California Academy of Science
Fish Prints
What do a dead fish, conservation, and paint have in common? The answer is a great instructional activity about fish anatomy, fun print making techniques, and unsustainable fishing practices. The class will start by making fish...
Curated OER
Are Polymers Photodegradable?
Learners study the term photodegradability and how it applies to the 6-pack loop ring. In this materials lesson students test photodegradability of the 6-pack plastic ring.
Curated OER
Seashell Homes
Pupils listen to a story about seashells. They discuss shelled animals. Learners describe the function of seashell. Pupils relate the function of a seashell to their own dwelling. They differentiate between shelled animals that make...
Kenan Fellows
Use of Dichotomous Keys to Identify Stream Organisms
What kind of organisms are living in the stream? After an explanation on how to use a dichotomous key, groups of three to four use the keys to identify macroinvertebrates from a local freshwater stream. Using the the concept of...
Virginia Department of Education
Biomes of the World
Incorporate knowledge about biomes and ecosystems in multiple ways while encouraging creativity. Emerging ecologists collaborate and perform research to complete a graphic organizer about various biomes of the world. They conclude the...
Curated OER
Light Stick Chemistry
In groups of three with the lights off and the shades drawn, investigators place inactivated light sticks, in three beakers: one filled with ice water, another with lukewarm water, and the other with room temperature water. They wait...
Virginia Department of Education
The Cycles of Nature
Encourage peer collaboration and assist with the creation of visual aids to identify carbon, water, and nitrogen cycles as your class learns more about nature. They discuss relative information, create a visual aid...
Curated OER
Underwater Hide and Seek
Students explain why color patterns that are easy to see above water may be difficult to detect under water and experience the problems predators face when searching for camouflaged prey.
Curated OER
The Water Cycle and Sources of Pollution
Students make an island that has a construction site on it. They spill siulated pollution and trash on top of the island and then water it to simulate rain. They will observe how the rain washes dirt, sand, and pollution off the island...
Curated OER
Is the Hudson River Too Salty to Drink?
Young scholars explore reasons for varied salinity in bodies of water. In this geographical inquiry lesson, students use a variety of visual and written information including maps, data tables, and graphs, to form a hypothesis as to why...
Curated OER
Coral Reef Conservation
Young scholars conduct discussions on current threats to coral reefs around the world and write letters to conservation organizations urging support for coral reef protection.
Curated OER
Blame It On El Nino
Students study the weather phenomenon El Nino is and what causes it, and recognize how remote sensing technology can detect and predict El Nino. Students discover how El Nino affects weather conditions throughout the globe through research.
Curated OER
Questions - Appearances are Deceiving
Five evolution-related questions are answered by beginning biologists on a separate sheet of paper. First, they are asked to list adaptations that allow organisms to survive under various conditions. The second question refers to...
Curated OER
Earth Materials Module
This slide show progresses through a comprehensive review of the grounding principles of earth science. Get down and dirty with the details of fossil fuels! Help your geologists to have a rock solid understanding of the rock cycle. The...
Global Oneness Project
Witnessing Icebergs
Camille Seaman's photoessay, "Witnessing Icebergs" documents just a tip of the problem of climate change through images of icebergs in both the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions. After viewing the haunting images, viewers respond...
Polar Trec
Frozen Fish? Unique Adaptations of Antarctic Fish
Some fish contain proteins that act like antifreeze in order for them to live in the frigid waters of Antarctica! High schoolers determine how much antifreeze a fish needs to lower its body temp to -2.5 degrees. Teachers act as a...
Reed Novel Studies
Flush: Novel Study
Standing up for beliefs sometimes leads to trouble! The father in Flush takes knows this all too well when he sinks a boat in protest to its illegal dumping. With his dad behind bars, the son, Noah, takes matters into his hands by...
Curated OER
Science: Microcosms in the Biosphere
In a series of lessons, examine the impact on humans by microcosms in the biosphere. Among the plans structured for pupils with different abilities and learning styles, are activities describing the symbiotic relationship, drawing the...
Curated OER
Animals Word Search Puzzle
To make the classic word search more challenging and academic, this animal-terms puzzle has scholars solving clues to determine the words they find. Fifteen clues give detailed definitions of biology terms such as carnivore, reptile,...
Curated OER
Who Was Here First? Relative Dating
Students read about and complete question activities for the topic of relative dating. In this relative dating lesson, students read information for the topic and then complete two activities to further their understanding of geologic...
Curated OER
What Does it Take to be a Survivor: Part 2
Students explore adaptation by completing worksheets. In this fish anatomy lesson, students identify the different survival strategies fish utilize to live in the ocean and the adaptation their bodies have gone through over millions of...
Curated OER
Exploring Limu Diversity
Students explore limu diversity. In this ocean ecosystem lesson, students classify limu according to its physical properties. Students work in small groups to generate scientific observations and sort limu by characteristics.
Biology Junction
Introduction to Animals Crossword Puzzle
In this introduction to animals instructional activity, learners complete a crossword puzzle with 47 questions on the types and characteristics of animals.
Curated OER
Results and Conclusions
Fourth graders practice using the scientific method. In this results and conclusions instructional activity, 4th graders review data collected, create a graph of their data and make their final conclusions about the information...