S2tem Centers SC
Seasons
Winter, spring, summer, and fall—take the learning of the seasons beyond the elementary level to the middle school classroom. Curious learners begin by watching videos about the seasons and the rotation of planet Earth. Then, they...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Climate Change Impacts on Ecosystem Services
The fourth activity in a series of five has classes participate in a jigsaw to learn about global impacts of climate change and then share their new information with a home group. Groups then research impacts of climate change (droughts,...
Curated OER
Extend the Earth Day Learning With "The Wump World"
By using the book "The Wump World," students can discuss environmental issues and extend the Earth Day experience.
National Wildlife Federation
Quantifying Land Changes Over Time in Areas of Deforestation and Urbanization
Is qualitative or quantitative research more convincing when it comes to climate change? In the eighth lesson during this 21-part series, scholars begin by performing a quantitative analysis of deforestation and urbanization. Then, they...
Curated OER
Path to Mars
Students compare Earth and Mars to find similarities between the two planets using given websites. They collect and download pictures of geological features of both planets from print and non-print sources. Descriptions of the...
Curated OER
Stellar Evolution and the Fate of Earth
Eighth graders identify the different stages in the life cycle of a star. In this astronomy instructional activity, 8th graders read H-R diagrams and analyze data. The describe how the Sun's evolution will affect Earth in the future.
Curated OER
Early Earth History
In this earth history worksheet, students answer 12 questions about geological time, the eras of Earth, the changes taking place in early Earth and the life present during the eras. They also answer 2 questions about the Paleozoic Era.
Science Friday
Capturing Carbon Dioxide
Why don't we just capture carbon dioxide in the air and store it somewhere else? A hands-on lesson allows scholars to explore a complex concept. First, they will create a carbonated beverage, and then they will determine if liquid...
Curated OER
Poetry Through Digital Storytelling
Bring digital storytelling to your language arts class! To begin, learners select their own topic, such as a poem that reflects a life experience they had or a historical figure who interests them. Then they work to create a storyboard...
Baylor College
Water in Your Body
Do you know how much water you have had in the last 24 hours? Do you know how much your body needs? In this hands-on activity, your class members will estimate how much water our bodies lose each day by filling and emptying one-liter...
LABScI
Taxonomy: Who is in My family?
Find similarities in seemingly unlike organisms. The second instructional activity in a series of 12 builds the concept of a taxonomy and explores the use of a dichotomous key. Learners begin in part one by attempting to group a set of...
Curated OER
What Is in the Water?
Learners compare bottled water qualities to water found naturally in a pond habitat. They research their state's laws/regulations in regard to bottled water and study the advertising, cost, and quality of brands of bottled water. They...
National Geographic
The Monsoon
Few things are as fascinating as the challenge of climbing Mount Everest. This lesson investigates how monsoon weather impacts climbers. To begin, you are instructed to show various video clips. The only one directly provided, however,...
K12 Reader
If
Rudyard Kipling's advice to his son in the poem "If" is a resounding message that echoes through generations. After reading the famous poem, middle schoolers work on analyzing specific lines, completing activities based on unfamiliar...
Curated OER
Earth Day Equalities
Do your young mathematicians recognize the recycle sign? Learners fill in the blank circles inside the recycle sign with the arrows, pointing to the next number in the sequence, with the correct inequality sign or equal sign to make the...
Curated OER
Battlefield Walks
Learners create a picture of a Civil War battle using Google Earth. In this Civil War lesson, students pick a battlefield and research it with a partner. They find the location on Google Earth and use colors and overlays to show...
Curated OER
Phases of the Moon
Middle schoolers explore why when you examine the moon depends on its location in relationship to the sun and Earth. The moon never goes away or changes shape-we just see a different fraction of sunlight being reflected from the moon to...
Curated OER
The Life Cycle of a Star
Students investigate the life cycle of a star through research. Once research is complete, students prepare posters and present findings to class. Flash animation is included to help students visualize life cycle of star researching.
Curated OER
Creating New Forms of Life
High schoolers are asked to use their imaginations to take the idea of biotechnology one step further. Before beginning this activity students read and complete a report on the book "Jurassic Park," which deals with the use of...
Curated OER
Recycling!
The learners recall events from Dr. Seuss' story The Lorax and make connections to environmental issues affecting their lives. They are expected to reflect on the facts of the story and respond verbally stating the inferences they made...
Curated OER
Ratios, Mars and the Internet
Students calculate real ratios that exist between the planets Earth and Mars. After a lecture/demo, students use worksheets and access Internet sites to do their calculations.
Curated OER
Life In Space
Students figure out how to design their own space station. They take a tour on the International Space Station to see what living there is really like, and how lessons learned on the ISS help pave the way for future space tourists.
Curated OER
Living On The Moon
Students evaluate what life would be like living on the moon or another planet in our solar system. In this science lesson, students create a colony that they would use to live in on the moon using Legos.
Curated OER
Problem Based Learning Scenario
Students research about the function of MPA's. In this marine science lesson, students explore how humans influence changes near these areas. They explore different MPA's in the Great Lakes region.