Serendip
Out Spot, Darn Spot
Encourage your classes to be laundry helpers! Learners explore the chemistry of stain removal with a lab investigation. By identifying the components of the stain, they identify the most effective solute for its removal.
NASA
Catch a Piece of the Sun
What does the sun mean to you? Learners have many different interests that may have connections to the sun. Whether its solar radiation, solar flares, or solar storms, there are connections to daily interests that may surprise your...
Teach Engineering
News Flash!
Extra, extra, read all about it! Scholars research information on endangered species and produce a news report to share their findings with the rest of the class. In groups, they then consider engineering solutions to problems on habitat...
NASA
Development of a Model: Analyzing Elemental Abundance
How do scientists identify which elements originate from meteorites? Scholars learn about a sample of material found in a remote location, analyzing the sample to determine if it might be from Earth or not. They study elements, isotopes,...
Discovery Education
Weathering Cubes
Weathering is not necessarily a result of the weather. Scholars conduct an experiment to explore the effect of surface area and volume on the weathering process. They create their own sugar cube rocks using the same number of cubes—but...
American Museum of Natural History
Being a Conservation Biologist: Eleanor Sterling
Eleanor Sterling responds to 21 questions posed by young learners about the challenges she faces as a woman conservation biologist. She also discusses her research of the aye-aye, an unusual animal that lives in Madagascar.
Workforce Solutions
Workforce Solutions 2-3 Lessons
Four lessons and an at-home connection examine 12 jobs. Beginning with an interactive map, scholars view and discuss each one within their small group. Groups focus on the products provided and on their scarcity. Finally, pupils look...
Curated OER
Autoimmune Disease
Students conduct Internet research on an autoimmune disease, and present the information in a PowerPoint presentation.
Curated OER
Cross That Bridge
Students create paper bridges. In this geometry and architecture instructional activity, groups use legal paper and paper clips to design a bridge that will hold 100 pennies. Links to mini-lessons exploring stability of different...
Curated OER
The Intertidal Zone
Students research the diverse animal and plant life that inhabit the intertidal zones along the Pacific rocky coast. As students progress through this lesson, they begin to recognize distinct behaviors, adaptations, and characteristics...
Curated OER
Gymnastics Lesson
Students investigate the importance of having a healthy body by performing gymnastics. In this physical education lesson, students utilize their flexibility and body strength to perform intense physical gymnastic maneuvers with the help...
Curated OER
How Do Cells Reproduce?
Students discuss the importance of reproduction of cells. They identify and describe the stages of Mitosis. They discover what happens to chromosomes and DNA during reproduction.
Curated OER
Is It Recyclable?
Learners bring to school five items they would normally throw away and five items they would normally recycle. Expert groups are formed to present information on the recycling of glass, metal, plastic, and organics such as paper and...
Curated OER
Ice Cream Lesson Plan for Kindergarten
Students explore how ice cream is made in a factory and at home. They help make ice cream in the classroom. They measure out the ingredients. Students share the ice cream when it is done.
Curated OER
Terrific Taste Buds
Students explore descriptive writing by eating food in class. In this descriptive word lesson, students assess different foods in class such as jelly beans and utilize their vocabulary to describe the taste. Students read the story...
Curated OER
Mammoth Extinction
High schoolers explore various hypotheses concerning the extinction of the woolly mammoth.
Curated OER
My Summer Vacation: Traveling
A classic lesson plan idea, kindergarteners share stories about their summer vacations on their first day of school! First, your young learners will listen to you talk about your summer vacation, making sure to use plenty of visual aids....
Curated OER
Galileo's Dialogue
Explore how Galileo's controversial theory raised objections in his time. For this physical science activity, learners research about current controversial issues. They role play both sides of the issue, and decide which one has a...
Curated OER
Language Arts: Plot Summary
Eighth graders implement plot summary organizers to identify essential elements such as conflict and resolution in literature. In pairs, they retell fairy tales to each other and complete plot summaries about them. As students read new...
Curated OER
The Origin of Life: Alternative Views
Students explore the topics of faith and science as they relate to the origins of life. They consider the major points of Darwin's Theory of Evolution and brainstorm various explanations of how life began. Students investigate different...
Curated OER
Food & Science - How Healthy is Your Diet?
Learners experiment with various foods to determine fat and starch content. They rub jam, peanut butter, bananas, and other foods in a small circle on a piece of paper, and observe the results. If there is a high fat content in the...
Curated OER
What is the Rock Cycle and Its Processes?
Geology beginners examine three different rock samples and determine their origin by their characteristics. By making and recording observations, they become familiar with features of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock types....
Curated OER
Power Crisis in California
Students read an online CNNfyi.com article related to the energy crisis in California. They calculate the monthly cost of running household appliances. They develop a list of alternative methods of energy sources.
Curated OER
Schoolyard Bird Project
Students observe and count bird sightings around their schoolyard throughout the school year.