Curated OER
Introduction to the Scientific Method
Students participate in an experiment and learn to record it using the scientific method. In this biodegradable plastics lesson, students follow the scientific method to complete an inquiry. Students complete an experiment with a...
Curated OER
What's in Wetland Soil?
Students examine the organic and inorganic components of soil. In this environmental science lesson, students identify the factors that influence soil formation. They collect soil samples, conduct tests, and analyze the results.
Curated OER
The Aquatic Environment
Fifth graders focus on the various types of fish living in different water environments. In groups, they research the different methods used to fish and participate in experiments to determine the effects of mercury on fish, the...
Curated OER
Design an Instrument
Learners design an instrument. For this sound, vibration and pitch lesson, students learn about the characteristics of sound, vibration and pitch. Learners design a guitar using the assembled craft materials and demonstrate how...
Curated OER
Big Enough?
Students explore the concept of density and buoyancy. In this physics lesson, students discover the different factors that affect an object's density and buoyancy in water. Students conduct several investigations to further...
Curated OER
Determining the Age of Fossils
Students examine the concept of radioactive dating. In this radioactive dating lesson, students investigate how to determine the ages of fossils and rocks as they learn about half-life radioactive decay.
Curated OER
Ocean Exploration
Students explore a simulated ocean floor. In this environmental lesson plan, students take on roles of an ocean dive team exploring the ocean floor. Dive logs will be created and the students will explore their sections of simulated...
Curated OER
Classification and Attributes
Middle schoolers classify objects based on their attributes. They explain how archaeologists use classification to help answer research questions.
Curated OER
The Battle of Stones River: The Soldiers' Story
Learners organize items in a "doohickey kit" distributed by the teachers, creating categories using classification schemes. In this classification lesson, students compare systems within groups and write questions that could be answered...
Curated OER
Moon Craters Lab
Students explore characteristics of mass. In this scientific inquiry about mass lesson plan, students drop rocks of different weights from various heights and record the depth of the "crater" created. Students record their findings...
Curated OER
Surface Water Supplies And The Texas Settlements
Pupils engage in a lesson plan that is concerned with the allocation and finding of water resources. The location of different settlement areas is considered as one looks how the water is distributed. They map some of the early Spanish...
Curated OER
Ancient Hunters of the Great Lakes
Students describe theories on how the first humans came to America and show the evidence that supports it. For this investigative lesson students study given material and prepare written or oral reports in their groups.
Curated OER
Mercury in the Environment
Young scholars develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry. They develop an understanding of chemical reactions, structures and properties of matter. They develop decision-making skills in natural and human-induced hazards.
Curated OER
The Puzzle of the Ice Age Americans
Young scholars describe alternative theories for how the first humans cane to America. In this human origin lesson students study the origins of the first Americans.
Curated OER
The First Amendment
Students examine the freedoms and rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students review court cases and create a collage that require them to consider the right they are guaranteed by the First Amendment.
Curated OER
Tidepool Island Biogeography
Students experience and test island biogeography ideas by comparing diversity and abundance of rocky inter-tidal patches. Working, in groups of three, they investigate rocks and creatures found in a tidepool. Lesson plan designed for...
Curated OER
Decomposing Artifacts
Seventh graders participate in an experiment in which they calculate the time of decomposition of different materials. In groups, they fill bags with different materials and cover them in soil. After six months, they create a line graph...
Curated OER
Chemical Bonding
Eighth graders identify the three main types of chemical bonds. In this chemistry lesson, 8th graders draw Lewis dot diagrams of elements and determine the bond formed. They create a model water molecule.
Curated OER
Introduction to Ecology
Eighth graders identify the living and nonliving components of an ecosystem. In this ecology lesson, 8th graders explain the role each organism plays. They participate in class discussion and answer a quiz at the end of the lesson.
Curated OER
Mineral Lab
Eighth graders examine the physical properties of different minerals. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders explain the uses of minerals in their daily lives. They complete the mineral identification table during the lesson.
Curated OER
Bermuda: Search for Deep Water Caves 2009: Out of Darkness
Students analyze the three models on the origin of troglobitic fauna. In this life science lesson, students also consider how the Zonation model explains the fauna's origin. They also use the Internet to research solutional and volcanic...
Curated OER
Changes Inside Planets
Students investigate the concept of planetary differentiation. They complete an experiment to simulate it using gelatin and food. The lesson includes vocabulary to increase reading comprehension skills as part of the inquiry. The lesson...
Curated OER
Contextual Clues
Students observe and interpret images of artifacts in different contexts in order to recognize importance of leaving artifacts in original context to correctly understand their meaning, and observe what is surrounding object to interpret...
Curated OER
How Old Is Mike?
Young scholars examine the absolute dating of fossils, they use a list of names and ages to determine the difference between relative age and absolute age. They explore the relative age and absolute age of people and of fossils.