Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore water as it changes states of matter. In this physical property lesson plan, students use observation, measurement, and communication skills to describe changes in water as it goes from a solid to a liquid and back again.
It's About Time
Volcanos and the Atmosphere
In the summer of 1815, snow fell every month in New England. Was this related to the volcanic eruption of Tambora in Indonesia earlier in the year? Young scientists design their own experiments to research the long-term effect a volcanic...
Annenberg Foundation
Geometry 3D Shapes: Euler's Theorem
How do you get a theorem named after you? Euler knows what it takes! The third lesson of five asks pupils to use an interactive activity to compare the faces, vertices, and edges of seven different three-dimensional solids. They use...
Columbus City Schools
Changes All Around Us
Whoa! What just happened? That's right, change is everywhere. But what exactly is changing? Middle school science sleuths get to the bottom of the changes matter can experience. Through simple demonstrations, engaging videos, and an...
Curated OER
Dust in the Wind; Chemicals in the Water
Students explore mechanical and chemical weathering at stations. They articulate some mechanisms of chemical and mechanical weathering through exploration in a lab. Students stations describe how chemical weathering differs from...
Curated OER
Beach Life: Spanish Banks Field Trip
Students discover beach life. In this beach life lesson, students visit a beach to find plant and animal species that live there. They discuss the life cycle and needs of some of these animals through a variety of activities.
Curated OER
State Change
Eighth graders explore the physical change of matter. As a class, they discuss their favorite super hero and determine if the hero undergoes a physical or chemical change. Students examine the change of state and phase change. In groups,...
Curated OER
Microbes in Long Island Sound
Students discover the harm and benefits of microbes. In this biology instructional activity, students explore water, nitrogen and carbon cycles. They investigate the factors affecting bacteria growth.
Curated OER
Growing plants
Students explore plants and recognize that they are living things that require light and water to grow; students identify, name and match the parts of plants.
Curated OER
Friction
Students explore friction as a force that slows moving objects, explain conclusions in terms of the roughness or smoothness of surfaces, relate results to predictions, and begin to know how to plan a fair test.
Curated OER
Forces in Action
Students investigate questions centered around force and motion by going through the scientific process and creating fair tests and experimentation. In this lesson about forces-in-action, students diagram their findings and explore other...
Alabama Learning Exchange
The Earth Has Many Layers
Students conduct an experiment. In this Earth's layers lesson, students learn about soil, sand and rock. They complete their own Jell-O Mountain and investigate the Earth's layers on-line.
Curated OER
Earthquakes: Third Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Introduce third graders to energy waves with a hands-on geology activity, in which they answer questions and compare seismograms in the San Francisco Bay area. After a demonstration that shows how bigger waves indicate a...
Curated OER
Pangaea Puzzle
Students explore plate tectonics and the formations of the Earth's surface and why maps are distorted. In this Earth's surface lesson students complete a lab and answer questions.
Curated OER
Determining the Age of Fossils
Students examine the concept of radioactive dating. In this radioactive dating activity, students investigate how to determine the ages of fossils and rocks as they learn about half-life radioactive decay.
Curated OER
Changes in Nature
Fifth graders explore changes in nature. They identify chemical and physical changes in the water cycle, carbon cycle, and weathering. Students explore a chemical or physical change based on a chemical formula. They examine the effects...
Curated OER
Latent Heat and Clouds
Students explore latent heat and how it relates to clouds in the atmosphere. For this earth science lesson students investigate how clouds are formed. Students examine clouds and the water cycle.
Curated OER
Three Clouds Activity
Learners explore how clouds are produced through three different age-appropriate hands-on experiments.
Curated OER
Life in Extreme Environments
Learners compare and contrast local environments with the extreme environment of the Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Students explore and gain knowledge of the adaptations organisms use to survive extreme conditions and the diverse conditions...
Curated OER
Living vs. Nonliving
Students explore the characteristics that distinguish living things from nonliving things. Students examine video clips and still photographs to gather evidence and develop criteria to decide if something is living or nonliving.
Curated OER
Keeping Healthy
Students exercise their muscles to explore concept of heart rate and to explain how blood supplies muscles with oxygen.
Curated OER
Growing Plants
Students explore plants and recognize that they are living things that require light and water to grow. In this online plant biology activity, students identify, name and match the parts of plants. Extension activities and suggested...
Curated OER
Using electricity
Young scholars explore how a switch can be used to break a circut. Students construct a simple series circuit and use it for a purpose. Young scholars read the "The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch,or one of the "Katie Morag" stories which...
Curated OER
Helping plants grow well
Students explore the effect of water, temperature and light on plant growth. Students are asked if they remember the LAW for plants. This is Light, Air(temperature) and Water, which all plants need for growth. Students are divided...