Students discover organisms that inhabit the soil, the beneficial an detrimental roles these organisms play, and the interactions between the organisms and their environment and other organisms. Students participate in four hands-on ...

Students explore the world of insects and discover what it might be like to live like one. They create an insect with physical characteristics and demonstrate how it moves. Students also compare and contrast insects to spiders and how...

Students conduct a hands-on experiment growing crystals to demonstrate the nature of science as inquiry. They discuss and test variables that affect crystal growth. They research mineral crystallization and mineral formation on the...

Students complete poetry analysis activities. In this poetry analysis instructional activity, students consider the use of imagery and sound devices in poetry. Students translate poetry into another art, read a diverse selection of...

Fourth graders study the uniquely diverse structural design of leaves and demonstrate knowledge of interdependence between structure and environment through research, laboratory activity and written summary.

Second graders name the various materials that comprise soil, including weathered rock and other organic matter; and explain that soils differ in their color, texture, capacity to retain water, and ability to support the growth of many...

Students list and describe the three types of fingerprint patterns. They list and describe three layers of fingerprints that can be made. They explain why we leave fingerprints.

Learners are introduced to basic engineering principles, road construction and material science. They explore how material properties and strength can be affected. Students become Civil Engineers by both creating Asphalt cookies and by...

Middle schoolers collect and microscopically examine seeds from the school yard and neighborhood. In small groups, they draw and discuss the shapes of the seeds to determine each plant's method of dispersal. they also test two types of...

Students explore the organisms that live on counters or surfaces in the classroom. In this mold experiment, students observe mold in different conditons.  Students record their observations on a worksheet. Students understand how...

Students learn the art of lifting a fingerprint and write about the procedure.

Students explore how telescopes work, build a model of their own, and consider how real telescopes can be used to ask-and help answer-questions about the universe.

Third graders experiment with three erosive change agents. They do an observation log, which they present to the class through a song, poem or skit.

Students view photographs depicting soil compression. They use soil and sponges to observe how soil can be compacted, and its implications.

Students examine insects and identify physical characteristics of insects. They perform observations of insects, then use a worksheet imbedded in this plan to answer questions about them.

Fifth graders examine different types of rocks and classify rocks by their different characteristics. In small groups they sort their rocks into two categories, then create three categories to sort by on a sorting worksheet. Next, they...

Middle schoolers inspect several different specimens of insects and spiders to determine characteristics that are similar and different between the two groups. They identify the basic body structure of spiders and insects and then...

Students begin their study of insect life cycles by listening to a read aloud of Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. They learn the vocabulary of metamorphosis including egg, larva, pupa, chrysalis, and adult. They observe actual...

Students investigate how rocks are composed minerals by dissecting rock cookies.

Sixth graders identify the parts of a flower, and tell the difference between monocots and dicots. They group plant by leaf types and characteristics placing the information in table form on the computer.

Students observe pictures of the Titanic sailing and at the bottom of the ocean. They hypothesize the cause of the Titanic tragedy and engage in deeper questioning while one student writes responses on the board. They then work in groups...

Students read The Lorax and discuss how human actions can affect the environment. They conduct a simple experiment to see how much air pollution is in the air that they breathe.

Students collect, study and observe the pollution in our air. They list three kinds of pollution that they think is in our air. Students comprehend that the atmosphere is almost completely made up of invisible gaseous substances. They...

Students share verbally at least one thing that makes them unique, observe, compare and record their fingerprints, classify which of the basic fingerprints resemble their own and share their findings.