Activity
Perkins School for the Blind

Introduction to Scientific Inquiry

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Every great scientist knows that the process of inquiry is a very important skill. Provide your learners with visual impairments with an opportunity to explore objects scientifically. They examine several pieces of fruit and generate...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Gorongosa: Scientific Inquiry and Data Analysis

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How does the scientific process begin? Introduce ecology scholars to scientific inquiry through an insightful, data-driven lesson. Partners examine data from an ongoing research study to determine the questions it answers. The resource...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Scientific Inquiry Using WildCam Gorongosa

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How do scientists determine what questions to ask to meet their research goals? Help your class develop an inquiry mindset with a lesson based on studies in the Gorongosa National Park. Partners create their own research questions by...
Activity
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American Chemical Society

Diapers: The Inside Story

For Students K - 5th
There shouldn't be any accidents with this activity! An inquiry-based lesson has learners explore the absorption properties of the gel compound in diapers. After testing its properties, they learn the science of the molecules that make...
Activity
Foundation for Water & Energy Education

How Can a Dam Affect a River? Activity A

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Written for Washington state students in life science, this lesson provides an opportunity to examine the residents of local freshwater habitats. You or the class collects a water sample, and learners try to examine what organisms live...
Lesson Plan
Foundation for Water & Energy Education

What is the Water Cycle? Activity B

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Curious physical scientists follow a lesson on the properties of water with this lesson on distillation. They observe a miniature water cycle model that filters dirty water into clean water. These two lessons combined are an enriching...
Activity
G. Turrell

Science Activity 2: Light & Sound

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Little learners experiment with sunlight and map out how light travels. Using a mirror and slotted card, they find out about items that can reflect or absorb the light. They experiment with a variety of materials to find out how light...
Activity
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Silver and Bandages: Assessment of Inhibition of Bacteria by Silver Colloid-Impregnated Bandages

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Silver: more than jewelry, it's also a natural antimicrobial agent. An inquiry-based lesson asks collaborative groups to design and implement an experiment to test this property. Using samples of silver nanoparticles and a strain of...
Activity
Curated OER

Cleaning Pennies

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students observe changes in a penny when it is cleaned. In this scientific inquiry lesson, students use a dixie cup filled with vinegar and salt, and drop the penny into the water. Students observe the changes.
Lesson Plan
Foundation for Water & Energy Education

How is Flowing Water an Energy Source? Activity A

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Here is a fun little exploration of the potential energy potential of falling water. Learners drop water from various heights using a straw, and they analyze the diameter of the splash. Pair this with two more activities of the same...
Activity
Newspaper Association of America

Cereal Bowl Science and Other Investigations with the Newspaper

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
What do cereal, fog, and space shuttles have to do with newspapers? A collection of science investigations encourage critical thinking using connections to the various parts of the newspaper. Activities range from building origami seed...
Activity
Consortium for Ocean Leadership

Nannofossils Reveal Seafloor Spreading Truth

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Spread the word about seafloor spreading! Junior geologists prove Albert Wegener right in an activity that combines data analysis and deep ocean exploration. Learners analyze and graph fossil sample data taken from sites along the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Digestive System

For Teachers 5th Standards
Discover how the human body's digestive system works with a brain and stomach friendly activity. Scholars taste test a variety of foods to find out how they behave once in the mouth. Class members then play a game called Move That...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Real-World Projects: Challenges from the Polymer Industry

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Two scenarios are presented for chemistry detectives to decipher. Both require the use of an infrared spectrometer and focus on the examination of polymer materials. In the first, lumps in polyethylene bottles are analyzed. In the...
Lesson Plan
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Creating and Testing Silver-Nanoparticle Socks

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Antibacterial socks are a product of nanotechnology. An inquiry-based lesson asks collaborative groups to create their own antibacterial socks and then test them against other products on the market. The sock with the least amount...
Lesson Plan
Foundation for Water & Energy Education

How is Flowing Water an Energy Source? Activity B

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Explore the world's water without leaving the classroom! In this second of three uncomplicated but wonderful activities, physical science learners feel the pressure of water. They discover that the deeper the water, the stronger the...
Lesson Plan
Kenan

Respiratory System

For Teachers 5th Standards
Explore the respiratory system with a model. First, pupils build a set of lungs to experiment how they inflate and deflate. Then, they delve deeper into the topic with a web quest to discover new information about the nose, trachea, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nervous System

For Teachers 5th Standards
Get to know the body's central nervous system through an engaging game of nervous system telephone. But this isn't your average game of telephone. Here, pupils must find a way to communicate a message to the brain without speaking....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Muscular and Skeletal Systems

For Teachers 5th Standards
How do muscles move bones? Find out using a built-in-class model. Pupils construct a hand model with paper and string, then follow a series of directions to explore the movement process. Discover additional information about the muscular...
Lesson Plan
Tracy Pendry

Cardiovascular/Circulatory System

For Teachers 5th Standards
Explore the circulatory system with a cardiovascular pump activity that promotes discovery and discussion as class members create a functioning model of the heart. Continue the learning process through a web quest showcasing the...
Activity
American Psychological Association

Psychology Goes to Madison Avenue

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
As part of a study of well-known psychologists, class members create a name, a business logo, an advertisement for TV, online, radio, or print, and a pamphlet for the business run by one of the psychologists on a provided list. An...
Activity
American Psychological Association

Facebook Activity

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Imagine if Sigmund Freud or Charles Darwin had a Facebook page. As part of a study of major historical figures in the field of psychology, class members are assigned a psychologist and design a mock Facebook page that includes...
Lesson Plan
Space Race

Sensory Detectives

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd Standards
Test your learners' sensory awareness with three hands-on activities that ask pupils to use their other senses to identify and describe everyday objects hidden from sight.  
Activity
Google

Google: Science Fair 2014

For Students 9th - 10th
An online global competition where students can submit their science fair project. Projects are judged and scored to encourage students to use scientific inquiry. Site also includes a teacher section with lesson plans to help students...