Mini microbiologists play a card game in which they group microorganisms by groups: virus, fungus, protist, or bacteria. Then they identify the roles different microbes play in the natural world and explore how humans effectively use...

Future weather forecasters collect daily temperatures over a period of time. Afterward, they compare their data with monthly averages, as researched on national weather websites, in order to grasp the difference between weather and...

Although it requires a little extra preparation the first time you use this geyser demonstration, it can be used repeatedly once it has been constructed. This demonstration is useful in showcasing how heat leads to increased pressure and...

Where am I? The second installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program starts with pupils guessing the years in which major ocean exploration events took place. The lesson then focuses on how...

El Nino, La Nina ... and the Santa Maria? The 11th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program explains the mechanism of El Nino/Southern Oscillation. Pupils use previous data to determine...

Life's a beach! The 16th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program first examines different types of coasts and how they form. An activity then has learners investigate the shoreline...

Crabs and lobsters ... yum! The 18th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program focuses on invertebrate marine life. After the lecture slideshow, learners conduct an activity to sample...

Four out of five teenagers experiment with science by accident. This unit teaches the five parts of the scientific method through examples, guided practice, independent practice, and then through a hands-on experiment. Each step is...

Radioactive pollutants can enter the body through ingestion, inhalation, absorption, or injection. The last lesson in a series of 36 introduces pupils to radioactive pollution. They study its sources, both natural and man-made, its...

Although their name makes them sound dangerous or toxic, carboxylic acids are found throughout nature in things such as citric acid, vinegar, and even in your DNA. Through detailed readings, discussions, and answering questions...

The 20th installment in a series of 36 focuses on the characteristics of the p-block elements. Learners discuss, read about, and answer questions pertaining to the occurrence of these elements in nature, their electron configurations,...

Cyanide, a coordination compound, is used in the extraction of gold and silver. Part 24 in the series of 36 delves into the world of coordination compounds. Classes learn, through readings, discussions, and answering questions, how to...

How do astronauts know how to live and work in a weightless environment? It doesn't come naturally! Junior physicists conduct experiments to examine the link between buoyancy and microgravity. Each activity illustrates a different aspect...

Merge chemistry with environmental science to study biodegradable materials. An engaging activity allows learners to experiment with different resin concentrations and composites. Through experimental tests, scholars test their creations...

A well-designed instructional activity on the life cycle of the butterfly is here for you. In it, young scientists spend 45 minutes a day, for one school week, engaged in their study. They take nature walks, participate in activities in...

Students explore the relationship between temperature and pressure using a paper-pencil laboratory activity and software. The nature and behavior or gases with respect to temperature is the focus of this instructional activity.

High schoolers research Galileo's work and contributions to science. They make a timeline of Galileo's life, discuss the historical context for his book "Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems" and examine his trial by the Inquisition...

Using a miniature coral reef aquarium kit, young ecologists model this unique ecosystem. They research various coral reef organisms and their niches, and they culminate the project by working together to write a report. Use this activity...

Bring this lesson on hubris to your short story unit. After reading Jack London's "To Build a Fire," young readers discuss the role of hubris in the protagonist's death. The lesson has connections to other short stories, such as "The...

Learners set up composting sites that allow food scraps and paper to be recycled by nature. They are introduced to one aspect of recycling; composting. Students see how God recycles as the worms change garbage into something that brings...

Students determine what plasma is and why the sun is made up of plasma. They recognize situations where plasmas are found in nature and made by man. They discuss why the sun is a huge ball of plasma and if there are different levels of...

A series of independent learning activities teaches learners about global warming as it relates to economics and industrialization. The culminating project requires them to create a multimedia presentation identifying the problems,...

High Schoolers explore the concept of exponential reflections. They use their Ti-Nspire to reflect the natural logarithm function over the line y=x. Young scholars repeat the process using different exponential functions using a slider.

Take a walk through nature with a science experiment about leaves. Third graders use a branching diagram to group attributes of certain kinds of leaves, such as oak, pine, and chestnut. For extra practice, they can collect leaves and...