Curated OER
Sizing Up Sound
Sixth graders are introduced to the concepts of sound waves and frequency. As a class, they listen to the differences between different types of instruments. To end the lesson, they practice identifying low and high pitches and playing...
Curated OER
Making Waves, Making Music, Making Noise
Sixth graders watch a demonstration on how talking cans produce sounds. In groups, they compare and contrast the sounds from different sized cans. They participate in a variety of activities to discover how sounds are made and how...
Curated OER
Moon Watch
Third graders read books about the moon and discuss its perceived changes as it moves across the sky. They observe the moon over the course of a month and chart their observations. They discuss their observations and conduct further...
Curated OER
Curricular Correlations
First graders listen to prerecorded sounds and put them into categories. They discus the sounds that would be heard outdoors, and indoors. They go outside for a few minutes and take a "hearing walk." Then they come inside and close their...
Mascil Project
Closed Greenhouses
Controlling the efficiency of a greenhouse is a mathematical task. A collaborative project challenges learners to create an efficiency plan for a closed greenhouse. Using algebraic equations, they consider a set of constraints, design...
Curated OER
Sea Ice Research
Learners study sea ice and its importance in climate and climate change. They discuss sea ice as a presence of a food source for marine animals in the arctic and complete a lab activity. After completing the lab, they watch a video...
Curated OER
Powered Up About Electricity!
Students study the process of turning coal into electricity. In this electricity lesson plan, students are guided by their teacher through the steps required to turn coal into electricity. Students complete a worksheet answering...
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Water Quality Monitoring
Students comprehend the four parameters of water quality. They perform tests for salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and clarity or turbidity. Students comprehend why scientists and environmental managers monitor water uality and aquatic...
Curated OER
The Chemistry of Killer Coal
Students research chemical components of coal, as well as environmental health impacts of mining and burning coal. They discuss conservation of mass as it relates to combustion of organic compounds.
Curated OER
Day and Night
Students using experiments try to demonstrate how observations can be affected by the cycles of night and day.
Curated OER
and and Ocean Views of Earth by Remote Sensing
Learners explain how satellites help scientists to see more than with the unaided eye and how Landsat technology works. Students identify vegetation and fire sites in the rainforest and detect erosion along rivers. They are able to use...
Curated OER
Ground Level Ozone Testing
Students prepare Shoenbein Paper to test the ground level of ozone. They dip a strip of their test paper in distilled water and hang it at a data collection site. They determine the relative humidity of the data collection site. Using a...
Curated OER
The Physics of Electricity: Real or Magic?
Eighth graders participate in various demonstrations on electricity. In this physics lesson, 8th graders explore static and current electricity. They apply concepts to real world situations.
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How Do Atmospheres Affet Planetary Temperatures?
Middle schoolers perform a literature search and use reputable research resources in order to find the surface temperature of different planets in our solar system. They speculate about the observed and unobserved factors. Then...
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Three Switches
Students describe the types and parts of a circuit. They discover three types of electrical switches and create a chart showing the many uses for each type of switch.
Curated OER
Flame Test
Students conduct a flame test on different substances. In this chemistry lesson, students predict the element present based on the color emitted during the flame test. They explain how different elements produce different colors.
Curated OER
Greenhouse Effect: Pop Bottle Experiment
Students explore global warming by conducting a weather experiment. In this greenhouse gas lesson, students define the greenhouse effect and the impact on our ozone layer. Students utilize a soda pop bottle, floodlight bulb, thermometers...
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The Bio-fuel Project: Creating Bio-diesel
Students investigate bio-fuel. In this investigative lesson, students create bio-fuel from vegetable oil waste. Students will analyze, predict, collect and synthesize data from their experiments with bio-fuel.
Curated OER
Rover Landing Design Challenge
Students examine the concepts of forces and motion. They work together to design protective devices for their egg rovers as they are dropped from a specific height. They record their observations and discuss.
Discovery Education
Cushion It!
Sugar cubes, collide! Groups design protection systems using bubble wrap to protect sugar cubes from being destroyed by falling batteries in the STEM lesson. They consider how the experiment relates to collisions in real-world...
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Fire Brigade
Learners examine how a community works together to protect them from fire. They work together to design a functional tool that could be helpful in fighting fires. They share their tool with the class.
Curated OER
Tree House Escape!
Middle schoolers participate in a role play in which they use simple machines to do the work of retrieving their sibling from a tree which lost its ladder. They investigate how work is accomplished when an object moves in the direction...
Curated OER
Here Comes the Sun
Third graders watch a video on the solar system and examine the role of the sun. As a class, they complete a KWL chart and make different color temperature pockets to use during their experiment. In groups, they make predictions about...
Curated OER
Sunshine and Shadows
Young scholars measure their shadows early in the morning, record direction of shadow, make marks in ground with chalk or tape, measure with ruler, and record results. Students repeat process at noon, and then later in afternoon. Young...