Curated OER
Investigate Pine Creek!
Learners are invited to become detectives in this Web-Integrated Science Environment (WISE) as they explore a local creek, its environment and ongoing status. Students participate in field trips, acquisition of data through water testing...
Curated OER
Aquatic Exotics
Students identify and describe the aquatic exotic species found in Illinois. Using the internet, they research the species origins and discover their effects on native species in the area. They discuss how appropriate it is to introduce...
Curated OER
Nature Rules In The Great Flood of 1993
Learners examine the event of the Great Flood of 1993. Using the internet, they research the economic, social and ecological changes that impacted the area. They conduct a town meeting in which they debate the positives and negatives of...
Curated OER
Beach Replenishment Mock Hearing
Students study the issues and stakeholders involved in a beach replenishment project. In this beach replenishment lesson, students study the point of views for the various stakeholders in a beach replenishment issue. Students are...
Curated OER
Aerospace Engineering
Students are introduced to aviation history and aerospace engineering achievements. They assemble a class aviation history timeline from individual student research on people and events.
Curated OER
Earth Day: a Look Into the World Around Us
Students develop an artwork made entirely out of recycled materials to exhibit during an Earth Day celebration. They participate in a lecture discussion on the history of Earth Day and environmental issues, do internet research on a...
Curated OER
Cyber Memory--Let's Hope Not
Sixth graders continue to read excerpts from "The Last Book in the Universe". In groups, they discuss any questions they have about the material. They research an endangered threatened species and make a plea to the rest of the class...
Curated OER
This is Your Life
Middle or high-school pupils choose a scientist to research. They collect biographical information and explore their contributions to scientific understanding. With all that they compile, they create a scrapbook of the scientists' life....
Curated OER
Environmentally Friendly
What can your pupils do to promote better conditions for wildlife? After researching issues around wildlife management, class members use the Internet to locate three different organizations devoted to protecting wildlife. They then...
Curated OER
Publishing a Newspaper about Biomes
Young journalists create newspapers of individual biomes after researching their biomes. This lesson can be completed in three phases and concludes with each person publishing their individual newspaper pages.
Curated OER
Volcanoes in Space
Pupils research volcanoes on the Internet to compare/contrast the volcanoes on Earth to the ones found on Io, a moon of Jupiter. Students list the similarities and differences in science journals, and illustrate pictures of the volcanoes.
Curated OER
Natural Resources Product Booklet
Students conduct a research activity and create a base product booklet that helps them recognize the resources that are available to them from the natural resources in the area that they live in.
Curated OER
Dark Matter In The Universe
Middle schoolers investigate the concept of dark matter and how it occurs in the universe. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students use the information by reading at least two articles about dark matter. They also...
Curated OER
Comparing Mitosis with Meiosis
Life science learners view an online animated mini textbook comparing two types of cell division. Working in groups, they use a digital microscope to capture images of cells in different stages of mitosis and meiosis. Then they create an...
Curated OER
How Diverse is That?
After reviewing biodiversity, learners work in small groups to analyze actual species distribution data. They learn to calculate the Shannon-Weaver diversity index for different communities. Though not particularly engaging, the content...
Curated OER
Ideas for Resources: Geology Lab Manual
The link to Ideas for Resources: Geology Manual is no longer valid, but the link to How to Teach Using Role-Playing does. Choose a realistic problem related to your focus topic, assign roles, and send your geology learners off to...
Curated OER
Genes, Environments, and Behavior 2
Students explore the genetic and environmental factors that interact to produce variation in behavior across a population. They are introduced to the various approaches scientists use to explore this interaction. Students explore how...
Curated OER
Hurricanes!
Pupils access hurricane reports form the national weather service online, and draw hurricane paths. They discuss how hurricanes form and move. The research should be reported in a comprehensive presentation that can be given to a whole...
Curated OER
Leaf, Tree and Prairie Study
Students are introduced to the topic of Botany and the process of photosynthesis. Using various habitats, they research the amount of destruction it is facing and how to solve the problem. They make a leaf booklet with leaves they find...
Curated OER
Watch Them Grow
Students explore the growth of plants and animals. Through research and observation, students create a habitat for specific plans and animals. As a group, they examine the similarities and differences of living things. Students identify...
Curated OER
Layers of the Atmosphere Foldable
Aspiring meteorologists make themselves a tool for reviewing the characteristics of each layer of the atmosphere. The procedure for this little project divides the paper into five sections, but many earth science teachers opt for the...
Curated OER
Energy Efficiency Ambassadors
Definitely for high schoolers, this lesson is an open-ended exploration of energy efficiency. Groups of two to three junior environmental engineers design an experiment to test for efficiency. They prepare a full lab report and...
International Technology Education Association
Make a Pinhole Camera
With a little light and a lot of time, you can create some amazing images. This NASA-related task instructs pupils to build a pinhole camera. The lesson provides suggestions for different pictures to try with the pinhole camera...
Curated OER
Rock River Watershed
Students discover what a watershed is and which one they live in. Using the internet, they research why watersheds are important to an ecosystem and how to keep them from getting polluted. They use a map to locate various items within a...