirer.  In this data analysis instructional activity, students read an article from the magazine and discuss at least 2 scientific methods that...

Students gather and organize data using a mock census form, and determine mean, mode, range, and median for sets of data.

Students explore botany by participating in a seed experiment. In this plant nutrition instructional activity, students define several science experiment vocabulary terms like observation, treatment, and replicate. Students utilize...

Learners explore biology by researching ocean statistics. In this data analysis lesson, students conduct a snail examination experiment utilizing live pouch snails. Learners collect data about the snails over the course of six weeks and...

Students explore features to consider when designing a scientific study. For this science research lesson, students examine different methods of data collection and consider which method would be appropriate for determining how many...

Students examine violence on TV. In this data collection instructional activity, students explore TV violence. Students watch TV shows and fill out a checklist about the amount of violence. Students organize and analyze the...

Teenage brains are different! Understanding that the teenage brain is still developing and thus more impacted by substance abuse is the key concept in a three-lesson high school health unit. Participants learn about how the brain and...

Students examine and chart data about safety hazards and unsafe situations. In this safety hazard lesson plan, students examine newspapers and web sites to investigate injuries from safety hazards. They make a spreadsheet using the data...