Beyond Benign
Water Bottle Unit
How much plastic do manufacturers use to create water bottles each year? The class explores the number of water bottles used throughout the years to determine how many consumers will use in the future. Class members compare different...
Florida Center for Reading Research
Comprehension: Text Analysis, Compare and Contrast
Grab any two topics, some index cards, and a couple of kids, and you're ready to compare and contrast! The resource provides instructions for this method and three graphic organizers in addition to or in place of the index cards.
Curated OER
How Much Water?
Students investigate amount of water available in different countries around the world, compare it to their daily water use, and explore how unequal distribution of water can cause challenges to survival. Students then discuss need to...
American Chemical Society
Finding Volume: The Water Displacement Method
We have formulas for finding the volume of geometric shapes, but what if the shape is irregular? Lesson describes how to find volume through water displacement. After a demonstration, scholars practice in small groups. Then analysis...
Curated OER
Water Uses and Children's Lives in East Africa
Young scholars identify how water use is part of life and culture. Students record their daily water usage and compare results with classmates. Young scholars complete the graphic organizer on water and children. Students compose an...
EngageNY
Contrasting Evidence: “Water Is Life” and The Big Thirst
Sometimes differing arguments support the same claim. Scholars complete a graphic organizer comparing how two authors support the claim that people need to better manage the world's water supply. Pupils also complete a graphic organizer...
EngageNY
Contrasting Authors’ Use of Evidence: Bottled Water
Apples to oranges, Dasani to Aquafina. Using a Venn diagram, scholars contrast two authors' use of evidence on the topic of bottled water. Additionally, they continue reading Charles Fishman's The Big Thirst and answering text-dependent...
University of Waikato
Make and Use a Hydrophone
Using a home-built hydrophone, pupils investigate how things sound in water. Learners listen to sounds created in air and then compare that to the same sound picked up by the hydrophone. Individuals compare the loudness and the pitch of...
US Geological Survey
Water, Water, Everywhere?
Less than one percent of the earth's water is available for human use. A hands-on activity models the phenomenon for young scientists. Beginning with a specific volume of water, learners remove water that correlates to the percent of...
University of Waikato
Temperature, Salinity and Water Density
The difference between sinking and floating may be a little salt. Young experimenters analyze the effect of salt and temperature on the density of water. They use their results to predict the effect of climate change on ocean ecosystems.
Curated OER
Down the Drain: How Much Water Do You Use?
Participate in an Internet-based project to share information about water usage with other students. Collect information about water usage and compare it to the average used by people in other parts of the world.
American Chemical Society
Why Does Water Dissolve Salt?
Individuals explore solubility by modeling how water dissolves salts. They then view a video and compare how well water and alcohol dissolve salts, relating their comparisons to the structure of each molecule.
American Chemical Society
Comparing the Amount of Acid in Different Solutions
Upcoming chemists use chemical reactions to determine relative pH in two different acids. This is a terrific lesson for middle schoolers that can stand alone as a practice in precision and lab skills, or as part of the unit on chemical...
Curated OER
Water Treatment Plant
Second graders create their own water treatment system. In this water treatment lesson, 2nd graders create the water treatment system and record how it works. Students list materials they used and write about what they saw. Students then...
Curated OER
Water, Water Everywhere?
Students discover the relationship between water availability and population growth. They change variables in a computer model using a worksheet to guide their hypotheses and conclusions. In small groups they choose a country undergoing...
Curated OER
A Comparison Study of Water Vapor Data to Precipitation over North America
Students use NASA satellite data to compare water vapor over the United States. For this data analysis lesson students use an Excel spreadsheet to map their data.
NASA
Freshwater Availability Classroom Activity
This science assignment produced by NASA teaches inquiring minds the distribution of Earth's water. Learners will appreciate and understand the importance of fresh water and how weather and climate affects everything.
Curated OER
The Great Water Hunt
Students examine a globe to locate the bodies of water present and create a representation of those bodies of water for further exploration of the concept. Extensions of their observations are made at school, home, and the community.
Michigan Sea Grant
What's in This Water?
Pupils investigate the biological and chemical characteristics of water to determine where purple loosestrife occurs. They create data sheets to record water quality tests in several locations and work in groups to conduct the water...
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Examine water pollution and legislation through this reading comprehension worksheet, intended to correspond with a specific text but valuable even without it. Learners read 10 sentences, unscrambling the bold word to complete each (i.e....
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore water and ice. In this physical science lesson, students participate in a science inquiry and observe the characteristics of ice and water. Students compare the differences between a solid and liquid and record their...
Curated OER
A Comparison of Land and Water Temperature
Students examine NASA satellite observations of surface temperature and investigate the seasonal changes of land and water temperature.
Curated OER
Comparing Cultures
Young readers compare two stories/cultures, identifying how they are alike and different. They share their own version of a well-known story and adapt it to another culture. They explain their adaptations.
Curated OER
Compare and Order Fractions and Decimals
In this compare and order fractions and decimals practice activity, 6th graders sharpen their problem solving skills as they solve 6 story problems.