Curated OER
Reflecting on Reflectivity
High schoolers plan and construct a "mini-lab" to measure the reflectivity of different earth surfaces. They measure reflectivity of materials, including ice, soil, rocks, etc., and then extrapolate from what they have learned to...
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'Round and 'Round it Goes!
Students discuss and interpret background knowledge on poster copy given on the water cycle. Students complete the included activity sheets using the poster as a reference in small groups. Students identify and name where water can be...
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Continents on the Move
Students examine the tectonic plates of the Earth and how the landforms of Earth have changed position over time. In groups, they identify the evidence that the continents are still moving. To end the instructional activity, they...
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How Far... How Powerfu
Students work with a real optical spectrum of a gamma ray burst afterglow taken at the Keck Observatory. They measure the shifts of spectral lines, deduce the velocity of the astronomical object, and then use Hubble's Law to get its...
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What Do We Need In Our Environment To Survive?
Learners discuss and write about waste management to save the environment. In this environment instructional activity, students discuss what an alien coming to Earth would notice about the environmental needs of humans for survival. They...
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Fighting Back!
Fifth graders inspect the basic functions of the immune system and determine how viruses and bacteria invade the immune system. They also explore what happens to the immune system in outer space.
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Wonderful Worms
Students identify living and non-living things and explain the importance of earthworms to the soil. They name some basic facts about earthworms, recognize basic worm vocabulary words and demonstrate vermicomposting techniques.
Curated OER
The Forest Community And Ethnobotany Past And Present
Students describe a forest as a living community. They determine members interact, and in many cases, depend on each other for their basic survival needs. They investigate how dependent the Native Americans were on the forest...
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Far Out!
Students research and compare/contrast how routine tasks on Earth would be without gravity. They read and discuss the article "The Life Galactic: A Lot of Work, a Little Play, Plenty of E-Mail." In groups they write a pitch for a TV...
Curated OER
The Cool Forms of Water
Students discover the different forms of water on Earth. For this states of water lesson, students read material on the different forms of water and how they are created. The students answer written questions on worksheets.
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Rockets Away with Newton's Laws of Motion
Eighth graders comprehend Newton's Laws of Motion and to use the scientific method in rocketry sub-unit. They work through the scientific method. Students illustrate how science and Newton's Laws can be used in everyday situations and...
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Dinosaurs 1: Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students study dinosaurs. In this dinosaur lesson, students watch a web based video about dinosaurs before discussing what they liked about the dinosaurs, telling about the sounds they heard, and explaining what the Earth looked like....
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Black Holes Revealed
Learners explore the concept of black holes through an interactive program. They explore how they form and what materials form them. They can also visit websites in which they can research radio transmission between the Earth and space.
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Density Challenge
Students calculate the densities of several liquids that appear similar. In this physical science lesson, students go beyond understanding the way liquids of different densities behave to researching how this knowledge applies in...
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Investigation 6 - Soil Profile
Fourth graders study the components of soil. They observe the basic components of soil and relate the components to plant growth. They record color, texture, and kinds of materials on their profile log (light color, denser, grittier -...
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The Discovery of Photosynthesis
Learners explore how scientists discover photosynthesis. In this biology lesson, students identify the basic requirements for photosynthesis to happen. They recreate past scientists' experiments and record their observations.
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The Basics of Creature Connectedness: Biodiversity Diversions
Students study biodiversity. They participate in a scavenger hunt to look for presence of wildlife and connections in nature. They create a collage about Venezuelan biodiversity in small groups and present to the class. They write a...
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Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!
Young scholars study the different types of volcanoes and how they erupt. In this volcano lesson plan students identify where volcanoes are most prevalent and options for predicting eruptions.
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This House is Made of Mud: Exploring the Shapes in Our Lives
Students study about our dependence on the earth's resources for materials. They practice their knowledge of geometric shapes by recognizing them in the context of the story.
Virginia Department of Education
The Cycles of Nature
Encourage peer collaboration and assist with the creation of visual aids to identify carbon, water, and nitrogen cycles as your class learns more about nature. They discuss relative information, create a visual aid...
Space Awareness
What is Time?
Does it ever seem like time is slipping through your fingers? Model the passing of time with an hourglass activity in which individuals determine whether hourglasses are the most efficient way to measure time.
Curated OER
Learning About Trees
Students identify the parts of a tree. In this earth science lesson, students draw a tree on construction paper and label the parts of the tree.
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Sizing Up the Supersize Croc
Young scholars examine and compare traits of humans and crocodiles. In this crocodile lesson plan students use a ratio to estimate the height of a person and compare that to a crocodile.
Curated OER
Climate Change: Is there a Controversy
Students explore climate changes. In this climate changes instructional activity, students research what causes changes. Students search the Internet, summarize reports they find and create a poster with the information.