Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity A
Environmentally friendly engineering teams construct a water wheel and experiment with its speed and the resulting amount of weight it can lift. Consider following this activity with two more of the same title by the same publisher when...
Curated OER
Artifacts 1: What Can We Learn From Artifacts?
Sixth graders are introduced to artifacts and explore an online archaeological site to connect clues about how people once lived. In this deductive reasoning lesson, 6th graders participate in the stratigraphy game on Kids Dig...
Curated OER
Developing Civilizations and the Role of Rice
Student investigate how civilizations developed. In this rice farming lesson, 5th graders explore how rice cultivation changed through different civilizations. Students gain knowledge about different types of rice, where it's grown and...
Big Kid Science
Eclipse Classroom Activities: Cultural Significance Project
What better way to celebrate eclipses than across cultures? Explore myths of solar and lunar eclipses from ancient cultures like the Chinese, Ancient Greek, Mesoamerican, Incan, Egyptian, Ancient Babylonian, and Middle Eastern. Learners...
Curated OER
The Use of Myths in Science
Young scholars are told stories, myths and legend to explain their world. After telling the tales and discussion them, students are assigned to write a myth that describes a familiar situation, such as why the school garbage cans are...
Curated OER
The Use of Myths in Science
Students examine folk tales to determine the basis for scientific myths. They demonstrate through the discussion of the folk tales that the perception of the world has changed as new information is gained. They write their own folk...
Curated OER
It's Alive! Using Microorganisms in Cooking
Students create a KWL chart about food. For this chemistry lesson, students differentiate physical and chemical changes. They explain how microorganisms are used in food preparation.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Unit 4 Pre-Assessment
Pre-assessments are great to help teachers determine what information their classes lack, what misconceptions they have, and how in depth to teach specific concepts. The first in a five-part series is a pre-assessment of middle...
PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: Gardening
A Reading Adventure Pack invites scholars to start gardening. Following a reading of two books—fiction and nonfiction—young green thumbs repurpose food containers to grow an herb garden in their kitchen, plant seeds in starter pots out...
Curated OER
Fossils
In this earth science learning exercise, students use the clues given at the bottom of the sheet to solve the crossword puzzle on fossils. They identify specific names of fossils and how to make a mold of one.
Ocean Explorer
Looking for Clues
Upper graders become "shipwreck detectives" by studying the debris field from a shipwreck in the Aegean Sea which took place in the 700s. A website is accessed that gives specific information about the debris field, and pairs of...
Curated OER
Microbes & History: Microbial influence on the spread of Civilization
Students explore how to extract plant fibers from the flax plant Linum usitatissimum in the process of making linen fibers. Doing so spark interest in the importance of microbial action on the spread of human culture and civilization.
NASA
The Drake Equation
In this Drake Equation activity, students read about how scientists can estimate the number of intelligent civilizations that may exist in our galaxy. Students answer 7 questions about the Drake Equation and they use the internet to find...
Curated OER
Earth Rocks!
Young scholars study the basic elements of the Earth's crust: rocks, soils and minerals. They categorize rocks, soils and minerals and how they are literally the foundation for our civilization. They also explore how engineers use rock...
Curated OER
Forensic Detectives: Archaeology at Work
Dig in! Middle schoolers learn about archaeology by exploring the remnants of the Chiribaya bodies found in Illinois. Compare archaeological investigations, and then write a mystery detailing the discovery of a body! Consider bringing in...
Curated OER
Energy Through the Ages
In this energy through the ages worksheet, students read about the history of energy use beginning with early civilization and the use of water wheels for the production of energy to hydrocarbon-based coal, oil and natural gas of today....
Curated OER
MATERIALS, Using What’s Local: Native Materials, Local Sources
Students consider the development of different societies. In this environmental building instructional activity, students consider local resources and how societies choose to use them. Students use their findings to design a 'green'...
NASA
From Smoke Signals to Cell Phones: Tracing How Technologies Evolve
Explore the science of space exploration. Pupils consider technological advances in propulsion, communication, power, navigation, and imaging. They select one of these areas and create a timeline of historical progress that contributed...
NASA
Climate Change Online Lab
What are the key indicators that show scientists that our planet is in the fastest warming trend ever? Learners go on a WebQuest to examine the evidence for themselves. Following several links to NASA sites, kids see how the global...
Curated OER
How Does Climate Influence Civilization
Young scholars demonstrate their knowledge of the Earth's systems. In this climate lesson students identify the climate of a chosen area and the effects it has on the lifestyles of those living there.
Curated OER
Exploring the Science of Water in Art: Water Cycle Lesson Plans
Water cycle lesson plans provide an opportunity for teachers to collaborate, and students to discuss this important resource.
University of Waikato
Māui and the Sun
Using a Maori legend, How Maui Tamed the Sun, youngsters are introduced to the importance of sunlight to civilization. Teach them about nuclear fusion that occurs to produce the solar energy we later receive on Earth as...
Curated OER
Bones: Reading and Quiz
Make no bones about it- this anatomy activity is all about the human skeleton! Learners read a 2-page informational excerpt on bones and then use the information they learned to answer 9 recall questions, including 4 multiple-choice and...
Curated OER
History of Garbage
In this history of garbage worksheet, students read about the history of garbage from prehistoric times through the 1900s. Students learn about the how waste is managed in Palm Beach County.