Lesson Plan
University of Southern California

Mastering Microbes

For Students 6th - 12th
Small but mighty! Learners explore the role of microbes in a healthy ecosystem. An engaging lesson plan asks pupils to design an aquaponics system that demonstrates that healthy microbes are necessary to maintain the ecosystem.
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Resolution—Not Just for the New Year

For Students 11th - 12th
Experiment with optical resolution using an inquiry-based lesson. Young researchers calculate fellow classmates' optical resolutions. They apply the information to understand the inner workings of optical instruments.
Activity
Colorado State University

Why Can Warm Air "Hold" More Moisture than Cold Air?—Vapor Pressure Exercise

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Does it feel a little humid in here? Learners assume the role of water vapor in the atmosphere as they explore the differences between warm and cold air. They roll dice to determine their level of energy, which determines if they...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Matter Cycles — Sum It Up

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Scholars become part of the cycle of matter with a reader's theater that showcases producers, consumers, decomposers, and the sun. A diagram and discussion concludes the learning experience and enhances comprehension. 
Activity
Teach Engineering

Glowing Flowers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
What a bright idea! Young scientists conduct an experiment on flowers to finish the last of a six-lesson unit on Cells. Putting the stems into dye-injected water and leaving it overnight results in flowers that glow. This is to simulate...
Activity
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Lines on Paper - Laser Box

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
See what you cannot see by getting a little creative. An intriguing lesson has learners use lasers to explore X-ray diffraction. Given a box with unknown structures, they shine a laser through the box and interpret the results....
Lesson Plan
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Jell-O® Waveguide and Power Loss

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Jell-O® can help model the transmission of light through fiber optic cables. Young scientists use the jiggly dessert to make a waveguide to transmit a laser beam from one point to another. Their models help them learn the function...
Lesson Plan
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

How Dry am I? Exploring Biomimicry and Nanotechnology

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Help your classes feel like they can walk on water! An engaging inquiry-based lesson has young scholars experiment with different surface coatings. They make observations about their properties and how they relate to the surface tension...
PPT
Biology Junction

Viruses, Viroids, and Prions

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Are viruses living or non-living? According to the presentation, they are both and neither. Clearly, this requires clarification and an in-depth look at viruses, viroids, and prions. Young scientists learn about the history, structure,...
PPT
Biology Junction

Water Biomes

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Water covers more than 70 percent of Earth's surface. Scholars learn about both freshwater and saltwater biomes in a simple presentation. They compare and contrast the differences in oxygen levels, food sources, and sunlight to better...
Interactive
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Genes Get Shuffled When Chromosomes Exchange Pieces

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Some genes link to others that have implications for inheritance. A set of resources lead pupils through the history of this discovery. They explain how chromosomes recombine and which parts are more susceptible to this linkage....
Interactive
Learning Games Lab

Gram Staining

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Scholars use a lab simulation to test contaminated yogurt for bacteria by gram staining. They learn proper lab procedures for handling bacteria and for sterilizing equipment, and then walk through the process on their own to try gram...
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Find My Plankton Baby Picture

For Students 6th - 12th
Get a better understanding of babies in the sea. The class learns about the two kinds of plankton. They then determine the baby pictures of eight marine animals given a picture of the adult and some hints about the larvae. When scholars...
Learning
American Museum of Natural History

What do You Know About Life on Earth?

For Students 6th - 12th
Humans have only inhabited the earth for a fraction of the time that life has existed. Young scientists explore the facts about the emergence of life on Earth with an interactive resource. While highlighting different types of life, the...
Activity
American Museum of Natural History

Create Your Own Time Capsule

For Students 4th - 12th
The corona virus pandemic is indeed a historic event. A time capsule activity permits young historians to document these days of social distancing, remote learning, and quarantine by collecting artifacts that capture what their lives are...
Interactive1:12
American Museum of Natural History

Living Large

For Students 6th - 12th
Get to know all about sauropods from a paleontologist, Jonah. Following an introductory video, scholars choose from five fossils to learn more about. Each fossil begins with a video, provides information from several different...
Unit Plan
University of Southern California

What Lives In The Ocean?

For Students 4th - 8th
One of the most diverse environments on Earth is the ocean. Young scientists explore the living things found in the ocean during an exciting seven-lesson unit. Their study includes organisms from plankton to invertebrates...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Microbes From a Hay Infusion

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students observe, over time, microbes such as amoebas, protozoa, rotifers and insect larva. They create a hay infusion culture using pond water then sample and record organisms found over a two week period.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analyzing Soil Samples

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students grow grass or radish seeds in this experiment, which takes three to four weeks to complete. They become familiar with basic soil analysis techniques, as well as, explore the importance of analyzing soil samples.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Drugged Out Daphnia

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders participate in experiments to investigate the the effects of nicotine, caffeine, aspirin, alcohol, and sleeping pills on the heart rates of Daphina. They describe the relationships between common drugs and heart rates....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Smears

For Teachers 9th - 12th
For this biology worksheet, students are shown how to prepare a smear and then answer some review questions that address the proper preparation of a sample.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Do Cells Reproduce?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine cell division and the process of mitosis.  In this cell reproduction lesson students grow yeast and observe the results, and learn about the career of scientific illustration. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Matter and Heat

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students examine how heating causes substances to expand, and cooling cause it to contract. They investigate the states of matter.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crystal Growing

For Teachers 1st - 9th
Learners grow crystals and document their observations by recording timeing and growth. Additional characteristics of crystals are observed under a black light, by growing under different conditions and mineral content is determined.

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