Rivanna Regional Stormwater Education Partnership
Invisible Passengers
How does water pollution affect the organisms living in the water? Use three science experiments to examine how erosion and other pollutants can affect water quality. Each experiment focuses on a different aspect of pollution and...
Curated OER
How Sedimentary Rocks are Formed
Students investigate the stripes in sedimentary rocks, using a structure at Petra, Jordan, as an example, and then do a hands-on activity using mixed nuts to illustrate the layering of sedimentary rocks.
Curated OER
Relative Age Dating
Modeling dough and paper cutouts in science class? Learn about how relative age dating concepts, like the Law of Superposition and cross-cutting relationships, can be used to describe the formation of sedimentary layers.
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Here is a fine lesson for fifth graders that will give them an idea of the variety of impacts that human-introduced pollutants have on the environment. After an initial class discussion and teacher-led demonstration, pupils brainstorm...
American Museum of Natural History
Piecing It All Together
Archaeology digs are much like giant jigsaw puzzles. The artifacts found are often in pieces and scientists must reconstruct them. A hands-on activity lets young archaeologists experience this facet of the job as they create, smash, and...
Curated OER
Understanding Waves
Young scholars examine the physical properties of waves to explore the word crest and trough. They use toys to study waves in air, water and light.
Curated OER
Worms, Nature's Recyclers!
Students study what worms need to survive in different environments. They study how worm composting improves soil and reduce waste. They discuss composting techniques and present a puppet show about a worm's life.
Curated OER
Air Pressure
Students perform experiments that demonstrate the characteristics of air pressure. In this physics lesson, students participate and observe experiments using simple household items. The results of these experiments are used to help the...
Curated OER
Digging the Earth's Crust
Students investigate the Earth's crust. In this geology lesson plan, students identify the materials made up of the Earth's crust and investigate the different kinds of soil.
Curated OER
Archaeological Soils
Learners evaluate how archaeologists use soils to interpret sites and determine components of a soil sample.
Curated OER
The Composition of Soil
For this composition of soil worksheet, students study the make-up of soil by identifying the amount of air in the soil, the amount of water in the soil, the size of the mineral grains in the soil and the proportion of humus in the soil....
Curated OER
Soil Soakers
Students work together to discover the relationship between water holding and drainage characteristics of soils. They record their observations and discuss the results. They examine particle size and pore sizes as well.
Curated OER
Magnets
Students demonstrate the process of science by posing questions and investigating phenomena through language, methods and instruments of science as they experiment at four teacher-created stations to explain the fundamentals of magnetism.
Curated OER
Weathering Rocks
Fourth graders investigate what natural events cause rocks to break apart and differentiate between erosion and weathering. They conduct an experiment with plaster of paris to observe why some rocks are hard and others break, and...
Curated OER
Those Amazing Earthworms- A Worm's World
Young scholars investigate earthworms. In this organisms lesson, students observe earthworms in their environment and record their behavior towards light and how they eat. Young scholars continue on a month long observation.
Curated OER
Light
Students explore light. In this light wave physics lesson, students construct periscopes, kaleidoscopes, color wheels, and pinhole cameras. Students observe and record characteristics of light demonstrated through the use of these tools.
Curated OER
Priceless Gifts
Students explore the concepts of friendship. In this character education lesson, students read the book Priceless Gifts and discuss friendship. Students illustrate a picture of them doing something nice for a friend and connect the...
Curated OER
Fieldwork: Horizons Under Ground: Digging Through Wetland Soil
Learners study the different soil types and describe the different soils in various environments. In this soil lesson students walk to a reserve and discuss what they saw.
Curated OER
All About Ants
Students create model ants in order to study the characteristics of insects such as body segments, number of legs, and feelers, as well as how these characteristics serve the insect.
Curated OER
The Action of Groundwater
In this groundwater learning exercise, students will compare the permeability of water through 3 different materials and then complete 4 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Is Our Water Clean?
Students identify qualities of clean water and develop an awareness of people in the community who keep our water clean.
Curated OER
How Fire Burns
Students observe teacher demonstration, discuss Fire Triangle, examine three things that fire needs to continue burning, including fuel, oxygen, and heat, and discuss how Stop, Drop, and Roll strategy is safest method of stopping...
Curated OER
Is Our Water Clean?
Students identify qualities of clean water which will develop an awareness of people in the community who keep our water clean. This lesson has a literature tie-in with the "Magic School Bus" series.