PBS
Lesson Plan: “Seeing the Way: A Brief History of Cataract Surgery”
After looking at the history of cataract surgery techniques, your high schoolers will have a new perspective on medical and scientific advances. Kids alternate between watching short video clips, class discussion, and computer research....
Global Oneness Project
The Value of Ancient Traditions
Imagine having to give up cell phones, computers, and TV? What would be lost? What gained? An examination of the Drokpa, a nomadic people who live in the grasslands of Tibet, provides class members an opportunity to consider how access...
National Woman's History Museum
The Women of NASA
Human computers? Although it may sound like science fiction, the term was used to describe the women who made the NASA calculations before the advent of electronic computers. A 21-slide presentation introduces viewers to the women who...
Curated OER
The History of Life on Earth
Using meters as years, your class works together to map out the geologic time scale on a football field. Plenty of background information is included in this lesson plan as well as several resource links and a student worksheet. Your...
Curated OER
History of Chemistry: The Alchemists
Students research alchemy and the history of chemistry. In this chemistry history instructional activity, students examine laboratory apparatus and compare it to those used by the Alchemists. Students complete a research paper on an...
American Institute of Physics
When Computers Wore Skirts: Katherine Johnson, Christine Darden, and the “West Computers”
Did you know that people, known as computers, performed the complex calculations that are now done by electronic computers? Three of these human computers, Katherine Johnson, Christine Darden, and Melba Roy Mouton are featured in a...
Space Awareness
Navigation in the Ancient Mediterranean and Beyond
Ancient texts, like Homer's Odyssey, mentions navigating ships by observing constellations. Pupils learn about the link between history and astronomy as they relate to navigation in the Bronze Age. Scholars complete two hands-on...
Curated OER
A Discourse on the History of Language
Analyze and make inferences from the information used by linguists to construct the evolution of languages. They research different dating techniques to explain how scientists infer age with evidence.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Making of the Fittest: Got Lactase? The Co-evolution of Genes and Culture
Got milk? Only two cultures have had it long enough to develop the tolerance of lactose as an adult. Learn how the responsible genes evolved along with the cultures that have been consuming milk. This rich film is supplied with a few...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
History of Computing – EEEEK- A Mouse!
Young scholars examine the concepts of computer and mechanical engineering. They dissemble a computer mouse and create a new design for the mouse. They also design new enhancements for the mouse over time.
Teach Engineering
Red Rover Robotics
Help your class understand the importance of exploration using robots. with a resource that provides a short history of robotics as a lead into looking at Martian robotic exploration missions. The activity specifically looks at the...
Columbus City Schools
The Mystery of Earth’s History
Every living creature can leave a fossil record, yet most fossils belong to extinct organisms rather than ones currently living. Scholars learn about dating rock layers, fossils, and the environment of the past. Pupils understand that...
Curated OER
The Effect of Natural Selection on Genes, Traits and Individuals
Rotating through five stations, evolutionary biologists explore the question of how changes in DNA facilitate the changes in a population over time. High-quality, colorful cards of animals, skeletons, skulls, and DNA sequences can all be...
Curated OER
The Landscape of Luxembourg
Learners create a nature journal for an imaginary trip around Luxembourg, including a visit to the Mullerthal region. They identify animals and plants that live in Luxembourg and describe its landscape. In addition, they summarize and...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Campaign
The I-STOP law was designed to regulate the distribution and tracking of prescription drugs. After reading an article about its signing and implementation, middle and high schoolers work together to come up with their own ideas for an...
Curated OER
Kernels of Wisdom: Investigating Natural Variations in Corn
Here is a brain-popper! Corn, or more appropriately, maize, was intentionally domesticated by humans around 9,000 years ago and over a period of hundreds to thousands of years! Genetics and botany researchers have collaborated to find...
Curated OER
Celebrating 100 Years of Flight
Participate in the 100th anniversary of the first flight. In groups, learners use the internet to research the roles the Wright Brothers and Amelia Earhart played in promoting the use of flight. They use the information to write and...
Agriculture in the Classroom
A Holiday Tradition: Which Christmas Tree Will You Choose?
Different varieties of Christmas trees provide an interesting way to combine social studies, science, math, and technology. Class members not only research the history of the Christmas tree holiday tradition, they compare and...
Curated OER
Tools of the Trade
Students construct functional replicas of oceanographic tools and demonstrate and explain their use.
Curated OER
This Little Light of Mine
Elementary schoolers discover how electricity travels and create an electron flow through a closed circuit. They work together to make a closed circuit and observe the electricity being made. This outstanding lesson plan is well worth...
Curated OER
History of Natural Resources in the U.S.
Students define conservation, exploitation and preservation, identify legislation related to conservation and environmental issues, and identify leaders and organizations that were key to the conservation and environmental movements.
Curated OER
The "Science" of Racism
How can we keep racism out of our society? Analyze the factors that lead to racism today and research previous scientific findings that impacted social policy. Your high school students identify ways to prevent past mistakes from...
Curated OER
Bang! You're Alive
Students explore the Big Bang Theory and the Theory of Plate Tectonics. In this history of life lesson, students explain two ways the Theory of Plate Tectonics and the Big Bang are of direct benefits to humans.
Teach Engineering
Weather Forecasting
According to the Farmers' Almanac, the weather will be nice today. Class members examine how weather forecasting plays a part in their lives with a resource that provides information on the history of forecasting, from using cloud...