Curated OER
The Discovery of the Solar System
High schoolers explain the observed motion of the planets. The inner ones move back-and-forth across the position of the Sun, while the outer ones usually advance in one direction, but with occasional temporary reversals known as...
Curated OER
Microbial Contaminants in Drinking Water
When presented with three unopened bottles of water, pupils are asked to tell decide which one is contaminated with a microbe. Students work in small groups and role play being a Microbiologist, a patient, or a recorder. The patient is...
Curated OER
Field Of Beans
Students investigate the concept of crop farming. They plant small fields to test different theories of agriculture. Students keep care over the fields, including pest and weed control. Students make and record daily observations to...
Curated OER
Colonizing the Stars
Learners compare and contrast the size, composition and surface features of the nine planets of our solar system with the possible sizes and compositions of extra -solar planets.
Curated OER
Converting Metric Units and Prefixes
Young scholars investigate the length of various objects. In this measurement lesson, students convert one metric unit to another. They explain the importance of a uniform system of measurement.
Curated OER
Surface Water Supplies And The Texas Settlements
Pupils engage in a lesson plan that is concerned with the allocation and finding of water resources. The location of different settlement areas is considered as one looks how the water is distributed. They map some of the early Spanish...
Curated OER
Alaska Trade
Students spend two days traveling throughout Alaska, trading as they go. They explore universal principles related to trade and commerce while studying about Alaska's geography and indigenous people. At the end of the lesson, students...
Curated OER
Primary Documents: The President and African Americans
Students examine the efforts of the federal government to address discrimination in the U.S. before and after WWII. They read and discuss two executive orders, complete a worksheet, and answer discussion questions.
Curated OER
Transformation With A Firefly Gene
Students understand the process of bacterial transformation through experimentation. They describe the function of two important genes of the pBestLuc plasmid. They explain how to induce competence in E. coli cells.
Curated OER
Using several learning modalities to teach about the Periodic Table.
Pupils identify how to relate the position of an element in the periodic table to its atomic number and atomic mass. They identify how to use the periodic table to identify metals, semimetals, nonmetals, and halogens, and also, alkaline...
Curated OER
How Can You Study Things You Can’t See Like: Atoms?
Students simulate how scientists studied things they can't see like atoms. In this chemistry lesson, students predict what is inside the numbered obsertainers. They design a way to investigate what's inside without opening it.
Curated OER
VH1 Road to Fame: Harry Connick Jr. - Lesson 3
Students sing a vocal improvisation on a 12-bar blues progression. After watching a video on Harry Connick Jr., students try their own scat singing on the two-measure break.
Curated OER
Mapping Your Local Community
First graders take a walking tour of their community to discover the names of numbered locations on a premade map. They then, create their own map of the community on the computer using Kidspiration software.
Curated OER
Strategies for Economic Development
Students develop some suggested strategies that are used to help reduce poverty. The skill of development is the focus. The incorporation of theories and strategies are learned in a problem solving exercise. The political issues are...
Historical Thinking Matters
Scopes Trial: 3 Day Lesson
Was the Scopes trial more complicated than a simple debate between evolutionists and creationists? As part of a structured academic controversy (SAC) activity, pupils consider multiple perspectives of the Butler Act and engage in close...
ReadWriteThink
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Me: Identifying with a Hero
Here, young historians compare their early lives to that of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s. They listen to a read aloud of a story by Dr. King's sister, and then write in the provided reflective journal template. Lastly, they share their...
National Council of Teachers of English
Writing Acrostic Poems with Thematically Related Texts in the Content Areas
Scholars scour thematically aligned texts to gather a bank of words they can use in an original acrostic poem.
Curated OER
Word Adaptation
Seventh graders differentiate evolution and adaptation. In this biology lesson, 7th graders make new words from a given word by adding or changing a letter. They set up a T-chart and enumerate how adaptation is like or unlike evolution.
Curated OER
Primate Characteristics and Exaptation
Pupils compare the features of gorilla to humans. For this biology lesson, students simulate adaptation using materials found in the classroom. They explain what exaptation means.
Curated OER
The Evolution of Canis pedatus
Students examine the given characteristics of a previously unknown dog-like creature, Canis pedatus, to decide if the creatures would survive when relocated to a new environment. They work in small groups to decide whether or not the...
Curated OER
The Evolution of Canis pedatus
Students, in groups, examine the given characteristics of a previously unknown dog-like creature, Canis pedatus. They discuss whether or not this species would show adaptations and survive if it were relocated to a new environment.
Curated OER
Blocks And Screws (or "screwy Contrivances")
Pupils, given a block of wood and a screw or nail, are asked to put that screw or nail into a block. They examine how many contrivances and other imperfections found in living things are best explained by the process of evolution.
Curated OER
Luisa's Steller Evolution Lab
Students examine stars and constellations in the night sky. They complete a KWL chart and calculate the mass of stars. They also discuss how a star is formed.
Curated OER
A Tree Full of Ancestors
Young scholars study human evolution and the scientific process. They complete the Origins of Humankind Web activity to become familiar with the hominid species as well as the associated evidence found, in the form of fossils and artifacts.