Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analyzing Tree Rings to Determine Climate Change

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine how to locate and access data sets.  For this climate change lesson students import data into Excel and graph it.   
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

The Thermal Layers of Oceans

For Teachers 7th - 11th Standards
How much does the sun heat up a lake or ocean? Scholars use a cup and a strong lamp to investigate the heat transfer and thermal layers in the ocean to come up with the answer. They collect data and graph it in order to better understand...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Am I Taller than an Antelope

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate biology by examining body sizes of different animals. In this antelope measurement lesson, students research the physicality of Antelopes and other large animals that inhabit Earth. Students create a model Antelope...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sediment Sleuths

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Are you looking for a good, solid instructional activity on sedimentary rocks? This one, produced by the Illinois State Museum, is just such a instructional activity. Middle schoolers identify common rocks and minerals by analyzing...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The High Cost of Chemical Dependency

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore, analyze and study the effect and impact that humans have on the environment based on their choices as individuals, businesses and governments. They assess the balance between human activities and aquatic pollution.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Structure of Earth

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders study and make a model of the significant formations of the ocean floor. They examine images and illustration and apply their imagination while creating the model. They are challenged to complete further research as an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Structure of the Earth

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the forces that are constantly acting on the Earth. They describe the theory of tectonic plates and demonstrate the two kinds of earthquake waves. They also examine the role of volcanoes in the structure of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation with Simple Machines

For Teachers 1st
First graders engage in a lesson that is about Newton's Laws Of Gravitation while conducting research in order to perform an information search. They sing a song about the Law of Gravitation and play a game of Ring Around The Rosie. Then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather and Climate

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students identify the words plain and climate and discuss what would happen if it never rained. Students identify and interpret the weather in Poland and create a web illustrating various weather patterns. Students write a 4-line poem...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovery Science Library: The Basics Physical Science

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine  friction and gravity. affect four sports. In this scientific discovery lesson, students examine how friction and gravity affect sports. They discuss, write, and illustrate the effect of different forces on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Do You Move Along the Earth?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students determine their own walking and running velocity. In this physics lesson, students calculate velocity using distance and time information. They compare human and animal speeds.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Basic Ideas of Inheritance

For Teachers K
Students enter personal information into a database. The information is used to reinforce the ideas of inheritance that is found in 1st Grade Science. Access to technology is essential for this lesson. Adding the use of a mirror for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Motion, Force, and Gravity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers write a research paper about human space travel. For this space travel lesson, students watch a video and research issues related to space travel. They use their research to write a paper about whether human space travel...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's "In" There: A Study of the Inner Planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars

For Teachers 1st
First graders identify and explore the four inner planets. In this planet science lesson, 1st graders watch a PowerPoint about the planets. Students read the book Our Solar System and discuss the inner planets. Students create a book...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

And the Rains Came Down: A South American Rainforest

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students examine the characteristics of a South American tropical rainforest. They analyze maps, develop graphs, listen to the book, The Great Kapok Tree, and create a rainforest mural.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air and Water in the Environment

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders participate in a three part lesson in which they identify and describe forms of moisture in the environment. Part one of the lesson involves the three stages of the water cycle, part two focuses on creating humidity by...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Strawkets and Control

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the effect that fins have on rocket flight. They construct two paper rockets that they can launch by blowing through a straw, one with fins and one with wings, and observe and record the results of the rocket flights.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reworking a Butterfly Garden

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders determine how physical and biological agents and processes form and affect the soil. They analyze soil properties. Students evaluate ways in which human activities have affected the earth's pedosphere.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Erosion and Deposition

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders study the processes of erosion, transportation, and deposition in soil. They walk outside the school to see examples and then accurately create a physical model which shows each type of soil movement and allows them to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students examine the relationship between water and ice. In this physics lesson, students read the book Amazing Water and participate in an experiment where they freeze water into ice cubes. Students observe the changes in the water when...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physical Science: Solar Energy

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students review and discuss how Solar energy and electricity produce light and heat. They create a photo/picture journal and include pictures taken during solar energy activities to a PowerPoint slide presentation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solstice And Equiniox Curriculum

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students engage in a lesson that investigates finding the dates of the solstices and equinoxes. They define the terms related to the concept and conduct research in order to explain the physical occurrences. They also relate to how the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forces and Newton's Laws Unit

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students participate in lessons on Forces and Newton's Laws by selecting activities and assignments to complete in a Layer Unit. Students select assignments and activities in the C Level, B Level, and A Level.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Angular Momentum (Automaticity)

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders experience practicing with a wide variety of vocabulary terms that relate to the Vista/Module "Angular Momentum:" momentum, inertia, force; motion, direction, centripetal force; angular momentum, gyroscope, resist. They...