Students complete a weather report chart after studying weather patterns for a period of time. In this weather report lesson, students measure temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, wind speed, and wind direction for a month. Students...

Students examine the craft of cartography and how the Lewis and Clark expedition created and used maps. They analyze maps, read a handout, create a map, participate in a mini expedition and map out a route based on travel directions,...

Students use a simple model of the Earth and Sun as seen from space to explore the sun's apparent movement across the sky over the course of a day and year. They consider the apparent direction of movement and changes in the sun's angle.

Students discuss the history and importance of magnets to the world. In this magnetism lesson, students write an essay of a world without magnets.  Students may research addition information to add details about uses of magnets.

Students explore geography by participating in a treasure hunt activity. In this Global Positioning System instructional activity, students define the terms latitude and longitude while utilizing an electronic GPS device. Students view a...

Students place a pencil perpendicular to the ground and trace its shadow between 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM. They measure the length of the shadow, periodically over several hours, in either English or Metric units. Using the data, they find...

Students, in groups, develop math lessons for younger students that each stems from a popular student story. Group members individually develop lessons for other subject areas based on their group's story, creating interdisciplinary units.

Students examine the needs of their community for public space and determine the solutions to math problems related to planning landscape designs. They read and discuss an article from the New York Times, create their own designs for a...

Students discover what is needed to program an underwater robot to complete a course of action.  In this robot archaeologist lesson plan students design an archaeological strategy of an underwater vehicle. 

Young scholars investigate U.S. history by examining North American timelines. In this American exploration lesson, students research the events that led to Columbus finding America and participate in a jeopardy game regarding his...

Learners develop maps based on a virtual internet expedition of The Louisiana Purchase land area. They create the maps based on an actual outdoor expedition of their communities. Student create two maps, one based on the Louisiana...

In this fish activity worksheet, students learn a counting rhyme about fish. They then discuss the best way to care for fish and they learn 4 different types of fish. On the second page, students count lines of fish and color them a...

Students use the Internet to read about an explorer's survival in the Antarctic. They try to find a better route for him to have taken.

Learners plot constellations on a grid map. They discuss the various ways early explorers planned their travels. Students identify and recognize major constellations. They color their maps and take them home to try to find various...

Students explore physics. In this magnetism instructional activity, students attempt to make a magnet out of a iron rod. They observe the teacher complete the procedure first and then try it themselves.

Young scholars recreate a "60-minutes" interview using cue cards and historical information on the Chinese explorer Zheng He. This lesson is an excellent introduction to World History during the 1400's.

Learners practice their mapping skills by creating an accurate map of their schoolyard using an aerial photo from the National Map web site. Students include legends, a scale, and a north arrow on their maps.

Students estimate geographic position based on speed and air travel.  In GPS lesson students use GPS to estimate the set and drift of currents. 

Students explore cardinal directions. In this social studies lesson, students create maps of home and school using the cardinal directions.

Fourth graders research the Internet for facts relating to the animal of their choice. They use information from their Internet search to complete their animal project. TLW use his or her own words when writing their report.

Students compare and contrast snakes and turtles, then fill out an information sheet.

Fourth graders are introduced to the voyages of Christopher Columbus to the New World. In groups, they use the Internet to complete a WebQuest on what conditions were like on the ships. They write journal entries and complete a worksheet...

In this Columbus Day worksheet, students write the 16 words from that relate to Columbus Day in alphabetical order and write a short definition for each.

High schoolers study what a GPS is and use it to challenge themselves and find positions on a map.  In this investigative activity students find various points on a map using a GPS system and answer questions on a worksheet.