Columbus City Schools
Biome Basics with a Disastrous Twist
Bored with your current biome bag of tricks? This bundle is a bountiful bag of biome fun! Travel the globe with seventh graders and explore the biotic and abiotic factors that define our world's biomes. Then, introduce a little chaos to...
Virginia Department of Education
Ecosystem Dynamics
Searching for an eccentric way to enhance lessons on ecosystems while ensuring pupils remain creative and motivated? Upon viewing The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, designated groups design and construct a pop-up book that depicts the specific ways...
Curated OER
Biomes
Tenth graders research locations of biomes and their barriers. In this biomes instructional activity, 10th graders examine location, environmental conditions, and species of plants and animals that live in the biome. Students take notes...
Curated OER
Factors That Shaped Indiana
Fourth graders construct a model of Indiana which displays the effects of the glacial period on the state's physical structure. Students work in groups to plan and execute their model based on an established rubric.
Curated OER
Soil Factors
Eighth graders study the nine soil factors to use in field study and to complete an exam. They learn the components and characteristics of soil.
Ocean Explorer
Looking for Clues
Upper graders become "shipwreck detectives" by studying the debris field from a shipwreck in the Aegean Sea which took place in the 700s. A website is accessed that gives specific information about the debris field, and pairs of...
PHET
Planet Designer: What’s Trending Hot?
Excite scholars to design their own planet in this first of five lessons. The lesson starts with a pre-activity assessment, a complete lesson plan that is easy to implement, and a post-activity assessment that would look great displayed...
Curated OER
Who Ever Heard of the Big Bang?
Students examine the theories that attempt to explain the origins of the Universe. Some theories are based on scientific facts. Others find their source in folklore. The variety of beliefs systems are discussed as a motivating factor for...
Curated OER
Sun and Weather
How is the Earth's weather created? Middle schoolers will explain how the Sun's energy is transformed into different forms. They will perform mathematical calculations of volume, mass, and temperature. They they will explain the...
Curated OER
Cost Effective Buying
Students evaluate energy-related purchases. In this consumer awareness lesson, students visit an appliance store and rank the products' cost effectiveness by using a mathematical formula.
Curated OER
States of Consciousness
Students investigate sleep. In this psychology lesson, students discuss five environmental factors leading to stress related to sleep.
Curated OER
China's Giant Panda
Third graders read an article called "All About Pandas." In this Panda instructional activity, students become familiar with the connection of the Panda to Chinese culture. Students recognize that Pandas are endangered. Students...
Curated OER
Looking at Food Labels
Students interpret the food and nutrition on food labels. They determine their nutrient needs and how comprehending food labels can help them to meet those needs. Pupils recall that food labels provide nutrition information to help...
Curated OER
Basic Introduction to Foundation of Life: Genes, Genetics and Genetic Diseases
Learners are introduced to genetics along with genetic diseases and heredity. In groups, they complete a Punnett Square to determine the dominant and recessive genes. After viewing diagrams, they identify the characteristics of DNA and...
Curated OER
Habitat Breakdown
Students investigate the fragility of insects and organisms and their survival needs. In this habitat lesson, students discuss what elements they need to survive day to day, then hypothesize what they would need to live as an insect....
Curated OER
Web of Life
Learners construct a web of life. In this ecosystem activity students are introduced to ecosystems and life cycles. Insects are the main focus.
Curated OER
Interactions Everywhere!
Students examine interactions within the environment and environmental engineering careers. They discuss and view photos of natural and manmade environments, explore various websites, create a web to identify interactions between living...
Curated OER
Buoyant Boats
Students design and construct a boat out of aluminum foil and a few other simple materials. The boats then be tested by floating them in water, then adding mass until they sink. They explore the various shapes of boat construction.
Curated OER
Sink or Float?
Students make and test predictions about sinking and floating, and classify objects according to whether they sink or float.
Curated OER
MICROBES 1: WHAT'S BUGGIN YOU?
Young scholars use existing knowledge of microbes, focusing on the relationship between microorganisms and foodborne illness, as well as the implications that foodborne illness has on human health.
Curated OER
COMPOSTING: WHY BOTHER?
Students explore the composting process and participate in a contest to make the most compost the fastest from the school's kitchen and yard waste.
Curated OER
Sink or Float?
Students will determine whether various objects sink or float in water. They do not need to explain why objects sink or float. They are rather to be encouraged to observe that the same objects will sink or float every time, i.e., that...
Curated OER
Where are the Dinosaurs?
Young scholars construct their own diorama based on the life of a dinosaur. In this dinosaur lesson, students create models of dinosaurs and dinosaurs' eggs to explore the life cycle of this extinct species.
Curated OER
Microbes: Louis Pasteur - A Microbe Discoverer
Students study Louis Pasteur and the process of pasteurization in controlling microbes. In this pasteurization lesson, students discuss microorganisms and how they can affect health. They discuss Louis Pasteur and research his work by...