Young scholars investigate several organisms, set sticky traps to collect them, and attempt to identify and classify them using a variety of sources. The origins of the organisms are traced and their adaptive features examined.

Students conduct an experiment to investigate the rate of microbial growth at different temperatures. Students predict what will happen to the food at various temperature and test their hypotheses. Students describe the differences in...

Pint-sized zoologists practice the art of observation. They take notes, pictures or written, as they observe an animal for a period of time. This can be done at the zoo, with a visiting classroom animal, or perhaps at the humane society....

Get your class outside to observe their surroundings with a lesson highlighting weather patterns and seasonal changes. First, learners take a weather walk to survey how the weather affects animals, people, plants, and trees during...

Third graders examine photographs as primary source documents. Students are broken into groups and are given photographs of the See Family.

Explore the concept of shapes by using tools in Kid Pix Deluxe 4 computer program. This techno-shapes lesson has pupils watching a video about shapes, and using the Kid Deluxe 4 computer program to draw shapes. They get to...

Students discover the role microorganisms play in our lives. In this decomposition lesson, students examine decaying foods and plants in order to analyze the different bacteria that grows. Students discuss the good and bad of...

Beginning biologists learn the characteristics of the five classes in the arthropod phylum. A student handout lists characteristics to help them identify five specimens. You will need to collect an example of each: arachnida, crustacea,...

Comparative anatomy prevails in the lesson exploring diversity among invertebrates. Biologists examine physical characteristics of an earthworm from phylum annelida and a meal worm from phylum insecta. They also inspect a cricket and a...

Create tomatoes in 15-20 minutes using this fun and interactive lesson plan! Learners listen to a book about tomatoes (recommendations listed), and focus on the vocabulary word tomato. They count the syllables...

Do you eat more when you are hot or when you are cold? Young scientists observe the eating pace of two caterpillars at different temperatures. The differences in endotherm and ecotherm animals' ability to adjust to temperature change...

Some organisms spend their entire lives in leaf litter. The third in a series of six is a great lesson plan exploring the community of leaf litter. Groups gather and then spread leaf litter over white paper and remove leaves/twigs while...

Third graders demonstrate the effects of varying environmental components on plants and animals: chemical, physical and biological characteristics of a habitat. They find chemical, physical and biological characteristics of the lake at...

Students name the three parts that comprise an insect body. In this ant instructional activity, students make connections regarding the curiosity of insects as it touches upon the students' personal perspectives. Students then...

Take young geologists on an exploration of the rock cycle with this six-lesson earth science unit on rocks and minerals. Through a series of discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on investigations your class will learn...

Primary sources are valuable for understanding the context of historical events, but the diction and dialect in these documents can be difficult to understand. Middle and high schoolers participation in a transcription process in which...

Students share experiences they have had with different types of seeds. After being read a story, they are given a lima bean in which they split apart and examine the inside. To end the lesson plan, they share their own ideas on how they...

Third graders are reminded of the "investigation" of the world of work that they have been conducting since kindergarten. They are asked: "Where have you gathered information about careers?" and Where else might you obtain information?...

Students study different inventors and inventions.  In this invention introduction lesson students pretend that they are an inventor and come up with their own invention.  

Using a SMART board presentation (provided), your class discusses the characterization of Lenny, George, Curley, Curley's wife, and the farmhands in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. The presentation includes a list of traits for...

Students will be offered numerous opportunities to further enhance their observational skills as well as the integration of math with their continual exposure to the metric system, measurement, and graphing to represent their data....

To observe preservation techniques firsthand, learners dry a flower in sand and compare cucumber slices soaked in salt water for a week with slices left out to dry in the open air. Video resources (not attached) include one about mummies...

Third graders review and expand their discussion of job training and education resources. They work in small groups to find information about the types of training people need to do specific jobs and use data from interviews carried out...

Students compare and constrast a wide variety of minerals and rocks. They test them for streak, luster, color and other characteristics. They view an exhibit and compare their answers to them.