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What Do You SUBpose?
Submarines are the fous of this math and science instructional activity. In it, learners explore the world of submarines: how they work, and what they are used for. They engage in hands-on activities, watch video clips, and work in...
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Making Variables More Concrete
When teaching about the different types of variables, practice is the key.
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Apply Scientific Inquiry and Scientific Habits of Mind
High schoolers review the components of the scientific inquiry method. In groups, they develop hypothesis on the issue given to them by their teacher and inquiry questions. They state the data in terms of qualitative and quantitative...
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The Birds and the Beaks
Learners explore the adaptations that birds have. In this adaptations lesson students view a video and create a concept map of birds and their adaptive traits.
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If Peter Pan Can Fly, Why Can't I?
Students redesign a human, using data in research, so that s/he can fly. In this flying instructional activity, students examine the characteristics and adaptations of groups of animals that can fly. Using this research, students...
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Boomerangs Keep Coming Back
Students investigate the flight of paper boomerangs. In this flight lesson plan, students examine the flight variables of paper boomerangs, which they make, by investigating the concepts of lift and drag. They examine what happens when...
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Water Filtration
Students investigate our water system and how it is filtered. In this science lesson, students perform a laboratory activity to investigate the process that goes into filtering water. They relate this activity to other subject areas...
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Giraffe Riff Raff
Students study the effects of wildlife conservation and relocation. In this conservation lesson students view video on the preservation of the giraffe populations and discuss the impact that humans have had on them.
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Snack Attack: Food Packaging Activity
Students design and create packaging material for food. For this snack attack lesson, students design a package to protect a food item from heat and water. Students consider costs of materials, design, and test the package to see if it...
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Performing Well Under Pressure
Students study the physical properties of minerals and illustrate their functions. In this mineral lesson students construct models of some minerals.
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Energy Motion in the Ocean
Students explore the wave energy that is generated and transferred in the ocean. Through the use video and the Internet, students explore the aspects of a wave and how its energy affects the ecology of the seashore.
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Stream Table
Students explore channelization, riparian habitats and soil erosion to find out about the aquatic habitats in Iowa. In this aquatic habitats lesson, students define important terms and read an article about pollution. ...
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Pangaea Puzzle: Exploring the Tectonic Forces That Shape the Earth
Sixth graders follow in the footsteps of early scientists as they put the pieces of Pangaea back together and discovered the forces that create the variety of landforms and sea-floor features of our Earth.
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A Neighborhood Expedition
Students plan and conduct an expedition through their neighborhood based on the techniques used by the Harriman Expedition to Alaska in 1899. They research the Harriman expedition on the internet and then create a route and collection...
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Earth, the Universe, and Culture
Middle schoolers view segment of documentary, Swift: Eyes Through Time, explore famous scientists, their theories, places of origin, and culture, document scientific viewpoints of famous scientists throughout history, and discuss...
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You Can Die Here
Students examine Death Valley including the amount of precipitation and winds that it gets. In this climate based lesson plan students explain the reasons for the amount of precipitation and windward patterns in Death Valley.
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Meeting an Earthworm
Students inspect the anatomy of earthworms. In this earthworm lesson plan, students participate in a hands-on experiment as they analyze the structure of earthworms. Students demonstrate mastery through differentiated products. Lesson...
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Identifying an Earthworm
Students navigate the Internet to learn to identify Earthworms. In this taxonomy lesson, students explore species of earthworms finding their characteristics and using photographs to identify the species. Students research information to...
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Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Students explore the three main forms of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. They examine concrete examples of each, using their five senses and "experimenting" to find differences in them. They find pictures of each, cut them out and past...
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Water and Ice
Students explore the states of matter. In this physical science lesson, students observe what happens to water when it freezes and record observations. Students then observe ice when it melts and record observations.
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Changes In Matter, "The Big Chill"
Third graders investigate why ice cream does not go through any chemical changes when it is exposed to physical changes. They describe the three states of matter in either written or verbal form. Then students experiment with ice cream...
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The Frog Experiment
Your science class reads a silly story in which a mad scientist makes absurd conclusions about an experiment that he conducted. One at a time, he cuts off a frog's leg and commands it to jump. With three, two, and one leg, the frog...
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Burn, Baby Burn (Or Not)
Physics learners apply the concepts of fluid pressure input and output to firefighting. Divide your class into small groups and give them each a few cards that list nozzle type, hose length, hose size, and structure dimensions, They are...
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Scientific Data: It's Not as Pretty as It Looks!
The difference between accuracy and precision is fundamental for high school science learners. Using test kits for nitrate concentration in water, they compare readings with each other. They consider the accuracy, precision, and bias of...