Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Enrichment Activities - "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH"

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders read the novel "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH." They discuss the various characters in the book, and the different types of conflict that take place within the book. They also research owls and rats to make comparisons...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balloon Powered Race Cars

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students examine Newton's Law of Motion and use the formula to calculate speed.  In this laws of motion lesson plan students create a balloon powered car and calculate its speed and distance. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Going in Cycles: The Life of an Aluminum Can

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students investigate the manufacture of aluminum cans and consider the energy and resources saved when the cans are made from recycled material. They explore the concept of closed-loop recycling using charts, worksheets and discussion.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Going in Cycles: The Life of an Aluminum Can

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the life cycle of aluminum cans. In this recycling instructional activity, students review the manufacturing process and how to make a closed loop cycle. Students also have the opportunity to present what they've...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Drinkable Snow

For Teachers K - 4th
Young scholars explore snow. In this forms of water lesson, students read a story about snow, identify the types of snow found in Alaska, and learn Inuit words for snow. The lesson calls for an Intuit Elder to visit the classroom as a...
Worksheet
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My Shadow and Me

For Students K - 2nd
Practice making shadows with a kindergarten science experiment. After deciding which picture would represent the biggest shadow, kids use a flashlight to experiment with their own shadows. For extra fun, have kids mark their shadows...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Human Evolution: Biology, Bones

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Learners will love a weeks worth of bone study. They use bones and characteristics of bones to explore the evolution of hominoids. Bones are compared, categorized, and considered. A great way to bring physical anthropology and material...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nailing Rust

For Teachers 4th - 8th
When your upper elementary or middle school class is learning about chemical changes, these activities help demonstrate the concepts. In Part A, they submerge and place a nail partially underwater, then after a week they make...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Twirly Whirly Milk

For Teachers 1st
Student observe the effect soap (or detergent) has on the movement of food color in milk. Pupils observe the properties of solids and liquids while making butter. They read a poem, Shaking, and listen for ryhming words. Studdents...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Word Search

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Here is a word search that has more educational value than most. After finding the 14 words that have to do with natural resources, learners must then use the words in context. They answer 14 questions on the second page of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bouncing Bubbles

For Teachers K
Students complete a variety of activities exploring the joys and science of bubbles. They listen to the book "Bubbles Bubbles" by Mercer Mayer, create a bubble picture using Kid Pix, and explore blowing bubbles. Students experiment...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Look At Those Leaves!

For Teachers K - 2nd
Kids observe, classify, and measure tree leaves with a scientific eye. They examine leaves, group them according their attributes, and use standard units of measurement as they compare their sizes. They access a web site to learn how...
Lesson Plan
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science

A Strange Fish Indeed

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Communication is one of the most important aspects of science. In a two-day activity, your high school or college-level biologists will read excerpts from a fictional diary of Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, the woman who discovered the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plantable Pulp Cards

For Teachers K - 8th
What a great way to give a gift that keeps on giving! These homemade plantable cards are not only beautiful, but can be planted into the ground to sprout in the right season. Incorporate this project in a science unit, or for a Mother's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tree Cookies

For Teachers 4th - 8th
You will find a viewer-friendly PowerPoint on the growth rings and other features found in a cross-section of a tree trunk, affectionately known as a "tree cookie." A few worksheets are provided for practice counting tree rings and a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building A Solar Still

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students investigate the water cycle by viewing an online video.  For this drinking water lesson, students create solar stills at their campus in order to purify water that is tainted.  Students view a video on their computers...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forest Habitat Fragmentation

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders discuss the loss of animal habitats and the importance of refuge areas for them. They collect small pictures of animals found in their state and glue them to an outline of their state according to their range. Finally,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bringing Water to a Village in Lesotho

For Teachers K - 5th
Students research water in Lesotho. In this water lesson, students watch videos showing how  water comes to Lesotho Africa, they will compare this to how water is acquired in the US. Students will then create a mobile showing the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Applied Science - Science and Math Pre - Lab (Scientific Method)

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine science. In this scientific method lesson, students are introduced to what every experiment contains (hypothesis, critical thinking) and how an experiment is conducted. They watch a demonstration and then work...
Lesson Plan
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Growth of a Bean Documented by Child and Camera

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders photograph the growth of a bean plant and keep a daily written journal of observations. They drew, graphed and took notes on the plant growth which they compared to the photographic journal.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Deforestation of the Temperate Forest Focus; Russian Taiga/Boreal

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders complete a unit of lessons on the Russian Temperate Forest. They list the environmental problems associated with deforestation, conduct research, compare the Russian Taiga with other forests, create graphs, and develop an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Sounds Of Nature

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders investigate the concept of sounds in nature. The sound of a coqui frog is used as an example. They identify species of frogs by listening to the sounds they make. Also, 2nd graders experience and identify other sounds of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science: Suddenly Snow

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students engage in snow-related activities during the first winter snowfall. After explaining the elements needed for it to snow, they preserve snowflakes on frozen slides and observe them under a microscope. Then, they write diamante...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Gifts of Trees

For Teachers K - 5th
Students examine the various things trees give us. They read the book, "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein, cook a food using a tree fruit, create notepads using unused paper, construct a picture frame with twigs, and write a poem.