Curated OER
DNA Extraction Laboratory Experiment
Students will visualize how DNA is extracted from cells by performing a simple laboratory experiment. They will then use this knowledge to further understand how scientists are using DNA extraction to try to clone human cells, and to...
Curated OER
Farming in the 1930's
Students research and conduct experiments with several types of simple machines. They examine levers, pulleys, inclined planes, wheels, axles, wedges and screws and then consider the physics behind "Green Eggs and Ham".
Curated OER
Design Your Own Rube Goldberg Machine
Students participate in a culminating activity for a unit on Energy and Simple Machines. They are challenged to incorporate simple machines in to a complex mechanical system. While designing and testing their machine they will also...
Curated OER
The Life Cycle of the Mealworm
Fourth graders provide a habitat for live mealworms and observe their life cycle. In this animal life cycle and scientific inquiry lesson, 4th graders create a habitat for a live mealworm and observe and record related data as it grows....
Curated OER
Inclined Plane and Pulley
Students describe how inclined plane and pulleys make work easier. In this physics lesson plan, students calculate work done and mechanical advantage of both simple machines. They collect data from the experiment and construct graphs.
Curated OER
Science as Inquiry: what is starch and how can we test it?
Sixth graders discuss nutrients and examine foods for starch. In this starch testing lesson, 6th graders use iodine to test foods for starch and record their results. Students complete a worksheet and self reflection.
Curated OER
TE Activity: Pulley'ing Your Own Weight
Students experiment with common objects such as spools, string and soap to determine how pulleys make it easier to move large objects. They look at the difference between fixed and movable pulleys. They examine the many uses engineers...
Curated OER
Newton's Laws: Making Simple Rockets
Students can use rocketry to understand Newton's Three Laws of Motion.
Curated OER
Is a Pulley a Special Kind of Lever?
Fifth graders use information from their text to read and discuss pulleys and levers. They examine a top sketch of the arrangement of a fixed pulley. Working in groups, 5th graders perform experiments to test the effect of using a pulley...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Young scholars investigate to use simple machines for the purpose of maximizing the work provided by mechanical advantage. They design an experiment that illustrates how to move a load easier and then calculate the amount of work...
Virginia Department of Education
Weather Patterns and Seasonal Changes
Get your class outside to observe their surroundings with a lesson highlighting weather patterns and seasonal changes. First, learners take a weather walk to survey how the weather affects animals, people, plants, and trees during...
Curated OER
The Gene Scene
Sixth-grade scientists gain understanding of how genetic traits manifest with simple experiments, such as determining whether their tongues are roller or non-roller, taster or non-taster. Extensions include performing tests at home with...
Dr. Seuss Enterprises
Read Across America
Celebrate the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss on Read Across America Day with a collection of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics activities, each linked to a popular Dr. Seuss story.
CK-12 Foundation
Natural Selection: Of Seasons and Species
Do predators look for different things in different seasons? The quick interactive shows how some species survive longer in one season than another based on the conditions. The challenge questions encourage pupils to demonstrate that...
Curated OER
AP: Chapter 36: Transport in Plants
When you need a review worksheet for your AP biologists on water and nutrient transport in plants, this one is for you! From the simple stuctures involved to the complex mechanisms that make it happen, the details of transport are...
Curated OER
Plants
While a simple exploration of plants, this resource which is designed for first graders, provides a series of extension activities to make for a rich experience. First, learners watch a video about plants and label the parts. Then, they...
Teach Engineering
Storing Android Accelerometer Data: App Design
There's an app for that! Pupils learn to build an app that will store data on an Android. The instructional activity introduces class members to the tiny database, TinyDB, for Android devices. A video tutorial provides an...
Concord Consortium
Polymers and Monomers
You don't want to break these chains! Show young chemists and biologists the basics of polymerization with a simple interactive. The resource gives learners three types of polymers to experiment with, as well as a brief tutorial about...
Nuffield Foundation
Digestion of Starch: Microbes
Sugar isn't good for you, but it's great for microbes. A simple experiment has pupils investigate the digestion of starch by microbes to produce sugars. They apply two bacterial cultures, an amylase solution, and distilled water on a...
Baylor College
Gravity and Muscles
Humans are so used to gravity as a force that we don't tend to pay much attention to it on a daily basis. Through a couple simple activities, learners experience changes to their center of gravity and come to the understanding that...
Curated OER
Creating a Simple Telegraph Machine
Students experiment and discuss circuits and how they work. In this science activity, students construct a telegraph machine using cardboard, wires, battery, electric tape and masking tape. They investigate what happens as the circuits...
Curated OER
A Teeth Changing Experience
Students research human health by reading an educational story in class. In this oral health lesson, students identify the importance of brushing their teeth and consuming calcium. Students read the book A Teeth Changing Experience...
Curated OER
The Science of Sound and Musical Instruments
Students identify the components of sound. They describe the relationship between pitch and frequency and explain the terms sympathetic vibrations and resonance.
They perform simple experiments about the world of sound and explain the...
Curated OER
What is a Class One Lever?
Fifth graders understand what a lever is, how it works and what the parts of a lever are. In this first class lever lesson, 5th graders label pictures and design a lab lever. Students predict the outcome of experiments with their lever...