Fourth graders predict, observe, and compare what happens when a force is applied to an object. In this forces lesson, 4th graders complete a 'swinging hammer' activity to learn about forces and motion.

Students create terrariums (mini rainforests). They observe and discuss the life processes that occur in their terrariums and how changes in these processes affect the plants and organisms inside. They collect and graph data and present...

Students record data, make observations, and share in experimentation and discussion of numerical experiments.

First graders develop skills of scientific inquiry. They determine which objects float and which sink.

Fourth graders complete a variety of exercises and activities surrounding the scientific and artistic properties of the parts and processes of a plant/flower.

Third graders review the placement and role of the sun in the solar system. Using beads, they create a necklace which they can use to identify the amount of sunlight is being illuminated. In groups, they record observations on the...

Learners observe crystals under the microscope. In this science instructional activity, students compare how the crystal look like using their eyes, hand lens and microscope. They identify the type of crystal based on the amount of light...

Students investigate what a system is in the scientific world. They watch a video of the Stellar seals of Alaska and develop clues as to why the seals are leaving. They discover through the clues they discover, how the components of the...

Students study the blood characteristics of a number of distinct racial/ethnic groups. They build skills in observation, information gathering and processing. Students experiences strongly reflect the nature and intent of the current...

Does mass change during a chemical reaction? Demonstrate the Law of Conservation of Matter while encouraging class members to be creative with a two-part lesson. First, learners use Alka-Seltzer® tablets and water to demonstrate the...

Rotating through five stations, evolutionary biologists explore the question of how changes in DNA facilitate the changes in a population over time. High-quality, colorful cards of animals, skeletons, skulls, and DNA sequences can all be...

Second graders explore bird classification, specifically owls. They dissect their own owl pellet and explain the predetor and prey relationship.

Students examine the interactions of the Earth's systems and other objects in space.  In this climate change lesson students study the pros and cons of different climates and what their preferences are. 

Students examine the differences in pH tolerance between the two species and relate these differences to their respective niches.

Second graders read Byrd Baylor's book "Everybody Needs a Rock", and select a rock, study it, and describe its attributes.

Even though the student handouts are not included in the write-up, this lesson plan contains the instructions for terrific activities to use when teaching middle schoolers about metamorphic rocks. First, they compare granite to gneiss...

Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome. 

Why do soybean plants that are planted weeks apart in the spring mature simultaneously in the fall? Four independent activities cover the history of phytochrome research, scientist collaboration, the electromagnetic spectrum, and...

Learners predict when an object will float or sink based on comparison of density of the object to the density of the substance in which it is placed. The access a website and sketch the object in the first column of their table and then...

Take part in a fun experiment and hold an impromptu bouncing contest with your class. Young scientists heat and cool balls before bouncing them to determine whether temperature changes affect how they bounce. The set of...

In 1980, in the tropical rainforests of Panama, scientists discovered 1,200 species of beetles living in and around just 19 trees, with most of the species new to science—that's biodiversity! In the activity, learners work in teams to...

Studying levers couldn't be more exciting! Learners build their own catapults and test the results as they make adjustments to the fulcrum. They compete against other groups to create the most accurate apparatus.

Students complete online research to study geography's impact on weather. In this geography and weather lesson, students research weather in their city for ten days using an online website. Students bookmark the site, enter data into a...

Ninth graders utilize Newton's Laws of Motion to explain how things move, create poster illustrating each law of motion, and present and explain their poster to classmates.