US Environmental Protection Agency
Weather and Climate: What's the Difference?
Future weather forecasters collect daily temperatures over a period of time. Afterward, they compare their data with monthly averages, as researched on national weather websites, in order to grasp the difference between weather and...
Curated OER
A Model for Natural Selection- Spaghetti Worms
Does the early bird really get the worm? If so, which color of worm does it prefer? In an exciting and easy week-long field investigation, young field biologists set up a one square meter feeding area for birds. If you have a webcam,...
Curated OER
The Palm of My Heart: Poetry By African American Children
Elementary students explore African American culture by reading children's poetry. They read the book, The Palm of My Heart which features poetry by an assortment of young African American boys and girls. Students define several...
Curated OER
Functions - Intro and Inverses
Define the terms domain, range, function, vertical limit test, and linear function notation with your class. They can then, graph several equations applying the vertical line test to determine which are and which are not functions, write...
Curated OER
Any Day Can Be Earth Day
You can make the spirit of Earth Day last year round with these long-term projects.
Curated OER
Synonyms - How Authors Make Comparisons
A very good 13-slide presentation on similes and metaphors is here for you. It introduces young poets to each term, gives examples, and prompts them to work together to identify similes and metaphors in several different sentences.
Curated OER
Picture Perfect Poetry
Do your language arts students love to draw? Use this instructional activity to reinforce poetic techniques with illustration. After drawing what they think poem would look like with no words, middle and high schoolers work on several...
NASA
The Evidence is “Clear”!
Do you think you know better? Become a scientist and prove it. Scholars review the evidence for two different theories of the origins of the universe. They notice the empirical observations as well as the inferences to determine which is...
EngageNY
Percent Increase and Decrease
Increase the percent of pupils that are fluent in solving change problems with an activity that asks class members to look at problems that involve either increases or decreases and to express the change in terms of the percent of the...
NASA
Planning Time
Ever feel there's just not enough hours in the day? Young adults explore an important part of personal development using a group of activities. After comparing how they actually spend their time with how they would like to, scholars...
Curated OER
Galaxy Hunter - A Cosmic Photo Safari
Space science stars journey through our night sky and take virtual photos of galaxies to investigate simple random samples. Higher math is used to analyze the data collected. Copy the evaluation/assessment questions onto a handout for...
Curated OER
Make a Mission
Learners discuss the terms exploration and technology. They read about the MESSENGER, Mission to Mercury, and answer questions. Next, they design and plan the technology for a space mission using an online interactive activity.
SF Environment
Sort and Color!
Sorting is a very important skill that can be used in math and even science. Learners get familiar with some environmentally friendly vocabulary terms as they practice separating objects that can be recycled from those that can't. They...
Curriculum Corner
7th Grade Math Common Core Checklist
With so many math standards to fit into a school year, it can be difficult keeping track of what you have and have not covered. This collection of Common Core checklists allows you to maintain a running record of when each standard was...
Curated OER
Shopping: In a Cafe
Students explore English by participating in a role-playing activity. In this food ordering lesson, students utilize new vocabulary terms to conduct short dialogues with fictitious servers in a Cafe role-play activity. Students analyze...
Curated OER
Library Curriculum: What Would a Wonderful Library Be Like?
Second graders complete a KWL chart about libraries. They create a book using writing patterns of a particular author. Students decide criteria for awarding the Second Grade Librarian Award to books in the classroom library, and use a...
Curated OER
Alaskan Eskimo Collection
Students analyze mystery photographs to determine key characteristics about the Alaskan environment and Eskimo culture. In this Eskimo instructional activity, students read an Eskimo folktale and write their own in response. Lastly...
Curated OER
Marine Debris
Now is the time to educate tomorrow's citizens to care for the planet, and here is a lesson to help facilitate the process. Collect some marine debris and bring it into class. Have your class separate it into types and then test each...
Curated OER
Mystery Powders
Young scholars collect microscopic images from a variety of chemical specimens to determine the identity of a mystery powder. They use a ProScope Digital USB Microscope to describe and compare the crystal size and shape of the chemicals.
Curated OER
What Wavelength Was That?
A combination of informative text, photos, and graphics comprise this sharp show on electromagnetic radiation. Some slides mention hands-on activities for demonstrating concepts, so if you want to include them you will need to figure out...
Curated OER
Levies don't pass...and schools cut costs
Students collect financial statements from the district and study how money is spent now. They interview the superintendent, school board members and/or the district's financial officer.
Curated OER
Biopoem: Bud, Not Buddy
Young poets focus on one character from a story they are reading, collect details, and use a biopoem template to analyze this character. The activity can be used with any text.
California Academy of Science
Energy: A Day in My Life
If only we could harness the energy of fifth graders, our energy problems would be over! The class discusses where different forms of energy come from and how we use them. They complete a chart of the activities that they do daily that...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Create a Map
Do your students have a connection to their natural environment? Create neighborhood maps together with your little learners. The lesson starts as the class talks about where they live and what their homes look like. They review their...