Curated OER
The "Science" of Racism
How can we keep racism out of our society? Analyze the factors that lead to racism today and research previous scientific findings that impacted social policy. Your high school students identify ways to prevent past mistakes from...
Curated OER
Is Anyone Out There? Examining Astrobiology and the Value of SETI
Blow their minds with a lesson on the search for life outside of our planet! A brief video proposes the question of how to define life. A couple of articles investigate the possibility of alien existence. Finally, the class is divided...
Curated OER
CLIMATE AND WEATHER UNIT
Students locate on-line weather source, gathers and interprets weather data, work collaboratively on-line with other schools to collect weather data, and write about the cause of temperature inconsistencies in various locations.
Curated OER
Barn Owls and Owl Pellet Dissection
Students explore birds of prey and food chains. In this ecosystems and birds of prey cross curriculum science and literacy lesson plan, students brainstorm characteristics of birds after viewing photographs. Students view a video and...
Curated OER
Air Pollution and Asthma (11th Grade)
What is the air quality index? Start by discussing pollution and air quality with your budding environmentalists. A list of instructional activities are provided here from inviting a guest speaker into your classroom to discussing...
Curated OER
Jumpin' Pepper and Lazy Salt
Students examine the result of a negative charge. After rubbing a balloon with a wool cloth, students hold it over a mixture of salt and pepper. They observe the pepper "jumps" to the balloon. Students discuss their observations and then...
Computer Science Unplugged
Beat the Clock—Sorting Networks
Can multiple computers sort a list faster than one? Using a network drawn with chalk outside, groups move through the decision network to sort numbers. A series of extension questions come with the lesson and can be used in the same...
Computer Science Unplugged
Twenty Guesses—Information Theory
How do we determine how much information to include and what can be left out? By playing a game of 20 questions, the class generates the best strategies for finding a number. They then move on to guessing the next letter in a short...
Sprite Box
Lightbot Jr 4 Coding Puzzles
Learning how to write computer code has never been so much fun! Given control of their very own robots, children create simple programs in order to solve a series of challenges and develop their problem solving skills.
Code.org
The Need for Addressing
You sunk my battleship via the Internet? Groups of three play a modified game of Battleship using the Internet Simulator. Team members determine how to address messages, so each player knows who the message is for, and refine their text...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Small Scale Stenciling: Mask Lab
Investigate the procedure for developing computer chips! Learners use solar print paper to create both positive and negative images. They observe the effects of single and multiple exposures and compare results.
Chicago Botanic Garden
GEEBITT (Global Equilibrium Energy Balance Interactive TinkerToy)
Students use the GEEBITT excel model to explore how global average temperatures are affected by changes in our atmosphere in part two of this series of seven lessons. Working in groups, they discuss, analyze graphs, and enter data to...
Concord Consortium
Vending Machine
Let the resource quench your thirst for knowledge, like a vending machine that dispenses drinks. Future computer scientists develop an algorithm to identify the fewest number of coins that a vending machine could use in creating change....
Chicago Botanic Garden
Are Global CO2 Levels Changing?
According to the Mauna Loa observatory, carbon dioxide levels increased by 3 ppm in our atmosphere between 2015–2016. Individuals analyze carbon dioxide data from around the world and then share this with a home group in lesson...
Code.org
Creating Functions
Quit repeating yourself ... you can make this simpler! Rather than repeating the same set of code over and over, class members learn to build and call functions in a series of challenges in App Lab. In the end, they combine...
Polar Trec
How Much Data is Enough?
The next time you read a magazine or watch the news, make note of how many graphs you see because they are everywhere! Here, scholars collect, enter, and graph data using computers. The graphs are then analyzed to aid in discussion of...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Plant Phenology Data Analysis
Scientists monitor seasonal changes in plants to better understand their responses to climate change, in turn allowing them to make predictions regarding the future. The last activity in the series of six has scholars analyze BudBurst...
Safe Routes to School
Pollution & Evolution
Bring together a study of two major scientific topics with a lesson on the relationship between pollution and evolution. With the help of a PowerPoint presentation, hands-on activity. and class demonstration young scientists learn...
NASA
NASA Visualization Explorer
Read some of the most up-to-date information available from NASA's current Earth and space research! Along with showcased stories, you will find computer animations and satellite images that help you to view what humans cannot see with...
Code.org
Cracking the Code
Scholars learn how to crack secret codes as they continue reading from the Blown to Bits and try to crack the random substitution cipher. They also begin learning about the Vigenere cipher.
Royal Society of Chemistry
Moles Equations (14-16)
In chemistry, the mole is a unit of measurement, much like a millimeter or liter. After learning about moles, scholars learn various equations relating to mass, volume, and concentration. They review each of these equations in a few...
Kenan Fellows
Balancing Equations Using Matrices
Matrices help solve systems of equations in chemistry, computer graphics, circuitry, probability, and more. The second lesson in a seven-part series focuses on using matrices to balance chemical equations. Pupils rely on the Law of...
Teach Engineering
The Fibonacci Sequence and Robots
What better way to introduce the idea of a sequence than with robots! An educational lesson plan explains the classic Fibonacci sequence before pupils build and program a robot to move. Additionally, the lesson plan challenges...
Starry Night Education
The Stars
Three astronomy activities in one resource! Here you will find one hands-on activity, one demonstration, both with discussion questions, and one activity worksheet. During these lessons young scientists discuss how stars are...