PHET
CME Plotting
Young scientists build on their previous knowledge and apply it to coronal mass ejections. By plotting the path of two different coronal mass ejections, they develop an understanding of why most don't collide with Earth.
Reed Novel Studies
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Film Study
According to John Betjeman, "Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows." With The Boy in the Striped Pajamas film study, scholars work in small groups to discuss the quote and other...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Heavy Metal Contamination
An informative lesson focuses on heavy metal contamination of environments. Classes read about, discuss, and answer questions pertaining to sources of heavy metals in the environment. To finish the 35th installment of 36, individuals...
NASA
Discovering Some of Your “Yardsticks” Are Actually “Meter-sticks”
The Milky Way gets great reviews on Trip Advisor — 100 million stars. The activity allows scholars to rethink their assumptions and prior knowledge. Pupils observe a set of two lights at equal distance and brightness, but they believe...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Estimating Length Using Scientific Notation
Would you rather have a million dollars or 1 x 10^6 dollars? To find the answer to this question, class members first complete an assessment task converting numbers between decimal notation and scientific notation. They then take part in...
Curated OER
Reading Comprehension: Guinness Book of World Records
If your learners are curious about human achievement, superlatives, or esoteric trivia, the Guinness Book of Records is a way to tap into instrinsic motivation and relevance. Here's an informational reading that will grab their attention...
Student Handouts
Budgets and Deficits
There's a lot to learn about the savings and loan crisis. Start off your learners with a quick reading assignment. Pupils read the brief informational article and respond to three questions about the savings and loan crisis, thrifts, and...
DePaul University
Contrast and Evaluate Fact and Opinion
Looking for a resource that helps learners practice identifying fact and opinion? A four-page worksheet includes two informational text reading passages. Pupils read each passage and respond to four multiple choice and one short answer...
It's About Time
Refraction of Light
Don't shine like a diamond, refract light like a diamond. Young scientists use an acrylic block and a laser light to observe refraction. Advanced scholars figure the sine of the angles of reflection and incidence as well as mastering...
Curated OER
Water Down the Drain
Did you know that leaky faucets waste $10 million worth of water? Conservationists perform an experiment and draw best-fit lines to explore how the US Geological Society determined this value.
Rainforest Alliance
Forests of Guatemala
With 90 percent of its land area covered in forests, Suriname, a country in South America, contains the largest percentage of forests throughout the world. Here is an activity that brings classmates together to learn about the...
University of Texas
Lives of Stars
Stars exist from a few million years to over 10 billion years, depending on their mass. Scholars perform a play acting as stars to learn about their different life cycles. They develop an understanding of many of the fundamental concepts...
US Holocaust Museum
Life in Shadows: Hidden Children and the Holocaust
Hiding in the filth of a sewer, as a child, to avoid capture by Nazi soldiers—sounds scary! Scholars investigate the youngest victims of the Holocaust, the children. They research video clips and written sources from the Holocaust...
Curated OER
Dinosaurs and Classification
Second graders explore dinosaurs and identify them by their size. They compare the dinosaurs with objects around the school or on the playground. Students predict which dinosaurs are the largest and then measure the length of dinosaurs.
Curated OER
How Big is a Breath?
Students demonstrate how to use math skills to measure their lung capacity. In this human biology lesson plan, students use a clear plastic container, measuring cup and rubber balloons to demonstrate how the lungs work. Students estimate...
Curated OER
Where in Our Solar System Are We?
Second graders research distance between planets and the sun using encyclopedias. They use toilet paper sheets as a unit of measurement (50 million km.) students stand at planet locations using toilet paper to measure distance between.
Curated OER
Measuring Me
Fifth graders examine the importance of accurate measurement both in customary and metric units. Through hands on measurement activities, they compare and contrast the accuracy of their measurements with the measurements of other...
Curated OER
Millions, Billions, Trillions
Students use real-world data to compare the relative sizes of millions and billions, and exponential growth. They use the salaries of famous people such as, Michael Jordan and Bill Gates to understand this math concept.
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Is Dilution the Solution?
Systematically diluting a full-strength sample of food coloring is meant to help earth scientists understand concentration in parts per million. While they will enjoy the lab exercise, it might be a challenge to help them relate it to...
Curated OER
Fill 'Er Up
Students identify how many smaller units can be found in a later unit. In this geometry activity, students calculate the volume and the transfer amount to a smaller unit. They solve real life problems using the formula for volume.
Curated OER
Is It Safe to Go In? Water Quality of Bathing Areas in the EU
Using your senses, apprehend the effects of contaminants in water. With a global focus, young scientists conduct a safe experiment by tasting sugar and salt water with different dilutions. After reviewing threshold limits, learners write...
Curated OER
Bacterial Movement Through Water Part 2- Dilution/Powers of Ten
Students make dilutions using dulution trays. They keep track of their dilutions and the concentrations of solute, to parts per million (ppm) and parts per billion (ppb), in order to have an comprehension of the terms. Students make...
Curated OER
How Small is It?
Learners better understand what a concentration of one part per million means through activities. Students discuss "Maximum Contaminant Level" of a toxic in the water. They measure the classroom to find out how many cubic centimeter...
Curated OER
Medieval Millions
This PowerPoint enables students to review mathematical concepts that were addressed in fifth grade. This is an interactive review game where the class is divided into two teams. The team that answers the most questions right wins. Each...