Baylor College
What's Is Soil Made Of?
It's time to roll up those sleeves and get a little dirty in the second lesson plan of this series on the science of food. Investigate where plants and animals get the minerals they need to live in this two-part exploration of soil....
Curated OER
Soil Scrolls
Third graders examine soil samples and explore the what happens in each layer of the subsoil. They work in cooperative groups to create a scroll that shows what takes place in each layer, and discuss why much of the activity is in the...
Curated OER
Measuring Soil Temperatures at South Penquite Farm
Students investigate soil temperatures. In this graphing and earth science instructional activity, students insert temperature probes into different types of soil at varying depths. Students complete a data chart and construct a related...
Captain Planet Foundation
Fall into Healthy Shapes
Kindergartners identify geometric shapes by planting a fall garden. They start their seeds in containers that have different shapes, and keep track of their plants based on those shapes. This brilliantly designed and incredibly thorough...
California Education Partners
Science Fair Project
Plant the data firmly on the graph. Given information about the growth rate of plants, pupils determine the heights at specific times and graph the data. Using the information, scholars determine whether a statement is true and support...
Curated OER
What is Soil?
Third graders examine what makes soil by creating a Venn Diagram. In this Earth environment lesson, 3rd graders identify the different components that soil is made from. Students bring soil from their homes to examine and create a Venn...
Curated OER
Let's Make a Compost Cake
Students create a compost cake. In this gardening and decomposition science lesson, students review and describe the "nutrient cycle." Students create a compost pile, measure and record the dimensions and temperature of the pile, and...
Curated OER
Reworking a Butterfly Garden
Sixth graders determine how physical and biological agents and processes form and affect the soil. They analyze soil properties. Students evaluate ways in which human activities have affected the earth's pedosphere.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Measuring Biodiversity in Gorongosa
Take your biology class' understanding of biodiversity to a whole new level! Ecology scholars use data to calculate three different diversity indices based on the organisms in the Gorongosa National Park. The four-part activity uses an...
Curated OER
How Safe Is Your Backyard?
Seventh graders investigate the safety of soil and water locally and communicate via the Internet with students in different locales sharing information. They research the Internet using its multimedia capabilities and collate the data...
Curated OER
Squanto's Science Lesson
Learners explore Squanto's contribution to the settlers. They plant seeds and follow instructions for water and fertilization. Students keep a record of the growth of the seeds. They write a paragraph that tells what they learned from...
Curated OER
What is Air?
Learners investigate air by participating in a class experiment. In this matter measurement lesson, students identify air as a gas which consists of mass. Learners utilize a windsock or balloon to measure oxygen and explore it's true...
Curated OER
Groundwater Basics
Groundwater is an essential natural resource, not to mention a fascinating topic to study. Here is a series of twelve amazing lessons on the water source and how we use it in our daily lives. Concepts require higher math and physics...
National Park Service
Rock Ranking
Junior geologists sort rocks and soil. They separate a sample of river gravel by size, shape, color, and other characteristics. To include Common Core standards, you could have little ones graph the number of particles in each sample.
Baylor College
Needs of Plants
What better way to learn about plant life than by creating a class garden? Young botanists start with a brief discussion about radishes before planting seeds and watching them grow. To determine the importance of water, sunlight, and...
Curated OER
Let it Grow, Let it Grow, Let it Grow
Students investigate, through a hands-on activity, in which type of soil a bean seed grows best. They create a bar graph representing each plant's growth in different soils.
Curated OER
Weather Tools
Middle schoolers explore Earth science by participating in a weather identification activity. In this scientific instrument instructional activity, students identify several weather related tools such as the weather vane, thermometer and...
Curated OER
Composting "The Right Mix"
Students investigate the correct mix of material types for compost. In this composting lesson, students explore the correct amounts of different types of materials to create a compost heap. Students then create a compost heap.
Curated OER
Frost Depth Study
Students complete activities to study the frost and frost depth. For this frost study lesson, students use frost tubes to study and measure the frost at their school. Students measure the frost in the tube and enter their data online to...
Curated OER
A Home for a Cricket
First graders build a habitat for crickets after studying animal survival needs. They care for and observe the crickets in the classroom habitat.
Curated OER
Prairie In A Bottle
Second graders observe images of prairie ecosystems and discuss the needs of living things. They create a prairie habitat in a closed jar to observe the water cycle and plant growth.
Curated OER
Log Hotel
Students identify how the different plants and animals work together to cause the changes in the log. Students discuss the sequence of events in the life of the tree and log. Students plant a seed to take home and care for. Students...
Curated OER
Measure Up!
Discover ways to measure items without standard tools. In this measurements lesson, learners estimate how long certain objects are by measuring with a non-standard measuring tool. Students check their estimates with a ruler and share...
Curated OER
Greenhouse Effect ...Building Our Own
Students explore the greenhouse effect. They set up a simplified model of the earth and the greenhouse effect. Students compare temperatures inside a jar to temperatures outside the jar. Pupils collect information and create a line...