Students complete a variety of activities related to the physical characteristics of minerals. They classify and group candy, classify rocks and complete a Pet River Rock worksheet. Students try to guess which rock goes with each...

Fourth graders describe the difference between minerals (composed of the same substance throughout) and rocks (composed of two or more minerals). They recognize that there are three classes of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic

Students will explain the importance of soybeans. In this science lesson, students participate in making a "beanie baby" necklace. Additionally, students observe their soybeans for germination and growth for 7-10 days. Students record...

Students explore plant science by participating in a botany activity. In this seed growth lesson, students identify the necessary elements to ensure a plant grows well and prepare seeds for planting. Students plant their soaked seeds in...

Students identify parts of prairie plants. They sketch the plants indicating its adaptive parts and write brief descriptions of them. They present their findings to the class.

Students examine the importance of details in evidence gathering, as well as the relationship between chemistry, physics and biology.  In this forensics lesson plan students divide into groups and look at fingerprints and fill out...

Fourth graders identify basic properties of minerals and rocks. They access websites and utilize worksheets imbedded in this lesson to further their understanding of rock classification.

Young scholars identify and interpret a variety of solid materials - cloth, wood, metal, plastic, paper, and rubber. After a period of free exploration, they then describe the properties of the objects and develop vocabulary in order to...

Students investigate different liquids to develop their concept of a liquid. They work at a center to tip, swirl, shake, roll, and otherwise investigate seven liquids in small, clear plastic bottles: plain water, corn syrup, liquid...

Young scholars observe liquids in different containers and then explore the concept that liquids have level surfaces. They identify those who are not at the center to reinforce the concept of liquid levels with a representational puzzle...

Students use screens of three sizes to separate a mixture of five solid materials. They plan and conduct simple investigations using appropriate tools, measures, and safety rules and record and report observations, explanations, and...

Students investigate mixtures made of water and familiar solid materials. They observe and discuss the changes that occur immediately and set the mixtures aside for a day. Finally, students observe the mixtures, note changes, and graph...

Learners explore Halloween by examining pumpkins in class. In this pumpkin observation instructional activity, young scholars discuss the method in which pumpkins are grown and the time line it takes a pumpkin to grow from a seed....

Learners put items in a plastic bag and watch the effects of composting. While completing the experiment, students answer questions and ask permission to start their own compost pile at home.

The student will identify main and secondary parts of a tree.1. Help students brainstorm and list the many ways we use trees every day (most paper goods, firewood, building materials, etc.). 2. Share background information. 3. Read...

Students contrast a weedy annual grassland of introduced species with an undisturbed, ancient plant community of native bunchgrasses and wildflowers.

Learners interpret archaeological strata using the law of superposition. They apply cross-dating to determine the age of other artifacts.

Students create sentences, using words printed on pictures of peanuts. They are explained that the peanut is not really a nut, but a legume, related to beans and peas. Students are also told that the first peanuts grew in Brazil. They...

Learners discover which properties of solids lend themselves to building a tower through hands on trial and error and observation of others as they are building. They write down the steps it took them to build the tower and label an...

Students use standard rulers to measure the length of common classroom items - such as pencils, books, desk tops - in inches and centimeters, and measure weight in pounds. They also answer math questions, such as "How long is the front...

Students use funnels to put the five solid materials into clear bottles with caps. They observe how the particulate materials look, sound, and move when they shake and roll the bottle. Finally, students write "sound and touch" poetry.

This interactive website explores the various soil layers and introduces you to the lifeforms that live in those soil layers.

Students investigate soil porosity by building a model using the three main soil textures: sand, silt, and clay.

By the end of this unit you should be able to: list the seven characteristics used to describe soils, to distinguish one soil from another soil, and to distinguish one soil layer from another soil layer; explain the impact of soil...