Core Knowledge Foundation
Weather or Not, Seasons Change
Embark on a year long investigation of the seasons with this 10-lesson earth science unit. After being introduced to different types of weather and the tools used to measure it, young scientists perform fun hands-on activities that teach...
Curated OER
Life Cycle of Brassica Plants: Planting Seeds
Learners explore botany by participating in a calendar class activity. In this plant observation lesson, students examine a diagram of a Brassica plant and identify its anatomy before planting their own seeds and viewing the changes over...
Curated OER
Checking the Weather
Students check the weather on the web site, draw what they see on the calendar (sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy) and look outside to see if they think the weather on the web site is correct.
Curated OER
Sundials: Keeping Time Like Native Americans
Students explore the use of sundials. They observe the shadows cast by the sun and record the times at various points throughout the day. They create sundials and record the location of the shadows and the time of day. They view a...
Curated OER
Phases of the Moon: Cooperative Learning
Third graders examine the phases of the moon. In this moon phase instructional activity, 3rd graders listen to a read aloud of The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn M. Branley and discuss the phases of the moon. They complete a moon phase...
Curated OER
How Much Electricity Do You Use Each Year
Students relate the usage of common household appliances to coal usage. They examine the example of how much coal is used each year by a typical family of four to operate various appliances.
Curated OER
Lowell Observatory Moon Clock
Pupils construct a paper moon clock to determine the moon's position. In this lunar position instructional activity, students use the provided printout to create a moon clock. They use the clock to determine the moon's position in the...
Maryland Department of Education
The Moon Seems to Change: Phases of the Moon
Use Eric Carle's sweet book, Papa, Please get the Moon for Me to learn about phases of the moon. Young schholars use a moon template calendar to chart moon phases for a month, sing lunar phase chants, and create a delicious visual...
Curated OER
Have You Looked Outside? Lesson #5- Graphing Weather Conditions
First graders study daily weather changes. In this weather and graphing lesson, 1st graders chart the daily weather for a month using stickers or weather symbols. They graph the weekly weather so that at the end of the month students...
Curated OER
On the Trail of the Hudson's Migratory Fish
Using data related to the fish in the Hudson River area, learners calculate distance, elapsed time, and growth. They learn about migratory fish, the life cycle of a fish, analyze a map, and answer questions.
Curated OER
Cloudy vs. Clear
Students analyze line plots. In this weather lesson using real NASA data, students discuss how weather affects the way the Earth is heated by comparing different line plots.
Curated OER
Teach it to me - Seasonal Calendar
Students document the weather. In this seasons lesson plan, students study the weather, record the temperature outside and photograph what the weather conditions look like. All information gathered by the students will be made into a book.
Science 4 Inquiry
Phases of the Moon
The moon takes just over 27 days to orbit around Earth. Young scientists position themselves as the earth as they rotate around the sun and hold the moon. This allows them to observe the patterns and phases of the moon.
Curated OER
Secrets of the Ocean Realm - In the School "Star Gardens"
Students learn to use a tide table in plotting tidal curves and create a tide calendar by plotting a month-long tidal curve on an ordinary pictorial calendar.
Curated OER
National Static Electricity Day: January 9
In this writing prompt worksheet, students learn that January 9th is National Static Electricity Day. Students then research five facts about the cause of static electricity using resources in their classroom. Students summarize the...
Curated OER
Aspects of Weather
Students recognize and observe weather phenomena. In this four part weather lesson, students are introduced to weather symbols through a story, then use a thermometer to measure water temperature. Next, students observe the formation of...
Curated OER
Making Moths
Students study the Gregorian Calendar and its historical significance.In this calendar instructional activity students create a calendar design for an imaginary planet.
Curated OER
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Students engage in activities that extend Eric Carle's story The Very Hungry Caterpillar. In this The Very Hungry Caterpillar lesson plan, students use felt boards, dramatic play, calendars and egg carton creations, to expand on the...
Curated OER
Geological Time Scale
In this geological time worksheet, student use a geologic time scale to understand the difference between eons, eras, and periods. Then students complete 2 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Meteor Showers
Students use the Internet to discover the wonderful world of comets and meteor showers. They discover how to spot one and predict them using a calendar. They also examine the makeup of meteoroids and meteorites.
Curated OER
Farming in Space
Learners research, design, and run plant growth experiments online. They explore websites, design an experiment using an animation-based building block program, construct a soda bottle hydroponic production unit and a cardboard plant...
Curated OER
Exploring the Night Sky: Summer
Students explain how moon phases occur. They describe and explain at least two common misconceptions that people have about the moon. Students explain what a star is. They explain 3 ways that the night sky has been used throughout history.
Curated OER
Investigating DNA
Students engage in a variety of activities designed to facilitate the understanding of DNA. Activities include preparing human chromosome spreads, separating a mixture of dyes using gel electrophoresis and extracting DNA from onion cells,
Curated OER
Meet the Weather Scientist
Fourth graders collect, record and analyze data using simple weather instruments or use weather resources to comprehend weather. They comprehend that scientists are very important people in today's world. Pupils look at cloud types to...