Curated OER
Motel of Mysteries
Students determine that even though inferences are based on observations that does not mean they are always true or correct. They pull the topics and main ideas out of a piece of difficult text.
Curated OER
Under the Spell of Spiders!
Students read about spider body parts, abilities, tendencies, and life cycles. In this Under the Spell of Spiders! lesson, students create mystery creatures that turn out to be spiders. Students catch and observe spiders and insects....
Curated OER
Strange New Planet
Students choose a spherical object to decorate with stickers, scents, etc to make it interesting. They write a key to the features for future explorers. Students use viewers to observe mystery planets. Students simulate NASA missions by...
Curated OER
Artifacts 2: Artifacts in Context
Students will explore an archaeological mystery that demonstrates the importance of context in learning from artifacts. Factors such as the artifact's location, its proximity to other artifacts, and the number of similar artifacts found...
Curated OER
So -- What's Happening Here, On This Old Christmas Tree Farm?
Students review their prior knowledge on biomes and ecosystems. At a local Christmas tree farm, they work together in groups to identify the changes occuring in the area. They participate in solving a mystery in which they determine the...
Curated OER
Scientific Methods and Inquiry Skills
Fifth graders conduct a mystery bag experiment and use the scientific method and inquiry skills to solve the mystery. They discuss how to make scientific "guesses," and in small groups use their five senses to try and figure out what...
Curated OER
Solve the Case!
Students discover the habits of panthers by solving fictitious crime mysteries. In this animal life lesson, students utilize their research from previous lessons to solve mysteries in a panther activity. Students answer...
Curated OER
Pyramid Power
Students observe human health by analyzing different food groups. In this food pyramid lesson, students utilize the web to complete an interactive food pyramid game as well as research the nutrition encyclopedia. Students discuss their...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Students access prior knowledge of the water cycle by completing a KWL. For this water cycle lesson, students follow the movement of water through the water cycle.
Curated OER
Determining the Age of Fossils
High schoolers examine the concept of radioactive dating. In this radioactive dating lesson, students investigate how to determine the ages of fossils and rocks as they learn about half-life radioactive decay.
Curated OER
Inference Makes the Difference
Students explore how archaeologists make inferences from artifacts to explore what life was like in the past. In this archaeology lesson, students work in groups and make inferences about an imaginary household based on modern day...
Curated OER
What's in My Water, and How Did it Get There?
Students analyze water samples to see the contaminants and then use the Internet to find the sources of the contamination. In this investigative water lesson students analyze water and work together to solve the mystery of...
Curated OER
Dichotomous Key for Identifying Pine Trees
Students identify the species of pine trees that are found in their area. They use unlabeled "mystery" samples and a dichotomous key to identify the pine trees to species. After identification, they use a field guide to answer worksheet...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students examine how water changes state, from a liquid to a solid. In this water lesson students study the water cycle and how temperature and pressure effect it.
Curated OER
Creating Animal Prints
Learners investigate the habits of animals by studying their prints. For this animal life lesson, students investigate the different types of tracks left from animals by researching the Internet. Learners utilize clay or...
Curated OER
Where Are The Dinosaurs?
Students study what happened to the dinosaurs and possible causes of extinction. In this investigative lesson students create dinosaur eggs.
Curated OER
Spaceship Earth
Students develop an understanding of our planet as a system by designing a very-long-duration space mission in which the life-support system is patterned after that of earth.
Curated OER
Writing As Criminal Evidence
Students research 2 famous forgery cases. In this forensics instructional activity, students are introduced to the methods of handwriting and paper analysis. They then use the Internet to study the cases of the Lindbergh baby and Howard...
Curated OER
Recent Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions
Students study the recent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In this recent earthquakes instructional activity students complete an activity while working in groups.
University of Colorado
Rings and Things
Galileo first observed Saturn's rings in 1610. Through the use of a flashlight and baby powder, classes see how they can observe the rings of the outer planets from far away. Another demonstration shows how these rings, made of ice and...
National Security Agency
Equations and Expressions
Learners demonstrate their knowledge pictorially, concretely, and abstractly in this unit meant to last three hours over three days. Using hands-on activities, manipulatives, real-world applications, and problem...
Lee & Low Books
Classroom Guide for Sacred Mountain: Everest
The most famous climbers of Mount Everest could never have made it to the summit without the assistance of the local Sherpa. Christine Taylor-Butler's nonfiction children's book Sacred Mountain: Everest is the focus of an extensive...
Curated OER
Noblesville Fall
Learners brainstorm questions based on a given narrative about an actual fallen meteorite. In this earth science lesson, students organize their responses into different categories.
Curated OER
The Economic Way of Thinking - About Everything
Students write their definitions of economics on index cards and revise them as the lesson continues. They discuss the principles of economic reasoning and after completing a quiz, use economic reasoning to solve "real life" mysteries.