National Academy of Sciences
Lights at Night Webquest
Help learners find ways to become more efficient energy consumers. To start, individuals research how different countries address energy efficiency and then analyze their own carbon footprint. They use their research to identify ways to...
Curated OER
Light, Colors, and Vision
Third graders experience optic illusions by creating flipbooks. In this optics lesson, 3rd graders view a demonstration of the workings of rods and cones using a camera. They are shown an optical illusion and work to create their own...
Q Continuum
Planets
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what constellation you were seeing or whether that bright object was a star or a planet? Are you searching for the best tilt-to-view constellation and planet app that money can't buy?...
Curated OER
Night Hike
Students explore Upham Woods at night and investigate about the special adaptations of nocturnal animals. They identify three nocturnal animals and how they are adapted to the night. Students explain what night vision is and how it works.
Curated OER
Night Sky
Students discover why stars can only be seen at night. They participate in a read aloud of, "Night Sky" by Carole Stott and, "Switch on the Night" by Ray Bradbury. Using the sky objects described in the readings, they brainstorm and list...
Curated OER
What's Up?
Students compare and contrast the various heavenly bodies found in the sky at night. They identify the moon and stars in the sky as well as how the stars form pictures called constellations. Students also experiment with reflection and...
Curated OER
Night and Day Talk
Students practice writing and saying the letter O. They examine pictures and discuss what is going on in them depending on the time of day. They write about what they do during the day and night.
Curated OER
What's Up? Astronomy Curriculum
Students study astronomy. In preparation for a field trip to a planetarium, students discuss the stars, planets, and light. They explore the importance of the north star and constellations. The Digitarium system is used to assist the...
American Museum of Natural History
What is Astronomy?
Go study the universe. Pupils learn seven aspects about astronomy and astronomers. They begin to learn about constellations; distance and motion between objects; gravity; the electromagnetic spectrum; dark matter and energy; and teams of...
Curated OER
Earth's Rotation
Fourth graders investigate the Earth's rotation. In this Earth's rotation lesson, 4th graders realize that the rotation of Earth causes the days and nights on Earth. Students break into groups and use a flashlight and a sphere to...
Curated OER
Timekeeping by the Sun
Young scholars measure shadows to learn about the Sun-Earth relationship. In this astronomy lesson, students create a shadow stick of a Pokemon character and record measurements of its shadow in a data chart. Follow-up discussions guide...
Curated OER
How Do Bats Navigate At Night?
Through an experiment, learners explore how bats use echolocation. First, they discuss how sound travels through air waves. Then, they talk about the ways bats navigate in the dark. As an extension, they can write about what they have...
Curated OER
Up in the Air
Students evaluate the impact of volcanic ash on the surroundin environment. Through discussion, videos and activities, they identify the various ways in which volcanic ash can be more detrimental than volcanic magma and lava.
Curated OER
Introduction to Photovoltaic Systems
The Green Education Foundation found that this lesson plan, written by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office, is right up their alley when it comes to teaching sustainability. It is ideal as a first lesson plan on photovoltaic...
Curated OER
Science Puzzlers, Twisters, and Teasers: Chemical Bonding
What a cute approach to chemical bonding! Atoms all have human names and are attending at a dance. Who will pair up with whom? By reading the characteristics, and not the element name, chemistry whizzes figure out the bonding pairs....
Curated OER
Light Your Way
Students investigate how a simple series circuit functions. They design and construct a working portable flashlight, develop a written plan for the flashlight, test their flashlight for functionality and reliability, and draw the series...
Curated OER
Aurora Borealis
Students discuss what causes the northern lights and the folklore attached to them. They discuss magnetic fields, and use various common materials to discover if ions conduct electricity.
Curated OER
Color Theory
Learners are able to gain an understanding of primary and secondary colors. They are able to explore about how a mixture of colors makes up white light. Students are able to experiment with the mixing of paint that uses pigments, not...
Curated OER
Antonyms
Familiarize linguists with antonyms as they examine examples and match up opposites. First, scholars read a short description of antonyms, writing as many antonyms for big as they can. Then, they match up pairs of words that are antonyms...
K12 Reader
Why Does the Moon Orbit Earth?
Have you ever looked up at the moon and wondered why it looks different every night? Learn about the moon's orbit and the lunar cycle with a reading comprehension exercise. Using context clues, kids find the definitions of unfamiliar...
Space Awareness
Make a Star Lantern
Go star-gazing with young learners! They study the history, origins, and patterns of constellations in an activity that explores the starry night sky.
Curated OER
The Nine Planets
A solid lesson on teaching the nine planets in our solar system is here for you. In it, young scientists learn the correct order of the planets, and they choose one of the planets to do a research report on. They must come up with five...
Curated OER
Tilted Earth
What causes Earth's seasons? Find out through a series of anticipatory questions, an easy yet powerful activity representing the sun-Earth system, a diagram to label, and follow-up questions. Dispel the misconceptions about Earth being...
Colorado State University
How Can I Turn a Solar Oven into a Refrigerator?
Whether you want to heat things up in science class or cool things down a bit, an intriguing lab's got you covered! Science scholars explore the principles of thermodynamics using a solar oven, then change the conditions to turn their...