Curated OER
TEXTURE DRAWING
Third graders create a drawing based upon objects found outdoors through rubbing the side of a crayon onto a piece of paper covering the objects, to demonstrate different textures. They share their different drawings and verbally compare...
Curated OER
From Automobiles to Cars
Students research important inventions from the last two hundred years. They explore how one invention relates to another and summarize their research in a written report and visual presentation.
Curated OER
Biodegradable Plastics
Students prepare a type of biodegradable plastic. They design method(s) to compare its properties with some common plastics that are readily available in the market. They later advance to identifying variables in an experiment and fair...
Curated OER
Paleoindian Hunter
Sixth graders utilize their prior knowledge of the Woolly Mammoth to hypothesize what life was like for the Paleoindians. They write a story about a day in the life of a Paleoindian hunter.
Curated OER
My Heritage Country Report
Students list five food dishes that are part of their family's heritage. Each student then does research of a country and a recipe (possibly a family recipe). With the help of members of his/her kitchen group, the student prepares the dish.
Curated OER
Row, Tow, Pull Your Boat
Third graders use previous knowledge and research to analyze and solve a scenario relating to the use of simple machines and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They present their findings to the class in oral presentations.
Curated OER
Civil War Letter
Students develop a question they are interested in researching about the Civil War. After completing a webquest on the war, they write a letter to their partner using the information they gathered. They use peer editing to check for...
Curated OER
Exploration of Civil War Webquest
Young scholars use the internet to research what life was like for Confederate and Union soldiers in a specific battle of interest to them. In groups, they complete a webquest on the battle in which one represents a Confederate soldier...
Curated OER
Science: Testing Water for Toxicity
Learners investigate the potential toxicity of water samples using California blackworms to test water quality. They observe the worms' behaviors in different water samples and determine which sample has the highest toxicity. At the...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Sound: A Lesson in Length and Pitch
For this classroom guided inquiry lesson, students will rotate through five stations of various sound instruments to look at how length affects pitch. The five sound stations include: straw flutes, xylophone, water phone, palm pipes, and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: American Field Guide: Teacher Resources
American Field Guide is a tremendous resource for you and your students. Embedded within this site you will find lesson plans that weave segments of video together into units of inquiry around specific topics. The lessons in the units of...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: What's the Matter: Concentration Game
What's the Matter? is a guided inquiry lesson plan on classification of matter, physical and chemical properties, and physical and chemical changes. There are two parts to this lesson plan: (a) concentration game for definitions and (b)...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Rocks
In this classroom guided inquiry lesson plan, students will become geologists. They will investigate rocks and the properties we can use to describe them. Students will observe, record, and reflect on their findings. They will record...
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Inquiry Boards
[Free Registration/Login Required] Use these inquiry boards to help guide your lessons and take notes on various observations.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: The Five Senses
An activity where students try to identify objects using only their senses, with and without a blindfold. The lesson plan is also appropriate for special needs or ELL students in higher grades.
NASA
Nasa: Meteorology
Educator's resource guide to be used as a supplement to existing curriculum and to enhance the understanding of inquiry-based learning from both the educator/teacher's perspective as well as from the learner's perspective. Individual...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Interactive Forum
Read two poems and follow the prompts to interpret them using four approaches: reader response, inquiry, cultural studies, and critical pedagogy. Use the prompts to guide personal reflection, launch a lesson with students, or join an...
Other
International Education and Resource Network:i Earn Usa
This site contains tools which support both students of all ages and their teachers in project-based learning. Content for educators includes methods for incorporating projects into lesson plans and the overall curriculum. Student...
Technovation
Curiosity Machine: Challenges: Engineer a Speedboat
This challenge has students using a zip line to guide a boat to move through the water for long distances. To help the students build a fast and steady boat this site contains a lesson plan as well as tips. Students can also document...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Chemical Reactions: Investigating Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions
In this 9th grade physical science guided inquiry, students will work in pairs to discover the indicators of chemical reactions. Each pair of students is assigned either an exothermic or endothermic reaction. Based on their observations,...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Types of Chemical Reactions and Predicting Products
The guided inquiry activity enables young scholars to identify the five basic types of reactions - synthesis or composition, decomposition, combustion, single replacement and double replacement. Students will also begin to predict the...
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Water
The Science of Water Teacher's Guide provides a number of inquiry-based activities for grades 3-5 (although it can be expanded for other grades). The guide contains science lessons that enable students to explore water, behavior of...
SRI International
Performance Assessment Links in Science: Ice Melting
A lesson plan for guiding students through a simple research experiment focused on transfer of energy is described for teacher administration and student explanation. Also includes a detailed rubric for evaluating student work.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: Jamestown: The Starving Time
This lesson plan provides a great opportunity for young scholars to engage in real historical inquiry with prepared sources. The lesson plan is displayed in three locations on the site: the student view, which guides the student through...