Curated OER
Planning a Garden Using a Grid
Third graders plan for a garden. In this garden planning lesson plan, 3rd graders investigate the use of a grid to accurately map out and plan for a vegetable garden. Students predict the space requirements for different vegetables.
Curated OER
When a Ruler is Too Short
Students measure distances using parallax. In this math activity, students explain how this method helped astronomers with their studies of the solar system. They determine the length of their arm using parallax and compare it with other...
Cornell University
Math Is Malleable?
Learn about polymers while playing with shrinky dinks. Young scholars create a shrinky dink design, bake it, and then record the area, volume, and thickness over time. They model the data using a graph and highlight the key features of...
California Academy of Science
Building Better Buses: Transportation Design Challenges
Scholars learn about a series of three challenges when they design a bus system for a small town. They determine the bus routes and then figure out the best type of fuel to use before considering the cost of going electric. Learners...
Curated OER
Now That's Using Your Head!
Explore linear measurement. Scholars will measure the circumference of their head and the distance they can jump. Information is recorded, averages are calculated, and a data table is completed. They then determine possible relationships...
Teach Engineering
Using Hooke's Law to Understand Materials
Provide a Hooke for a lesson on elasticity with an activity that has groups investigate a set of springs. They use a set procedure to collect data to calculate the spring constant for each spring using Hooke's Law. The groups...
California Academy of Science
How Big is Big?
In a math or life science class, "mini-me" models are created with cardstock to reflect a 1:10 scale of students' bodies. Learners measure each others' heights with meter sticks, and then reduce the size by 10. After this exercise, they...
Curated OER
Measures
Estimate and explore the length and weight of classroom items using standard measurement and scales. Students will work in groups to determine appropriate measuring tools, weigh or measure items, and record their results on a data chart....
Discovery Education
Weathering Cubes
Weathering is not necessarily a result of the weather. Scholars conduct an experiment to explore the effect of surface area and volume on the weathering process. They create their own sugar cube rocks using the same number of cubes—but...
Curated OER
How Tall is that Tree?
Students use their feet to measure distance between themselves and a tree trunk. For this distance lesson, students use the number of steps, and string to measure distances and height of the tree. Students can get the tree...
Curated OER
Exploring Scale And Ratio
Students measure the actual size and distance of the solar system using scale and ratio. They watch and discuss a video, create a distance-scale solar system model, and compare the scale sizes of planets to their actual sizes.
Curated OER
Scale/Ratio
Investigate the use of ratios in scale drawings. Learners scale objects up or down using ratios then find the actual size of something using ratios. They apply their knowledge of ratios as they make their own telescopes in science...
Curated OER
Beans, Beaks and Bears
Students explore evolution. After watching a video on evolution, students perform a variety of experiments using beans which illustrate the concept of evolution.
Curated OER
Fun With Rainfall Measurements
Demonstrate how rain is measured. Pupils will use a rain gauge to measure the amount of rainfall during one week. Then record the data and discuss the results.
Curated OER
Earth Science Regents: The Ellipse
Starting with the instructions to draw an ellipse, and with great pictures, this sheet should help your pupils learn the shapes and measurements involved. Using push pins and string, your class can discover the axis and focus points...
Discovery Education
Sonar & Echolocation
A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...
Santa Monica College
Introducing Measurements in the Laboratory
We use basic units of measurement to break down things and communicate clearly. The first lesson in an 11-part series teaches the proper way to measure various items. It starts simply with measuring the dimensions and areas of geometric...
Cornell University
Non-Newtonian Fluids—How Slow Can You Go?
Children enjoy playing with silly putty, but it provides more than just fun. Young scientists make their own silly putty using different recipes. After a bit of fun, they test and graph the viscosity of each.
NOAA
Methane Hydrates – What's the Big Deal?
Have you ever tried to light ice on fire? With methane hydrate, you can do exactly that. The ice forms with methane inside so it looks like ice, but is able to burn. The lesson uses group research and a hands-on activity to help scholars...
Curated OER
Vector Lab
Here is a math lab that helps young mathematicians understand the real-life meaning for vector addition. By building a model using spring scales and washers as weight, and then calculating the vector addition using two different methods,...
Curated OER
Using Density to Identify Wood Types
Learners identify different woods based on their density. In this density lesson, students use a triple beam balance to find the mass and a metric ruler for the volume. They look through various wood blocks and identify what type of wood...
Curated OER
Counting the Stars in Draco
In this counting stars instructional activity, students construct a histogram for stars in a given star field using their apparent magnitude. Students answer 5 questions using their tabulated data and histogram to answer questions about...
Curated OER
Mapping Meteorites
After reading an article, "Cameras Capture a 5-Second Fireball and Its Meteorite's Secrets," space science superstars use the triangulation method to determine the location of a distant object. In-class activities and homework are...
Curated OER
Shapes and Tools
Young learners view different shapes drawn by the teacher on the board. The teacher identifies each shape by name and discusses the importance of knowing the difference between shapes when building something. The pupils complete the...