Population Connection
The Human-Made Landscape
Agriculture, deforestation, and urbanization. How have human's changed the planet and how might we mitigate the effects of human activity on the planet? To answer these questions class members research the changes in human land use from...
Teach Engineering
Copycat Engineers
It's often said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Young engineers learn about biomimicry, which uses nature to generate engineering ideas, in the fifth lesson of nine in a Life Science unit. Working in groups, they select...
Curated OER
Inventions Over Time
Explore the inventions of the past with a project on ancient tools. After reading an article about hunting during the Archaic period, the Late Prehistoric period, and the Historic period, kids fill in a cause-and-effect chart about the...
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
Peas in a Pod: Genetics
Can peas have grandparents? Learn about inherited traits and heredity with a set of activities focused on Mendelian genetics. As your class learns about the process of passing traits along in Punnett squares, they take on the role of...
Teach Engineering
The Challenge Question
A research position becomes a modeling job. The introductory instructional activity in a series of nine presents the challenge of analyzing a set of bivariate data. The class brainstorms what the data may represent. Pupils must decide...
Smithsonian Institution
Dia de los Muertos: Honoring our Ancestors Through Community Celebration
Oral storytelling has been an important part of every culture. The time-honored practice uses stories as a conduit for a culture's values and customs from one generation to the next. Keep the tradition going with a family interview...
PBS
Gratitude and the Environment
A class discussion begins a two-part lesson about gratitude and the environment. In part one, learners watch a video then share their feelings about its most memorable moment. Delving deep into the meaning of gratitude, scholars create...
Curated OER
Science Unit Lesson Five
Sixth graders review how and which plants operate in terrariums. In groups, they follow instructions to make their own terrarium and place different types of plants in it. To end the lesson, they review the steps in the water cycle and...
Curated OER
Marvelous World Of Magnets
Students research the concept of magnetism in order to increase understanding of the subject. By accessing information they could explain the concept with a written report used as an end product for assessment.
Curated OER
My Favorite Animal
Students research an animal of choice and create a project. In this animal science lesson, students choose an animal living in the International Peace Park to research. Students write a paper and create a project to present...
Curated OER
Genetically Modified Foods in Perspective
Students research the concept of genetically modified foods. The purpose of the research is to increase science content knowledge and comprehension of the controversy surrounding the subject.
Curated OER
Animal Legends
Seventh graders review the concept of a legend. Using the internet, they research animals found in Illinois. They write their own legends based on the animal they researched. They share their story and show pictures of the animals to the...
Curated OER
Marine Animals on the Move
Students work with partners to track tagged animals using real-time data from satellites. Students gather and analyze data, compile information and conclusions and then prepare a final presentation of their research.
Curated OER
Construction of Food Chains and Tracing Energy Changes
If you need a few basic activities for teaching food chains to your emerging ecologists, here they are. Three sheets of organism cards are included for learners to cut out and arrange according to trophic relationships. To make the most...
Curated OER
Populations
Take your ecology aces out in the field to practice population counts and model the benefits of camouflage. Though not particularly exciting, these activites and the assessments that are also included are practical and applicable to your...
Curated OER
Scientists Write!
Students use a journal to record observations. They make notes about what research may be needed to answer questions that have come up in the field and sketch or make connections in the curriculum. They research bioinformatics and...
Curated OER
From the Mouths of Space Scientists: An Introduction to Space and Weather
After researching the Greenland Space Science Symposium, curious thinkers create a PowerPoint or video presentation. They use the information they gathered to construct their presentation.
Curated OER
Watershed Documentary
Students conduct research and collect data about a local watershed area. They create an iMovie showing the human and natural impacts on the creek and watershed areas.
Curated OER
Biomes of Canada
Fifth graders, in groups, research one of the biomes of Canada. They create a multi-slide PowerPoint presentation about their biome that contains specific types of inserted/downloaded pictures, recorded voice, and a sound effect.
Curated OER
Testing the Accuracy of a Rain Gauge
Students identify and test variables that may affect the accuracy of a rain gauge. They share findings of their research with the class in a 'mini-meteorology-convention'. They design an experiment with a control setup to test their...
Curated OER
It's not as pretty as it looks!
Tenth graders investigate that measurement is often an inact science. They explore ways utilize available information to form hypotheses. Students investigate how to test hypotheses using the HACH test kits.
Curated OER
LAND USE DEBATE / TOWN MEETING
Ninth graders research, analyze, and orally defend an issue related to the use of geologic resources. They defend their position in written form by composing a letter to an appropriate source.
Curated OER
The History and Future of Flight
Students create a PowerPoint presentation and oral report on the history and future of flight. In this flight lesson, students work in small groups to research the history and future of flight. Students then write a report with...
Curated OER
Mussel Ecology
Learners are introduced to the marine environment of the mussel. The emphasis of the instructional activity is upon what human factors are present to influence the environment in positive and negative ways. They brainstorm in groups in...