Curated OER
Community Gardens and Propaganda Posters
Students research community gardens. In this community garden lesson, students discover the history of community gardens and assess the benefits of locally grown food. Students create propaganda posters aimed at inviting discussions...
Curated OER
Orville and Wilbur Wong and the Fantastic Flying Machines
Upper elementary and middle schoolers examine the role of Chinese immigrants in America. They investigate literature, history and cultures of Chinese-Americans. This ambitious plan takes two weeks to complete, and it brings in elements...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Attitude Determines Altitude
A fabulous lesson which combines mathematics with space science. Middle schoolers work in cooperative groups in order to research early astronauts and their accomplishments. They look at a variety of rocket and space shuttle designs, and...
Curated OER
Creating TAKS Handout with WebCCAT
Students will use the lesson will integrate WebCCAT a TAKS prep software. The software will be extensions for helping the middle school teachers prepare their students for the upcoming TAKS test.
Curated OER
Fracking: Positive or Negative Impact?
Your teenagers may have heard of fracking, but do they really know what it is? And could they debate the benefits and risks? Educate your environmental science class with a lesson about hydraulic fracturing, non-renewable energy sources,...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Zoo Animals
Young scholars explore similarities and differences between zoo animals through research on the Internet in this lesson for the middle school Science or Language Arts classroom. The lesson emphasizes the use of a T-chart or Venn Diagram.
Curated OER
A Design You’ll Dig: Designing a Habitat for Worms
Students discover how worms contribute to the balance of the environment. In this composting lesson plan, students study the composting and decomposition processes. Students then create habitats for worms that allow them to do their jobs.
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)
Fish Morphology
Life comes in all different shapes and sizes, and fish are no exception. Here, young scientists create fish prints as they learn how specific characteristics allow different species to survive in their particular habitats.
Prince William Network
Migration Headache
During this game, kids become migratory shorebirds and fly among wintering, nesting, and stopover habitats. If they do not arrive at a suitable habitat on time, they do not survive. Catastrophic events are periodically introduced that...
Curated OER
A Lesson in Chaos for Middle School Students
Students create a chaotic system. They display a basic knowledge of the system and are able to recognize it. The students form a hypothesis about a chaotic system and theorize the cause and effect.
Curated OER
RAINSTICKS
Students create a rainstick from recycled materials and begin learning about the "nature" of the rainforest.
Curated OER
Field Guide to Schoolyard Insects and Their Relatives
Your entire class works together to create an illustrated insect field guide. The intent is that they venture outside of the classroom, find a critter, and then research it using reference materials, insect books, and the Internet for...
Curated OER
Diversity
Students access prior knowledge of the five senses and relate to students with disabilities. In this people with disabilities lesson, students research and use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast famous people and their...
Curated OER
Teeshirt Printing
Young scholars become responsible and involved citizens. In this t-shirt printing lesson plan students design and create a teeshirt with a message about citizenship and responsibility. Natural objects are used as stamps.
Curated OER
Hatching Chickens
Students observe chicks hatching from eggs. In this science lesson, students view a video to develop an understanding of the proper care and needs of eggs and live animals. This is a great precursor activity for hatching eggs in class.
Curated OER
Climate Change: Is there a Controversy
Students explore climate changes. In this climate changes lesson, students research what causes changes. Students search the Internet, summarize reports they find and create a poster with the information.
Curated OER
Folic Acid Health Campaign
A prewriting prompt, a class discussion, a website visit and accompanying worksheet, and a culminating group project make up this lesson on public health awareness. The topic is folic acid and how its absence in the diet may influence...
Curated OER
To Go Solar or Not to Go Solar!
Middle schoolers imagine that they are on a panel to consider if a solar energy system would be advantageous to a new school as it is being built. They read the included handout and then each play a role as a participant in a community...
Curated OER
Earth Day: a Look Into the World Around Us
Students develop an artwork made entirely out of recycled materials to exhibit during an Earth Day celebration. They participate in a lecture discussion on the history of Earth Day and environmental issues, do internet research on a...
Curated OER
Sweet Twinkies, Density and Sugar Chomping Yeast: A Look at Physical and Chemical Reactions in the Kitchen
Students investigate matter. In this physical science lesson plan, students will learn about matter, physical states, and reactions. There are a series of four lab activities that will be conducted.
Curated OER
How Do You Know A Panther Was Here?
Students research the signs that panthers leave. For this panther track lesson, students conduct Internet research into the signs that panthers leave such as tracks, scat, scrapes, and scratches. They make a three-dimensional poster...
Curated OER
Comparing and Collecting Bugs
Students differentiate between insects and non-insects. In this insects instructional activity, students review the attributes of insects and take a nature walk to look for insect homes. Students use resource books to identify the names...
Curated OER
Preserving Buds and Blooms
Pupils learn how to preserve flower buds and blooms. In this gardening lesson, students explore the methods of air drying, using drying agents, and pressing plants to preserve them.
Curated OER
The Big Circle
Students explore geography by participating in a mapping activity. In this concentric ring lesson plan, students utilize a poster board, string and markers to identify their current location within the entire world. Students write about...