Has the occurrence of autism increased over the years, or do the changes in diagnostic criteria account for the difference? High schoolers read an article about autism spectrum disorders and the related epidemiological studies that have...

Students use a journal to record observations. They make notes about what research may be needed to answer questions that have come up in the field and sketch or make connections in the curriculum. They research bioinformatics and...

Students explore caves. For this cave formation lesson, students take a virtual tour of a cave and then participate in a scientific investigation that requires them to grow crystals and chart data regarding their growth.

Fourth graders sort seeds and predict what conditions are needed for them to germinate. They keep the seeds moist, observe and measure their growth and graph the results. As the seeds start to grow students compare and contrast the each...

Ninth graders utilize Newton's Laws of Motion to explain how things move, create poster illustrating each law of motion, and present and explain their poster to classmates.

Students explore the idea of consequence that every individual leaves a daily environmental footprint. They read articles about creative solutions to solid waste issues and then create an artwork from household trash.

Seventh graders explore skeletal biology. Through a discussion and video observation, 7th graders investigate how the anatomy is adapted to the environment. Students study primates and explore their characteristics and behaviors.

Written for an exploration of shoreline ecosystems on Sheffield Island, this gives ecology or marine biology buffs a hands-on experience. Using GPS or visual triangulation techniques, they lay transect lines on a high and a low energy...

Students complete online research to study geography's impact on weather. In this geography and weather lesson, students research weather in their city for ten days using an online website. Students bookmark the site, enter data into a...

If you do not mind wading through unrelated headings (This is not for a physics or STEM course, as it states.) and content (The lesson opens with an article about neurology, not halophiles.), then you will find a valuable resource on...

Very specific diameters are given for blowing up three different balloons to represent, in scale, the moon, Earth, and Mars. In groups of three, amateur astronomers explore scale measurements and distance in space.

Students investigate scientific methods by analyzing an article from the Natural Inquirer.  In this data analysis lesson, students read an article from the magazine and discuss at least 2 scientific methods that could be used to...

Learners put their growing understanding of the scientific inquiry process to work. They use paint to implement their plans to experiment with how changing one aspect of the fractal making process influences their appearance.

Young scholars use the scientific method to determine physical and chemical properties of unknown substances. In this scientific method lesson plan, students discuss chemical and physical properties of substances as a class after a...

Fifth graders examine how environmental factors affect decomposition. In this decomposition instructional activity, 5th graders experiment with the decomposition of grapes in five different environmental settings. They look at images of...

Students explore the steps in the scientific method process. In this science lesson, students identify warning signs that someone is in an abusive dating relationship. They evaluate the credibility of information sources.

Students develop questions for their inquiries and plan their experiments. They are supported by a modeled case study of Max the Dog's Inquiry Planning Process, as well as supported by a planning template, The Inquiry Organizer.

High schoolers, after observing the elements of a local watershed, explore the need to protect watersheds as water resources for the future. They examine the factors involved with a watershed: geology, ecology, and the effect of man's...

Students, after researching and brainstorming about aquifers and locating aquifer maps of Texas, participate in the building of a model of an aquifer complete with a pumping station. They also answer a variety of questions at the...

Learners discuss the scientific method and construct their own Mobius Strips. They examine their Mobius Strip, and write observations and a hypothesis on how many strips of paper they have when they cut the strip in half length-wise.

Fourth graders follow the scientific lesson to investigate flavor.  In this scientific method lesson, 4th graders conduct a flavor test with mislabeled Tootsie Pops.  Students record their experiment.

Seventh graders identify variables and controls in a paper airplane investigation. In this scientific method instructional activity, 7th graders conduct an experiment to determine the variables that affect the flight of paper airplanes....

Students participate in an interactive lesson using the scientific method to study biodiversity.  In this insect monitoring lesson, students simulate the layers of soil and the insects that would live there. Students design...

Students explore natural selection and its influence on the populations to fine tune traits and characteristics. The acquisition of traits developed out of need is examined through a game played in class.