Curated OER
Wobbling in Circles
Sixth graders role play the parts of the sun, the moon and the Earth as they simulate the concepts of revolution and rotation. They act out the parts in small groups and discuss the concepts as a class.
Curated OER
The Reasons for the Seasons
Sixth graders conduct a controlled investigation to determine the length of the sun's shadow on a fixed object (i.e., flagpole, telephone pole, etc.) over a three-day period (one day in the fall, one in the winter, and one in the...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Our Restless Planet
Students examine the topic of the Earth's rotation, revolution, and orbit. They observe teacher-led demonstrations, explore various websites, write journal entries, conduct a demonstration of why Earth experiences day and night, and...
Curated OER
Kids Conserve? Water Preserved
Young scholars study conservation and how cities obtain their water. For this water lesson students view a PowerPoint presentation and draw a picture of the water cycle.
Curated OER
Measuring the Earth (Eratoshenes' method)
Sixth graders engage in problem solving, communicating, reasoning, and connecting to represent and solve problems, using geometric models.
Curated OER
Greenhouse Gases: The Chemistry Behind the Culprits
Ninth graders investigate the effect of different gases in the atmosphere. In this chemistry lesson, 9th graders explain how these gases contribute to global warming. They suggest possible solutions to this growing problem.
Curated OER
Natural Disasters: An Adventure in Non-Fiction
Students study different natural disasters. In this natural disaster lesson students read a nonfiction book followed by a discussion, an experiment, then collect illustrations from their experience.
Curated OER
The Planet Earth
Students explore the planet Earth, outer space, and Earth's axis. They demonstrate reading comprehension skills, including literal meaning, inference and critical analysis.
Curated OER
Day and Night
Students discuss why day and night occur after visualizing a teacher-led demonstration.
Curated OER
Day 4: Plate Tectonics II
Students explore the theory of plate tectonics. For this geology lesson, students conduct a simulation of the crust of the Earth floating on the mantle. Students research plate tectonics and share their findings with the class. Students...
Curated OER
The Solstices
Compare surface temperatures when the solstice occurs in the different hemispheres. Young scientists draw conclusions from their investigation of data collected using spreadsheets and a globe.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Charting the Progress of New Horizons
In 2006, New Horizons began its mission to fly to Pluto. As it continues its journey, scholars track its progress with the help of an informative website, all the while reinforcing measurement concepts with the construction of a scaled...
Curated OER
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Even though volcanoes look alike, they can be very different based on the types of lava that erupts from their surface. Learn about strata volcanoes, shield volcanoes, and the varying viscosity of lava with an engaging hands-on...
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "Putting in the Seed" by Robert Frost
Young botanists dig into a lesson that has them planting lima bean seeds and observing their growth. They compare their experience to that of the speaker in Robert Frost's poem, "Putting in the Seed."
Curated OER
Weather in Your City
Students observe weather conditions of a particular city. Multiple intelligences are explored within this lesson. They locate their particular city on a United States map. Each student writes about their discoveries in his/her journal...
Curated OER
Mini-Ponds
In this mini pond worksheet, students create a mini-pond ecosystem with soil, water, and plant life. Students let their ecosystem sit for a day and they observe a sample the next day. Students identify all the pond water microorganisms...
Curated OER
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Respect
Second graders study the vocabulary that is associated with recycling and tell what recycling is. In this recycling lesson, 2nd graders use flash cards and Concentration type games to learn the vocabulary associated with recycling. They...
Curated OER
A Delicate Balance
Students complete an activity to help them understand the Earth's delicate balance. In this Earth instructional activity, students will draw and discuss the ways the Earth's atmosphere can be harmed. Students will then participate in a...
Science Matters
Solar Energy
The solar energy industry in the United States added more jobs in 2015 than the oil and gas extraction and pipeline industries combined. With the field growing so rapidly, it's essential to understand what solar energy is and how it...
Captain Planet Foundation
Shape Shifters in the Math Garden
Combines mathematical measurement with gardening skills. Third graders hunt for worms in the garden and try to find the longest one. They also measure and weigh vegetables that they harvest from the garden, measure rainfall amounts,...
Curated OER
Water, Water Everywhere
Students study the location of Earth's water and study the water cycle using a terrarium. In this water study lesson, students study a model globe for the Earth and find Alaska. Students locate the bodies of water and study an overhead...
Curated OER
Reasons for Seasons
Students investigate a model of the tilt of the Earth in its relationship to the Sun during the different seasons of the year. They study the solstices and equinoxes, while determining how sunlight hits the Earth with different angles in...
Curated OER
DAY AND NIGHT
Students use a lamp as the sun and his/her body as the earth. They rotate in different directions to explain how the earth moves around the sun. Using specific questions in their discussion, students discover the reasons for day and night.
Curated OER
Modeling Day and Night
Students complete a science experiment to study the role of night and day on sleep patterns. In this sleep patterns lesson, students brainstorm about night and day and the causes for the rotations on Earth. Students work in groups to...