Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Descending to the Challenge: Developing Documentaries About the Deep Ocean

For Teachers 7th - 12th
The video clip that comprises the warm up is not available, but the related article from The New York Times and the movie trailer for Aliens of the Deep are, leaving enough material to make this a fascinating lesson on deep-sea...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Looking for a Windshield Experience

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students identify American geography by participating in a national parks activity. In this road trip lesson, students view the Ken Burns documentary "National Parks" and identify the importance of automobiles in the park system....
Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

The Parched Plains: Weather And Climate

For Teachers 6th - 8th
How do meteorologists differentiate between droughts and dry spells? Introduce the concepts of weather forecasting and prediction with an insightful research-based lesson from the K20 series. Partners synthesize individual research from...
Lesson Plan
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Channel Islands Film

Santa Cruz Island - Visible Thinking Routines

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
Visible Thinking Routines are designed to help learners deepen their understanding of what they are learning and enable them to communicate their understanding of concepts to others. Individuals adopt one of these routines to use to...
Lesson Plan
1
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Channel Islands Film

Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 3

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How far have California's Channel islands moved? What was the rate of this movement? Class members first examine data that shows the age of the Hawaiian island chain and the average speed of the Pacific Plate. They then watch West...
Unit Plan
Kenan Fellows

Unit 4: Bioethics and the Future of Biotechnology

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What's the future of biotechnology? Explore a hot topic in the fourth and final unit in a series of Biotechnology lessons. Learners develop an understanding of the many issues in bioethics, then create an argument for or against the role...
Lesson Plan
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Human Skin Color: Evidence for Selection

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Skin color is controlled by at least six genes. Young scientists learn about skin colors through a documentary. They discuss the topics of pigment, natural selection, and vitamin D absorption. They apply their knowledge to higher order...
Lesson Plan
Global Oneness Project

Protecting Wilderness

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Would you live in a tree for three years to protect a redwood forest? Viewers of Rainhouse Cinema's Among Giants documentary consider the actions of Earth First! environmental activists who moved into the treetops of a grove of giant...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

This is America

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners explore world geography by viewing a documentary film in class. For this national parks lesson, students view the Ken Burns documentary about the subject and identify the contributions of individuals in support of the parks...
Lesson Plan
Oceanic Research Group

Heat Transfer and Cooling

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Astronauts train underwater to simulate the change in gravity. An out-of-this-world unit includes three hands-on activities, one teacher demonstration, and a discussion related to some of the challenges astronauts face. Scholars apply...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Clean Water and World Water Day

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students investigate World Water Day in relation to clean water that should be used responsibly. They create lists of ten things they use water for and compare their answers in small groups. They research a documentary for World Water...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mars rovers' Next Stop: IMAX

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students read an article and discuss it.  In this Mars rover activity students complete an activity that allows them to see things through a different viewpoint. 
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

What Happens When Invasive Species Are Introduced

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Helping students understand the dangers of nonnative species is an important part of ecology and environmental science lessons.