NOAA
Climate, Corals and Change
Global warming isn't just an issue on land; deep ocean waters are also showing troubling signs. Young scientists learn more about deep water corals and the many recent discoveries researchers have made. Then they examine data related to...
Curated OER
Weather Olympics
Students consider the effects of topography on climate patterns. For this earth science lesson, students research weather patterns and make inferences of how the land forms may create different climates. Students compare Celsius...
Curated OER
Industrialization of the American Landscape
High schoolers summarize the three sectors of industry and how these sectors applied to the Industrial Revolution. Students apply their skills in research and note-taking, as well as vocabulary building through web organizers. High...
Curated OER
2.2: Sedimentary Rocks
Second graders discuss the geologic rock cycle and work with their group to simulate creating a sedimentary rock. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the sedimentary process and draw the steps of the rock cycle.
Curated OER
Nothing New? A Physical Change
Fifth graders discuss the differences between chemical and physical changes. In groups, they complete experiments and discover how a physical chnage can be reversed. To end the lesson, they review the steps of the water cycle and...
Curated OER
Sedimentary Rocks
Second graders receive an introduction to the rock cycle. They dicuss the geologic rock cycle. They create a simulation of a sedementary rock.
Curated OER
Melting the Ice: Energy Transfer
Students study thermal energy and energy transfer to sea ice processes. In this energy transfer lesson, students make their own ice cream and discuss energy transfer and thermal energy. Students view a radiation overhead and its role in...
Curated OER
Go for the Gold!
Young athletes practice various locomotor movements. They use locomotor skills as directed by the teacher to move between "Olympic rings" (hula hoops). Students participate in a discussion about Olympic events prior to playing the game.
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Young scholars study four samples of "rain water". They asked to determine the pH of the samples and then to neutralize them. Students are asked to predict any negative effects which might be associated with water having a low pH and...
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Watercycle
Third graders examine the natural circulation of water from oceans, lakes, and rivers to evaporation into the air, and then to condensation to produce rain falling back to the soil as components of the water cycle.
Curated OER
Meteorology (Condensation)
Second graders define condensation and evaporation. They identify and describe the steps in the water cycle. They ask questions to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Electron Transport System Made Fun and Easy:
Students identity the components of electron transport system through role play. They explain the role of intermediate energy carriers to the production of ATP molecules. They describe the relationship of electron transport system to...
Eastern Michigan University
Energy Flow in a Wetland Ecosystem
How is energy transferred within an ecosystem? What would happen to a food web if one of the organisms was removed? Elementary or middle school ecologists examine these questions and more in a comprehensive 5E learning cycle...
Tech Museum of Innovation
Seed Dispersal
Engineering challenges are not just man-made ... nature has its own set of them. A hands-on STEM activity has groups designing a seed dispersal system. Each group can only use one sheet of paper — a tough task!
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of Bottled Water
Young scholars research natural resources. In this environmental lesson, students define what a natural resource is and explore the life of a single-use water bottle. Young scholars create a waste-reduction plan.
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Marine & Aquatic Habitats -- Journey of a Drop of Water Through a Watershed
Learners discuss pollution and the steps in the hydrologic cycle. They follow a drop of water through a watershed simulation. They discover the components of a water cleaning system as well.
Curated OER
Coal Science Fair Ideas
Learners select one of the ideas for a science project reflecting their knowledge about coal. They then choose a catchy title to spark interest that describes their project. They use the scientific method to explain the process.
Curated OER
Cloud in a bag
Students relate the states of matter and clouds. In this environment lesson, students create a chart of information they know about clouds. Students put an ice cube in a bag and tape to a window. Students watch for...
Curated OER
Amazing Transpiration
Learners observe a leaf and discuss the way that water is released from a leaf through its stomata. For this water cycle instructional activity, students calculate how much water leaves produce from a whole tree. ...
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Water Purification
Students develop an understanding and appreciation of water purification techniques and their implications for health maintenance.
Curated OER
The Spider's Life Cycle
Students see that spiders have a life cycle, and reproduce by laying many eggs. We can count by ones, twos, fives, or as many as we want. They make two lists of animals on a chart.
Curated OER
Rockets on a Shoestring Budget
Young scholars, operating under simulated budget constraints, build pop-rockets and launch them. Working in pairs, they complete budget worksheets and use their "Blast Off Bucks" to pay for the construction. They then redesign their...
Curated OER
Water, Water Everywhere, Even Underground
The "Engage" section of a wetlands lesson plan asks young ecologists to examine a wetlands poster. You can easily find one online and display it using a projector. Pupils immerse a piece of sandstone and a piece of granite in water to...
Curated OER
WET Science Lesson #3: Comparison of Aquatic and Terrestrial Plants
Elementary life science explorers compare and contrast aquatic and terrestrial plants (elodea and soybeans) in a Venn diagram. Some background information is provided to support direct instruction, and general instructions are provided...