NASA
Let's Investigate Mars
Take your science class on a hypothetical field trip to Mars with an engaging astronomy lesson. After first learning about NASA's Mars rover missions, young scientists plan their own scientific investigations of Earth's...
NASA
Things Are Not Always What They Seem
Science is magic that works. Magical color-changing beads and a coffee can that follows voice commands are just two examples of magic tricks that rely on science. After completing a hands-on activity and an experiment investigating the...
Curated OER
Volcanoes in Space
Students research volcanoes on the Internet to compare/contrast the volcanoes on Earth to the ones found on Io, a moon of Jupiter. Students list the similarities and differences in science journals, and illustrate pictures of the volcanoes.
Curated OER
Galileo's Dialogue
Explore how Galileo's controversial theory raised objections in his time. In this physical science activity, learners research about current controversial issues. They role play both sides of the issue, and decide which one has a...
Curated OER
Earth's Tilt Creates Seasons
Students examine how the Earth's tilt creates the seasons. In this seasons instructional activity, students study a diagram that shows the rotation of the earth around the sun and how it tilts during the rotation. They answer 4...
EduGAINs
Go H2O! Investigating Residential Water Systems
Before your learners excuse themselves to get a drink at the water fountain, prompt them to think about where that water comes from. A middle school science lesson encourages groups to research their community's source of drinking water,...
Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: From a Distance
Challenge your class with an amazing set of ideas that really put the project back into project-based learning. It all starts with a whole class research task. Each learner will look up and take notes on multiple facets of things that...
Curated OER
Understanding the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)
How did our universe really begin? Explore the Science Big Bang Theory and Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) with this multiple activity-based instructional activity that demonstrates that the increase of density due to the decrease of...
Curated OER
An Introduction to the Night Sky and Movement Astronomy
Basically, this is an interactive exploration of educational astronomy software and an app. Young astronomers discover how the apparent motion of the sky relates to Earth's movements and the position of the observer. It is out of this...
Curated OER
Pangaea Puzzle: Exploring the Tectonic Forces That Shape the Earth
Sixth graders follow in the footsteps of early scientists as they put the pieces of Pangaea back together and discovered the forces that create the variety of landforms and sea-floor features of our Earth.
Curated OER
Aerosol Lesson: Science - Graphing SAGE II Data
Students examine and plot atmospheric data on bar graphs.
Curated OER
What's The Weather?
Students explore the role that remote sensing plays in predicting our weather. Students investigate weather websites, and read about the three kinds of clouds. Students record and draw their observations in science journals.
Curated OER
Interplanetary Travel Guide
In groups of six, middle school space scientists create an imaginative travel brochure for attracting visitors to the planet Mars. Information must include surface features and atmospheric conditions. Although time-consuming, this is a...
Curated OER
Seasons' Journey : Putting it All Together
Third graders complete a diagram of the revolution of the earth around the sun and write a one paragraph explanation of the factors that cause seasons.
Curated OER
"Hard" Data from Space
Students use satellite images to analyze development patterns within Baltimore City. They prepare a land cover map for Baltimore indicating the prevalence of impervious surfaces and explore how these patterns affect water pollution.
Curated OER
Weather, Sea Level Rise and Climate Change
Eighth graders compare and contrast weather and climate. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders research weather data site and analyze historical data. They present their findings in class and explain identifiable trends.
Curated OER
Internet Quest: Weatherman Walt-Why the Sky is Blue
Students analyze atmosphere and light. In this earth science lesson, students are introduced to an investigation about why the sky is blue. Students complete a WebQuest to answer the question.
Curated OER
What's In Our Backyard?
Eighth graders investigate the importance of an ecosystem by studying their own backyards. In this environmental lesson plan, 8th graders examine a schoolyard or backyard by marking quadrants and recording any animal or plant...
NASA
Dark Matter NASA Conference
Young scholars calculate the escape velocity of planets in our solar system and use that knowledge to calculate the escape velocity for NGC 2300 group. They then suggest reasons for the escape velocity to be higher than possible given...
Curated OER
Hero Or Zero?
Learners investigate science and technology by reading a children's book. In this reading comprehension lesson, students read the story Archibald Frisby and discuss the ways we use science and technology in everyday life....
NASA
Tools of the Trade
Did you know every state in the U.S. has at least one observatory? During the activity, scholars research the cost of building and maintaining an observatory. They must present their information in a proposal to build a new observatory,...
NASA
Discovering the Milky Way
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...
Curated OER
Destination Mars!
Fifth graders view Mysteries of Earth & Mars Video on DVD and record thoughts in their online journal. They record data in a spreadsheet about each planet then form a theory of the best time to launch a space craft from Earth to land...
Curated OER
Bacteria: Friend or Foe?
Students examine a variety of environmental and industrial roles of bacteria. explore where bacteria can be found and distinguish bacteria from other organisms.