Students compare and contrast key skeletal differences between chimpanzees and humans: brain size, teeth, hand and thumb, trunk, pelvis, lower limb, foot and big toe. They then sort and group a set of mixed "fossil bones" of chimpanzee...

Second graders demonstrate understanding of symmetry and identify objects that have symmetry. They use a mirror to get a visual illustration of what symmetry is. They create a collage of symmetrical pictures they find in magazines.

Young scholars drop water from different heights to demonstrate the conversion of water's potential energy to kinetic energy. They see how varying the height from which water is dropped affects the splash size. In seeing how falling...

Students have a lab experience preparing a recipe demonstrating the techniques learned from Foods I. They identify and explain the appropriate use and care of basic kitchen equipment. They apply the skills and techniques of proper...

In this black hole worksheet, students use the equation for time dilation to solve 8 problems including determining the time it takes to receive a GPS signal from space, the time delay for the GPS-Earth system, the distance a radio...

Students perform an experiment to determine which source of gas (their breath, exhaust from a car, or the air in the classroom) has a greater concentration of carbon dioxide. Students compare the colors of BTB solutions after...

Students begin with an overview of the Earth's interior and how volcanoes form. They learn how engineers predict eruptions. In a class demonstration, students watch and measure a mock volcanic eruption and observe the phases of an...

Third graders investigate the three states of matter and the properties of materials as they undergo physical changes. They identify examples of each type of matter, role-play atoms in solids, liquids, and gases, and conduct an...

Students participate in a lesson that looks at the potential for energy from sunlight. Students conduct research from a variety of resources and construct an object that is used to measure the energy of sunlight and calculate the amounts...

Students reconstruct and make drawings of vessels in the same manner as an archaeologist. In this archaeologist lesson plan, students each get a piece of a broken pot and they have to work together to put it back together. Once it is...

In this sun's diameter activity, students use a photograph taken by the SOHO satellite of the sun showing a change in diameter from one month to another. Students find the average diameter of the sun, they determine the percent change in...

Students explore probability.  In this probability lesson, students define theoretical probability and experimental probability.  Students predict outcomes of hands on activities using coins and colored tiles, complete a chart...

Students investigate simple machines. For this simple machines lesson, students construct two simple machines and describe what they do. Students show that simple changes help machines do work with less effort. Students use a paper clip...

Students examine the different properties that affect water quality.  In this pollution instructional activity students play a game, complete a hands on activity and computer lab. 

Students identify the processes that shape our rivers and form our lakes. They participate in hands-on and multimedia activities as they discover and apply the river-cutting processes of water.

Middle schoolers explore energy through the idea of energy transformations and conversions, and to develop students' ideas of what energy is and how it can be measured.

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 use supporting evidence to predict if common household substances are acids or bases. They determine the pH of the substances and describe the results of the investigation and characteristics of each substance.

Students examine the effects of salt on ice. In this salt instructional activity, students observe what happens to the temperature of ice when salt is added, then make ice cream to see how this knowledge can be used.

Students use water, beakers, hot plates, paper dots, and goggles to participate in a hands on activity where they see how a convection current creates wind. For this convection current lesson plan, students participate in a hands on...

Students investigate the nervous system.  In this anatomy lesson, students identify and define vocabulary related to the nervous system. Students role play the parts of a nervous system and perform an experiment measuring and...

Students explore the American cattle industry history. For this United States history and reading comprehension cross curriculum lesson, students read an article about the history of longhorn cattle, then answer comprehension questions...

Students engage in DNA manipulation using forensics techniques. Students investigate topics involved in forensics studies such as cloning, electrophoresis, gene mapping, replication, and transcription.

Students observe how math is important in navigation and engineering. They study how surveyors use math and science to calcute, count, measure, label, and indicate distances on a map. They estimate specific distances.