PBS
Predicting/Making a Hypothesis
As an introduction to the hypothesis and testing method of investigation, young history detectives engage in a special investigation of a family artifact. After watching a short video that demonstrates the method, they develop a...
American Psychological Association
Psychology Goes to Madison Avenue
As part of a study of well-known psychologists, class members create a name, a business logo, an advertisement for TV, online, radio, or print, and a pamphlet for the business run by one of the psychologists on a provided list. An...
Discovery Education
Motion in the Ocean
How do temperature changes affect ocean currents? Scholars explore convection currents by demonstrating the flow of water in a baking dish. They use ice, heat, and food coloring to see currents. Then, they draw conclusions about their...
Curated OER
Lesson Plans for Sweet Dreams: How Animals Sleep
Students explore the sleeping patterns and sleeping habitats of animals. In this where animals sleep lesson, students research different animal species. Students also write and illustrate an animal picture book, make connections...
Curated OER
Junk Yard Math
Third graders explore the process of place value and subtraction through regrouping and borrowing exercises. Several activities using manipulatives are utilized in the lesson.
Curated OER
Determine the molarity of an unknown HCl solution
Students complete a lab to help develop a comprehension of stiochiometry. They review equation writing, equation balancing, and stiochiometry. Studnets are given the following information: Sloppy students from the previous class have...
Curated OER
Wood Identification Based on Density
Eighth graders measure irregular and regular shaped solids. In this investigative lesson plan students calculator volume, mass and density of wood and blocks.
Curated OER
Bats
Students model how the bones in a bat wing are organized. They develop questions about bat body parts based on photographs. They hypothesize how bats locate their food.
Curated OER
Creeping
Students observe, measure, and graph a model of slow down slope movement representing soil creep. This task assesses students' abilities to collect, record, and organize data, set up graph axes, plot data points, draw line graphs, apply...
Curated OER
Rockets: Kinematics or Energy?
Students construct model rockets, measure and record the height of the launch. In this creative lesson students use different methods to calculate velocity and height data from their launched rockets.
Curated OER
Pendulums
Students construct a pendulums and experiment with what variables change or effect the rate at which they swing through an arc. They are assessed on scientific inquiry including the following skills: observation, data collection,...
Curated OER
Changing Rocks
Young scholars shake a box containing Plaster of Paris "rocks", gravel, and sand, to measure the effects of erosion. They work individually during this exercise. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations,...
Curated OER
The Fault Line
Students use cardboard models of the North American and Pacific plates and sand to investigate what happens when there is an earthquake or movement along the boundaries of the plates.
Curated OER
Peat Pots
Students place a peat pot in water to observe and calculate the rate of capillarity in a model of a soil. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, collect, record, and represent data, use a data table to...
Curated OER
Car Wash
Students determine the most appropriate site for a car wash, based on each site's soil characteristics (chemical, physical) and topographic features. They perform an experiment to determine the changes to three different soil types when...
Curated OER
How Deep is the Ocean
Students predict and then analyze the layout of the tectonic plates that form the ocean's floor using mapping skills and Inquiry based problem solving, They compare the depth of various regions in the ocean with the geologic age to...
Curated OER
Ice Melting
Students design investigations to test various materials to prevent heat gain in frozen water. The task assess students' knowledge of scientific inquiry including the following skills: observation, data collection, measurement,...
Curated OER
Crustal Sinking
Students measure the rate of sinking of a test tube into a beaker of "glop", representing a model of the interaction between the Earth's crust and upper mantle. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations,...
Curated OER
River Planning
Students use a model to conduct an experiment involving dam construction. Based on their observations, they draw conclusions about social, economic, and and environmental issues and make a decision concerning dam location. As a group,...
Curated OER
A Breath of Fresh Air
Learners explore the primary function of the respiratory system in multiple activities. For this respiratory system lesson, students build a model of the respiratory system to investigate how the lungs work.
Curated OER
Ohm's Law
Young scholars explore Ohm's Law. Following given instructions, students build a physical model of a conductor. They observe a relationship between the current, voltage and resistance in a conductor. After experiments, young scholars...
Curated OER
Clouds
Third graders complete various activities about clouds. They create a cloud in a lab, write a cloud story, make a cloud model and complete a webquest.
Curated OER
Heating Crystals
High schoolers examine the effects of heating on various crystals. They formulate and revise scientific explanations and models using logic and evidence. Students work individually during this experiment.
Curated OER
Unknown Liquids
Pupils must design and conduct an experiment to determine which unknown liquid has a greater density based on basic information about the liquids and containers. Students are given specific materials to work with.