Virginia Department of Education
Macromolecules
Finally, a chance for the class to play with their food! Allow pupils to simulate stomach acid with common foods, and introduce specific macromolecules into the mixture to explore characteristics of carbohydrates, lipids,...
Curated OER
Cell Analogies!
Liken a cell and its organelles to a tiny person and its organs. After gathering information on cell structures and their functions, small groups collaborate to come up with an analogy of their own. They produce a collage describing the...
Virginia Department of Education
DNA Extraction from Strawberries
Has your class ever been astounded by the complexity of DNA analysis? Have they ever asked why genetic engineering has become so important to our daily lives? Young scientists perform DNA extraction on strawberries and explore how the...
Curated OER
What Parts of a Plant Do We Eat?
Did you know that tomtoes and cucumbers are actually fruits? Biology or botany beginners read about the function of flowers and fruit and find that some food items commonly called vegetables are, by definition, also fruits! Give learners...
Curated OER
It May Be Yucky, But Someone Has To Teach It. . .
Fourth graders study the names and parts of the excretory system in this hands-on activity. They use common items to make a model of the system.
Curated OER
Making Decisions: Packaging and the Environment
Students work in small groups to redesign the packaging of several common items. They attempt to reach the goal of 25% reduction in packaging materials currently used and explore the impact of various materials and designs in landfills...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Science at 100,000 Feet
Take your class up, up, and away with an engaging weather balloon simulation! Individuals get hands-on experience in creating and launching their own airborne labs to study how temperature and pressure affect substances at 100,000...
Curated OER
Plant Part Exploration: Stems
Explore water transport in plant stems using this fun experiment! Your scientists will start by reading Stems by Vijaya Bodach. Then, activate prior knowledge about plant stem functions and water transportation....
Curated OER
Wetland Metaphors
Students describe the characteristics of wetlands and identify their ecological functions. They inspect items and use them to create metaphors about wetlands.
Curated OER
Physics: Visualization of Hydrogen Wave Functions
Students explore various methods for visualizing the results of hydrogen wave function. They observe trends using a polar plot tool and make plots for the first three energy levels of the radial wave function for hydrogen. Students apply...
Curated OER
"Chips" Off the Old Block?
Students study using analogies between common items or occurrences and science concepts. They use the analogy of cookie recipes to that of the DNA "recipes" for living things to help us explain more about mutations.
Curated OER
Digestive System Analogies--A Group Activity
Learners study the human digestive system in order for the students to relate common kitchen items to the function of specific digestive organs. They list major organs on one side and find the item or appliance most analogous to the...
Curated OER
Trophic Ecology of Humans
students analyze the place of humans among the tropic levels by observing what we eat. They calculate the caloric content of several foods commonly eaten by humans and calculate the total energy cost to grow, process, transport, store...
Curated OER
Cells, Cells, Cells
Students explore plant and animal cells. Using household items, students create a three-dimensional model of a plant or animal cell. Students identify and label each cell part.
Curated OER
Observing Properties of Matter
Third graders explore matter. In this physical science lesson, 3rd graders observe several items and use their five senses to describe their properties. Students record their observations and share with the class.
Curated OER
Tooth Detectives: Determining the Diets of Extinct Animals
Students study the teeth of living mammals and apply those skills to the interpretation of the diet of extinct animals.
Curated OER
Making Blood!
students research blood's components, and use their math skills to recreate a model of whole blood using commonly found food items.
Curated OER
Cell Me What?
Students compare and contrast the characteristics of robots and cells. In this biology activity, students examine the parts and function of cell organelles. They create a visual representation of their cell/robot analogy.
Curated OER
Animal Classifications
Third graders work in small groups to investigate how to sort a variety of items into groups and subgroups. They work on a class chart based on the activity which show how the items are classified based on commonalities. Upon completion...
Curated OER
Seeing the Cell as a System
High schoolers explain how the components of a cell operate as a system. Students examine a bicycle and find out if parts were arranged differently, could the system still be carried out. They look at cells as well and see what...
Curated OER
Machinery In Society
Students explore technology by completing a worksheet in class. In this common machinery lesson, students define the different designs that make simple machines work such as wheels, pulleys and gears. Students utilize verbs to describe...
TLS Books
Space Shuttle
What do your pupils know about the space shuttle? They can find out more by reading this information sheet that chronicles the history and function of the space shuttle. The resource includes a brief timeline in addition to the...
Curated OER
Leaf Patterns
First graders explore the existence of patterns in everyday items. In this science and math integrated activity, 1st graders match leaves with a name word card and organize them into four patterns. This activity includes a reading of And...
Curated OER
The Digestive System
Discover how the human body's digestive system works with a brain and stomach friendly activity. Scholars taste test a variety of foods to find out how they behave once in the mouth. Class members then play a game called Move That...