Curated OER
Top Quark Lab
Students find the mass of the top quark. In this physics instructional activity, students create a vector diagram from a given set of data. They discuss their calculations and findings in class.
Curated OER
Identify and use Simple Machines
Students are exposed to simple machines and their uses. In this everyday tools lesson, students watch a demonstration on how a lever, pulley, ramp, and wheel works. Students are given the opportunity to use hands-on techniques to explore...
Curated OER
Classifying Information About a Main Idea
Elementary learners explore language arts by completing a text identification activity. They discuss the importance of a main idea in a story or paper and how to present it properly. Then they practice identifying the main idea in sample...
Curated OER
Alcohol and Pregnancy Don't Mix!
Seventh graders learn about John Kellerman, a youngster who was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. They learn how alcohol and pregnancy doesn't mix.
Curated OER
Orbital Bliss
Most young mathematicians are aware that the planets don’t orbit the sun in a circle but rather as an ellipse, but have never studied this interesting feature. This resource looks at the planetary orbits in more detail and helps learners...
Curated OER
Now You See Me, Now You Don't
Bioluminescence fascinates most upper elementary scientists. Display images of different glowing deep-sea organisms and discuss their environment. Young biologists then experiment with images and different colors of filtered light. In...
Curated OER
Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering: Build a Paper Airplane
Students brainstorm what it is like to fly on an airplane and discuss the parts of a plane. Students construct a paper plane of their own, decorate it, have a competition, and discuss the importance of each part of a plane and the role...
Curated OER
Introduction to Density
Seventh graders discover the definition of density through a demonstration using ethanol and ice cubes and a class discussion using a SMART Board to illustrate formulas and calculations. Students finish the lesson plan by practicing...
Curated OER
Mouse Painting (Color Mixing)
After reading the story Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh, little ones make a mouse painting of their own. They discuss mixing colors, painting, and the story, then they "dance" with their fingers through puddles of paint.
Curated OER
Meteorology
Students research and produce an oral history that reflects the importance of meterologists in the lives of people in their community.
Kenan Fellows
Determining Stream Health by the Diversity and Types of Benthic Organisms
How diverse are the benthic organisms found in local streams? Using the information learned in previous lessons on identification of macroinvertebrates and on calculating stream index values, groups determine the health of local...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
What Brought Settlers to the Midwest?
Drawn by promises of fertile land, thousands of settlers poured West because of the Homestead Act of 1862. By examining images of the ads that drew them westward, learners consider the motivations for movement. They also consider how the...
Curated OER
Materials And Their Properties
Seventh graders investigate the particulate level of solids, liquids, and gases. They examine how the particle method show the interplay between scientific theories and evidence.
Curated OER
Matter and Energy
Students explore energy by completing a science worksheet in class. In this principles of matter lesson, students define the vocabulary terms force, gravity, nuclear, and electromagnetic before reading assigned text about energy....
Curated OER
Magnet Muscles
Students experiment with magnetism. For this science lesson, students are divided into cooperative learning groups and use the scientific method to test their hypothesis. Each group performs a different experiment.
Curated OER
Elements Of Chemistry: When Carbon Combines
High schoolers create a polymer using Borax and Elmer's Glue. In this chemistry lesson, students identify monomers made of hydrocarbons and then brainstorm a list of polymers and their uses.
Curated OER
Dragon Boats
Learners create a model boat. In this art lesson, students identify what makes a boat float and use milk cartons to create their own boat.
Curated OER
Cloudy with a Chance of........
Fourth graders watch a video about Utah's weather and illustrate the water cycle. They read "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" and identify weather words after listening to the weather radio. They create weather measurement instruments...
Curated OER
Conceptualizing an Experiment
Learners work together to design an experiment. They discover the origin of a family artifact. They analyze the data and discuss the results. They determine if the experiment is the best way to find out this type of information.
Curated OER
Physical Science: Magnetism and Electricity
Students use a variety of objects to test for ability to "stick" to a magnet. They perform an experiment to see that electricity in circuits can produce light, heat, sound, and magnetic effects. They discover magnets attract and repel...
Curated OER
Our Zoo Friends
First graders plan and create a model zoo depicting the natural habitats of animals. Their models include animals and a display of written factual information about the animals. Students present their project by conductig a tour of...
Curated OER
Sampling Rocks
Students investigate rocks. In this earth science lesson, students collect rocks from the schoolyard and describe each of the rocks. Students measure and weigh each rock and record the results. Students create a rock guide for the...
Curated OER
Death On Board La Belle: Finding Clues from Old Bones
Students practice analyzing skeletal remains for clues by using the Internet. In this scientific investigation lesson, students research the La Belle shipwreck using the Internet and written materials, later completing a Skeletal...
Curated OER
Levers
Fifth graders participate in a review discussion of the parts of a lever, resistance or load, fulcrum, and effort. Next, they complete activities at six experiment stations while collecting data that they share with the class. While...