Exploratorium
Stripped Down Motor
Mostly for teacher's use, here are instructions for making a traditional electromagnetic motor and a detailed explanation of how it works.
Curated OER
Rainforest Wildlife
Students investigate how living things depend on one another for food, shelter, and other needs. They create artwork depicting a variety of living things thriving in an interdependent rainforest environment. Students blend primary...
Curated OER
Active Wear
Young scholars interpret and analyze data. In this middle school mathematics lesson, students conduct an experiment in which they investigate which solar collector, black, white, or silver, absorbs the most heat. Young scholars examine...
Curated OER
The Cleaning Station
Students study cleaning stations. In this science lesson, students make a painting of a fish known as cleaners which take dead skin off of other fish.
Curated OER
Group Foraging
Young scholars explore co-operation by researching ocean life. In this fish science lesson, students identify many vocabulary terms associated with oceanography and discuss what group foraging means among fish. Young scholars utilize...
Curated OER
The Nitty Gritty-The Source and What To Do
In this environmental contaminants worksheet, young scholars read about a scenario where children were exposed to lead from an old painted bench at a park. Students answer 5 questions about the investigation and what should be done to...
Curated OER
Constructing a Planetarium
Learners work together to create their own planetarium. They observe the night sky and make a design. They also examine constellations and paint them onto the model of the planetarium.
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #9 - Properties of Solar Radiation: Reflection, Transmission, and Absorption
Middle school science stars observe and record data on the solar radiation reflected off or transmitted through various materials. They predict properties for various materials, and test their predictions by touch. This lesson becomes...
Exploratorium
Touch the Spring
Concave mirrors and the images they produce are traditional topics in the physics classroom. This resource explains how to set up an investigation of them, and it provides you with the explanation of concepts.
Curated OER
Energy Efficient Homes
Students observe and gather data from a model simulated home. In this efficiency lesson students examine the factors that influence energy efficiency, complete a lab activity then draw conclusions from their data.
Curated OER
Mining in a Nutshell
Your class will love this geology-inspired set of activities that demonstrate the processes through which we are able to use mineral resources. They describe the major steps that a company must follow from initial discovery of a mineral...
Curated OER
Ping!
Using "mystery bathymetry" shoeboxes, young explorers simulate sonar action to map out the topography of an un-viewable landscape. This classic activity helps physical oceanography learners understand how sonar works. It would be...
Curated OER
Wired with Alexander Calder
Kids consider how the body functions and moves, how each structure has a specific movement and purpose. They apply that idea as they construct a sculptural piece that moves. For inspiration they look to the work of Alexander Calder,...
NOAA
Methane Hydrates – What's the Big Deal?
Have you ever tried to light ice on fire? With methane hydrate, you can do exactly that. The ice forms with methane inside so it looks like ice, but is able to burn. The lesson uses group research and a hands-on activity to help scholars...
Curated OER
Planting a Rainbow Bulletin Board
Students explore a variety of colors and shapes after reading the story, "Planting A Rainbow," by Lois Ehlert. The tracking and reading of labels attached to diagrams form an experience in vocabulary development in this lesson.
Curated OER
A Horse of a Different Color
Elementary schoolers explore the wide variety of horse coat colors and reproduce an existing color as well a create their own horse coat color. There are two fine worksheets embedded in this plan that learners use to crete these coat...
Green Learning
Build Your Own Solar Oven
This is not exactly a lesson plan, but rather a six-page document detailing how to build a solar oven. A bit of background information, materials list, diagrams and photos, and clearly-written procedures are all included. There are no...
Curated OER
Very Hungry Caterpillar
Students explore the life cycle of a butterfly. In this life cycle lesson, students read the book the Very Hungry Caterpillar. Students use this book throughout the year to create a year round bulletin board showing the stages of the...
Curated OER
Making Models of the Solar System
Students make several models of the solar system to learn the positions of the planets in the solar system as well as relative distances and sizes. Creation of these models will help them identify the planets by size, shape, color,...
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.
Curated OER
Consumerism
Students examine the techniques that companies use to sell their products. In this consumerism lesson students create an ad for a company and create a handcrafted butterfly.
NOAA
Deep-Sea Ecosystems – Chemosynthesis for the Classroom
Photosynthesis was discovered in the 1770s, but chemosynthesis wasn't discovered until 1977. While many have performed an experiment to show how photosynthesis works, the activity allows pupils to observe chemosynthesis. Scholars set up...
NOAA
Make Your Own Volcano!
Make a volcano erupt in your own classroom! Young scientists use household and craft materials to model and simulate the eruption of a volcano.