Towson University
Berries...With a Side of DNA? (High School)
Is DNA still present after picking fruit or cooking vegetables? Biology scholars extract and collect DNA strands in an impactful lab. Working groups prepare their samples and compare their results to negative and positive standard...
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Poisoned Picnic
A group of teachers attended a picnic; ten became sick and another four died. Young scholars must solve the mystery of what happened. They research the river, waste water treatment plant, each food that was served, and environmental...
New York State Education Department
TASC Transition Curriculum: Workshop 13
The six instructional shifts in this workshop definitely move math and science teachers' understanding of instruction. The workshop, 13th out of a series of 15, asks participants to examine sample tests and to look at how the six...
Teach Engineering
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
The capstone activity in a 14-part series focuses on the basics of magnetic resonance imaging and the hardware of the machines. Pupils use this information and the material learned throughout the unit to develop a presentation on...
National Research Center for Career and Technical Education
Hospitality and Tourism 1: Safety and Sanitation
Math and science come alive in this career-related lesson on sanitation. Along the way, learners explore bacterial growth rates using exponential notation and graphs. A link to a very brief, but vivid video shows just how quickly these...
Curated OER
Growth of a Bean Documented by Child and Camera
Third graders photograph the growth of a bean plant and keep a daily written journal of observations. They drew, graphed and took notes on the plant growth which they compared to the photographic journal.
Curated OER
How to be a Great Navigator!
Students examine historical methods of navigation. They discuss the techniques of "Dead Reckoning," "Heaving the Log," and "Chip Log," pretend to sail from Europe to North America using vectors and determine the location of their...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating Anti-Microbial Action
Join the fight against bacteria. An open investigation shows pupils different aspects of antimicrobial substances, such as disinfectants, deodorants, or plant oils. They design and conduct their own experiments on the effectiveness of...
EngageNY
TASC Transition Curriculum: Workshop 9
Here's a workshop for teachers that rocks the academic world! Using earthquakes as a medium for instruction, educators learn about crosscutting engineering with science. Fun, hands-on, collaborative exercises encourage participants to...
EngageNY
TASC Transition Curriculum: Workshop 8
Lights, camera, action! Math educators consider how to improve their instruction by examining a model of the five-practice problem-solving model involving a movie theater. Participants examine cognitive demand in relation to problem...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis
Fifth graders work in small groups to brainstorm responses to a problem related to some disaster that wipes out half or all plant life on earth. Groups complete a graphic organizer to compare and contrast their ideas. Students select...
Towson University
Berries...With a Side of DNA?
Sometimes science lab can be ... delicious! Middle school science scholars extract DNA from strawberries and other fruits in an engaging lab activity. The teacher's guide includes pacing, materials list, and worksheets with answer keys.
Curated OER
"Using Cichlids To Demonstrate the Effects of Human Activity On Ecosystems"
Students explore the freshwater ecosystem of Africa's Lake Victoria by creating a freshwater aquarium. They investigate factors affecting the aquarium's ecosystem and conduct lab activities.
Curated OER
Solving Mysteries Using Paper Chromotagraphy
Students solve the mystery of the kidnapped teacher by analyzing a ransom note using paper chromatography. They carefully prepare ink samples from the note to known ink samples to determine the kidnapper.
Curated OER
Classifying Plants and Insects
Art and science come together in a lesson based on Flower Still Life by Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder. Learners classify plants and insects in the painting by color, leaf shape, size, reproduction, and season of bloom.
Curated OER
Weather's Outer Limits
Students make educated guesses and explain their reasoning and compile, graph, and map weather data. They then study environmental weather extremes on earth and discover that many variables determine climate.
Curated OER
Diseases
Sixth graders create a type of notebook or journal using colored copy paper on which to take notes. They complete research on a certain disease and report on it and then design their own disease causing bacteria or virus. Finally, 6th...
Curated OER
KORN-TV Newsroom
Role-play to learn. Writers pretend to be a team of news writers. They research information about genetically engineered corn and the impact of biotech food products. Then create a video, Powerpoint, or oral presentation to present their...
Curated OER
Missing Macroinvertebrates - Stream Side Science
Field study groups collect samples of stream water and identify the macroinvertebrates found. Using their data, they calculate a water quality index to rate the health of the stream. They graph their data and discuss the value of a water...
Curated OER
Growing a Winter Garden
Second graders listen to a planting story as read by their teacher. Using the text, they summarize the events and complete a KWL chart. They point to the vegetable after it was planted in the garden in the story. They practice using new...
Curated OER
Let's Make a Meal: A Study of Oats
Students investigate the history and health benefits of oats. In this food history and nutrition lesson plan, students describe the origin of oats in America, define nutrition related vocabulary, and read and follow recipes for making...
Curated OER
Hardware Sort
Students work in groups to sort and classify a variety of hardware materials commonly found in the store. Students discuss attributes and explain their reasoning for different classifications.
Curated OER
Making a Fossilized Egg
Young scholars explore fossils by participating in an in class experiment. In this archaeology lesson, students utilize dough and classroom objects to create fossil imprints after hiding the toy/fossil in the dough egg. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Dot to Dot: Patterns in the Night Sky
Sixth graders are introduced to several major constellations and locate them in the night sky. They graph the constellations on grid paper and work in groups to research common myths and stories associated with specific constellations.