National Wildlife Federation
Conceptualizing Module II - Putting It All Together
"Creativity is just connecting things." - Steve Jobs. After weeks of researching climate change, the ninth lesson in a series of 21 combines the data and analysis to address essential questions. It covers natural phenomenon, human...
Curated OER
The Square Counting Shortcut
An excellent lesson that encourages students to discover how complex figures can be broken into simpler shapes when measuring area. Working with block letters, learners are given the freedom to develop their own strategies for...
Curated OER
Riding on a Pendulum
A comprehensive resource gets fourth grade physical scientists making observations about the period of a pendulum and then applying knowledge to a playground swing. Through seven different stations, they will record observations and...
Intel
Composting: Why Bother?
The first STEM lesson in a group of 10 explores composting. After discussing how to make a better tomorrow, classes are challenged to track garbage in their communities, visit a local waste management facility, and conduct a survey...
Curated OER
Task: Miniature Golf
"Fore!" All right, no one really yells this out in miniature golf, but this well-defined activity will have your charges using lots of numbers in their unique design of a miniature golf hole. Included in the activity criteria is the...
Curated OER
Task: Grain Storage
Farming is full of mathematics, and it provides numerous real-world examples for young mathematicians to study. Here, we look at a cylinder-shaped storage silo that has one flat side. Given certain dimensions, students need to determine...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Sea Level: On the Rise
With the global temperature on the rise, the effects of climate change are starting to be seen. However, many people have a difficult time conceptualizing the long-term effects, such as sea levels rising. Given an easy and effective...
Baylor College
Using Heat from the Sun
Let's heat things up! This simple experiment demonstrates for students the important role the sun plays in providing the earth with energy. Place one cup of water in direct sunlight and one in shade, then take measurements in order to...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Get Connected with Ohm's Law
Ideal for your electricity unit, especially with middle schoolers, this lesson plan gets engineers using multimeters in electrical circuits to explore the relationships among voltage, current, and resistance. Older learners may even plot...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How is Flowing Water an Energy Source? Activity B
Explore the world's water without leaving the classroom! In this second of three uncomplicated but wonderful activities, physical science learners feel the pressure of water. They discover that the deeper the water, the stronger the...
American Chemical Society
Solubility Test
Make sure to consult the teacher's handbook, Inquiry in Action - Investigating Matter Through Inquiry, for two demonstrations that can be done to introduce solubility and measuring crystal mass before having the class conduct this...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Gas Laws in Action - Propane
Using helium as an example of propane, physical science middle schoolers experiment with and graph the relationship between temperature and volume in gases. In a whole-class demonstration, they show how molecules behave under different...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Science and Math Lab
Although it was written to use in a science class, this measurement lesson is adaptable to Common Core standards in math for measurement and data. Youngsters are introduced to two types of measurement systems. They use both the...
Teach Engineering
Breathing Cells
Pairs work together to determine whether unknown solutions are either acids or bases by using a red cabbage indicator solution. After determining the general pH of the unknown solution, classmates blow into the same indicator after...
Curated OER
Inching Our Way through Measurement
Students review how to use an inch ruler and listen to the story, Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni. For this measuring lesson, students work in small groups to create an Inch Poster. Students then use an inch ruler to measure different objects...
Curated OER
Measuring Mania
Second graders turn into measuring maniacs with this activity! With real world objects, 2nd graders practice measuring accurately to the nearest inch and centimeter. After a lecture/demo, students practice with a worksheet imbedded in...
Curated OER
Exploring the Hudson in 1609
Learners follow the journey of Henry Hudson down the river with his name. Using journal entries and maps, they learn about its exploration. They use maps to identify stages of the journey, and practice converting distances into miles.
Curated OER
Metric Units of Length
Fourth graders have to know which metric unit to use in order to measure things properly. In this worksheet on metric units, 4th graders identify when to measure in centimeters, decimeters, meters and kilometers. This worksheet provides...
Curated OER
Prairie Math
Students work together to build models of prairie plants. Using the model, they estimate the height and then measure them using metric and standard units. They write a fraction to represent their part of the whole set and compare and...
Curated OER
Divide by a Unit Fraction
In this dividing by unit fractions practice worksheet, students sharpen their problem solving skills as they solve 6 story problems.
Curated OER
Right Triangles and Unit Circles
Students evaluate the six trigonometric values of a trig function. In this trigonometry lesson plan, students use the Unit Circle to find the values of right triangles and their angles. They identify an angle of elevation and...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Power Systems & Efficiency
Are you looking for a reading resource about the efficiency of power systems? Here is one that introduces the output/input ratio, measurement of energy by joules or calories, and efficiency ratings. For STEM classes that are learning...
Curated OER
Enrichment Activities - "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH"
Fifth graders read the novel "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH." They discuss the various characters in the book, and the different types of conflict that take place within the book. They also research owls and rats to make comparisons...
Curated OER
How Close Is Our Estimate?
Fifth graders estimate perimeter, area, and volume. They measure perimeter and area using nonstandard units of measurement. Students add and subtract non-standard units of measurement. They add mixed numbers and simplify the sum.