Curated OER
Scientific Method in Action
High schoolers investigate the current environmental movement by cleaning up their own campus. In this environmental care lesson, students practice cleaning their "environment" by picking up trash on their campus and decrease litter by...
Curated OER
In the Wake of a Storm
Students share thoughts about the effects of Hurricane Katrina on Louisiana's natural environment. They read an online article and write proposals to save Mississippi River marshlands.
Curated OER
Dream Big
Students discuss the success of privately built and flown space crafts by reading and discussing a news article. They develop adventure trip proposals to present to Sir Richard Branson. Students write essays reflecting on the importance...
Curated OER
How We Can Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Students evaluate the school's recycling and waste management practices. After analyzing current methods, teams develop a new recycling plan, and create a slideshow presentation. They present their proposals to the principal for...
Curated OER
Designing the Experiment and Answering the Question
Students investigate scientific methods by analyzing an article from the Natural Inquirer. In this data analysis instructional activity, students read an article from the magazine and discuss at least 2 scientific methods that could be...
Curated OER
Deep Thoughts
Students examine what lies within the Earth. They research and create scale models illustrating the layers of the Earth and write skits advocating a travel plan to send a probe into the Earth's mantle.
Curated OER
Earthquakes: Getting Ready For The Big One
Students devise a plan to prepare a city for an earthquake. For this lesson on earthquakes, students differentiate between the different types of earthquakes, examine the impact they can have on a city, and write a proposal on how to...
Curated OER
Newton's Laws and Seat Belts
Learners study Newton's Laws of Motion. They review an assessment task and rubric and discuss Newton's Laws of Motion. They discuss how to test the relationships of mass and acceleration in personal situations. They write a one-page...
Curated OER
Biome Exchange - Send the "Stuff" Not The Kids
Students exchange ecological information with students from different geographic biomes. They box up the "unique ecologically significant features" of their area, send the box to another class in another area and then receive a similar...
Channel Islands Film
Magic Isle: Lesson Plan 1
What are the factors that limit growth and expansion? As part of their study of Catalina Island, class members view the West of the West's documentary Magic Isle and research William Wrigley and the Santa Catalina Island Company. After...
Personal Genetics Education Project
Protecting Athletes with Genetic Conditions: Sickle Cell Trait
Should school and professional teams test athletes for sickle cell trait? Will it protect them by providing knowledge or lead to discrimination by not allowing them to participate in sports? After learning about this genetic disorder,...
Curated OER
Predator/Prey Relationship
Learners study and analyze data collected on the relationship between the snowshoe hare and lynx in Canada over a 28 year period and create a graph. Students also write a response to a proposal to reduce the lynx population.
Curated OER
The Working of Scientists
Students define and explain the basic concepts of experimental design. In this scientific method lesson students complete a hands on activity, develop and present proposals to test their explanations.
Curated OER
An Interdisciplinary Deer and Human Population Study
Students answer the question, "What environmental problems arise due to animal and human overpopulation and what might need to be done to combat these problems?" They play games, graph data and write proposals about the question.
Curated OER
Soiled Again
Students propose and perform an experiment using the scientific method. The purpose of the experiment is to discern some earth materials or combinations of earth materials that best increases the pH of "acid rain". From the results of...
Curated OER
Love Canal-A Man Made Disaster
Students watch a "Waste Management" Power Point as well as a "Love Canal" PowerPoint (a link is provided for the second presentation). Students write the chemical formula for each chemical and convert the contamination to grams using...
Curated OER
Garbage/Solid Waste Disposal
Pupils examine the problem of solid waste disposal in modern society. They decide on a site for waste disposal. They investigate the many different types of waste that need to be dealt with. They participate in three learning station...
Curated OER
Tending to the Greenhouse
Students investigate global warming through discussion of the growing season caused by warmer temperatures. In this greenhouse effect lesson, students define 'global warming' and work in groups to research the causes, effects, and...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Faces of Climate Change
Sometimes, the best solution to a problem can be found by walking in someone else's shoes. Here, scholars use character cards to take on the roles of people around the world. They determine how their character's life affects our...
Curated OER
Debate on China's One Child Policy
High schoolers learn about China's One Child Policy. They read an article about a specific family's experience under the policy (not included) and research and explain the key points of the policy. They assess the pros and cons in a...
Curated OER
YOUR OWN CAMPAIGN
Twelfth graders, in groups propose a new law and design a campaign to get people to vote for their law. They have a voter's forum and hold a mock election.
Curated OER
The Wright Stuff
For this lesson, students design an exhibition on the history of aviation for a science museum. For homework, they write short stories envisioning the future of flight in the year 2014.
Curated OER
Remote Control
Learners explore and evaluate several distance learning Web sites. They defend whether or not they would like to participate in the distance learning experience by either writing a proposal for including this distance learning project...
Curated OER
How Fast Do Ants Go?
Students make discoveries about some important aspects of biology as a science. They study basic science precepts such as communication specificity, designing procedures to test theories by designing an experiment that tests the speed of...