Curated OER
From Fact to Fiction: The Origins of Constellations
Sixth graders investigate the constellations. In this constellations lesson plan, 6th graders discover where the constellations are located and the myth associated with them. Students create their own myth and make a slide show about...
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Planting Seeds Around the World
First graders discuss the book The Lorax and research what living things need. In this environmental lesson, 1st graders investigate how humans affect the growth of plants. Students conduct an experiment with sunflowers.
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Density Challenge
Students calculate the densities of several liquids that appear similar. In this physical science lesson, students go beyond understanding the way liquids of different densities behave to researching how this knowledge applies in...
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What Shape is the Moon Tonight?
Young scholars understand that the moon appears differently throughout the month. In this phases of the moon lesson, students observe and record the phases of the moon.
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Scientific Sampling
Students take a sample of fish and try to determine how many fish are in the sea. For this scientific sampling lesson, students explore the way scientists measure large areas of samples. Students record the distribution in a quadrant.
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The Great School Clean-Up
Students clean up their school grounds. In this environmental stewardship instructional activity, students take part in cleaning their school area and reflect on the experience.
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SALLY RIDE
Students express what it would be like to launch off into outer space in a space shuttle. They include what it might feel like, look like, sound like, and any thoughts that go through their mind as they dart away from the Earth's...
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Working on the Moon
Students take a mission to the moon. In this space science lesson plan, students visit selected websites to discover information about Earth's moon and the solar system. Students may take virtual missions to the moon and share...
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Why is There a Tidal Bulge Opposite the Moon?
Students simulate how the Moon causes ocean tides. In this earth science lesson plan, students calculate gravitational acceleration using a mathematical formula. They compare the force of attraction between the Earth, Moon and Sun system.
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Making Clouds: Aerosol-Cloud Interactions in a Beaker
Students observe a teacher demo on how clouds form. In this earth science lesson, students discover how cloudiness affects relative humidity. They explain the scattering of light by clouds.
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Plan a Mission to Recently Discovered Planet
Students plan a mission to a recently discovered planet. In this science instructional activity, students research spacecraft design, distances in space, long-term missions in space, and life-sustaining planets. Students work in groups...
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Impact Craters
Young scholars investigate the factors affecting the size of a crater. In this space science lesson, students collect data from the activity and graph them. They explain how velocity of impact relate to crater size.
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Trends of Snow Cover and Temperature in Alaska
Learners compare NASA satellite data observations with student surface measurements of snow cover and temperature. They practice data collection, data correlations, and making scientific predictions.
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Milestones in Human Spaceflight
Young scholars investigate the history and goals of NASA and human spaceflight. In this space science instructional activity, students answer questions about one of seven manned space programs and print pictures from the...
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Phases of the Moon Flipbook
Third graders create a flipbook. In this phases of the moon instructional activity, 3rd graders examine how the moon changes and phases occur. Students create their own flipbook of the phases of the moon using file cards to create...
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Asteroids
Students examine the different types of asteroids and how they enter the atmosphere. In this space lesson students use mashed potatoes to create an asteroid they can eat.
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Looking into Surface Albedo
Young scholars demonstrate how the color of materials on Earth affect the amount of solar energy that is absorbed. In this solar energy lesson plan students complete a lab to explore how the color of materials on the Earth's...
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Human Activity and the Environment
Young scholars review and analyze graphs and tables as a group. They develop their graph and data analysis skills by converting data tables from Human Activity and the Environment into graphs.
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Common Themes
Tenth graders test usefulness of a model Earth by comparing its predictions to observations in the real world. For this landforms lesson students construct an island from a contour map using model clay then analyze the landscape...
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The Energy of Light
Students discuss different ways engineers use light. In this engineering lesson, students are introduced to the properties of light and the way light is used. They view a demonstration of light waves using a slinky, and practice using...
University of Wisconsin
What’s a Square Foot Anyway? Laying Out the Design Plan
Clever! Participants don square-foot cardboard shoes to mark out the rain garden plot that they have spent the last few weeks designing. In this way, they are practicing scale modeling as well! Note that this lesson is part of a unit,...
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Rocket Me into Space
Fourth graders study the concept of thrust and how it propels rockets into space. They discover why airplanes cannot travel into space while considering the engineering techniques use in designing rockets. They look at how space...
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Body Changes in Space
Learners explain the cause of and effects of fluid shift in a microgravity
environment. Students identify the effects of microgravity during long duration space flight. Learners describe research on cardiovascular effects in microgravity...
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Earth History Part II
Eighth graders hypothesize what caused the break up of continents. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders study about the events that took place during Mesozoic and Cenozoic Era. They reconstruct a supercontinent and report their...