Ask a Biologist
It’s a Plankton Eat Plankton World
For as small as they are, plankton sure play an enormous role in maintaining marine ecosystems. Dive into an investigation of these tiny organisms with a hands-on life science activity in which children cut out pictures of sea...
Safe Kids Worldwide
Pedestrian Safety Lesson Plan
Distracted pedestrians? Yes. This lesson on pedestrian safety points out the dangers of texting and posting while walking around traffic. In addition, kids learn about safety resources available for those on foot.
Florida Center for Reading Research
Vocabulary: Word Analysis, Analogy Basketball
Give grammar instruction a boost with a basketball-themed game all about analogies! Working in pairs, learners quiz each other's analogy knowledge testing how many they can complete and earn the most points.
Skills Workshop
Ratio, Scale, and Proportion
Converting units is an excellent example of how math relates to our everyday tasks. The resource prompts mathematicians to use baking, cooking, and other daily activities to discover how to make larger quantities of...
Carolina K-12
The Revolutionary Times
Be sure to grab a copy of the Revolutionary Times! Scholars take a step back in time to report on topics set in the revolutionary period. Events include the ride of Paul Revere, the Battle of Saratoga, and more.
Curated OER
Beginning Daily Activities Unit
Begin each day with a warm-up that has ELLs focusing their minds on a skill that will be taught that day. Focusing on verbs, each daily lesson reinforces study and self-management skills, helps learners become proficient in working with...
Radford University
A Change in the Weather
Explore the power of mathematics through this two-week statistics unit. Pupils learn about several climate-related issues and complete surveys that communicate their perceptions. They graph both univariate and bivariate data and use...
University of Minnesota
Mindflex Activity
Control a ball with your mind! Using a headset with an electrode, learners adjust the movement of a ball. They develop an experiment that tests the involvement of the central nervous system in controlling the ball. The activity helps to...
University of Minnesota
Manduca sexta Wax Model
Caterpillars' and moths' most obvious change is physical, but what happens to their nervous systems as they complete metamorphosis? Through a hands-on investigation, young scholars construct the nervous system of a caterpillar. They then...
Cornell University
Building Spectroscope
Given specific materials, scholars follow a set of instructions to build and calibrate their very own spectroscopes. After construction, they test the scope for accuracy and make modifications where necessary.
Cornell University
Isotopes
What better way is there to learn about isotopes than to play with them? Chemistry students manipulate the number of protons and neutrons in a hands-on activity. Individuals try to score the largest number of points...
Discovery Education
Our Brain and Body on Opioids
Use a presentation that explores the world of prescription opioids. Learners look at the way the brain responds to the drugs and the long terms effects opioids have on the brain and body. At the end of the lesson, groups create a social...
Discovery Education
Sarah's Sister
Does it matter where medication is stored in your home? Absolutely. The best way to identify proper and improper storage of medications is to participate in different role-play scenarios. A instructional activity models the safe storage...
Discovery Education
Malachi's Medication
What's on a prescription medicine label? After learners practice measuring Malachi's prescribed dosage for his medication, they collaboratively discuss and explain why measuring it with the proper measuring tools is essential. Young...
Curated OER
Open Inquiry Using C. elegans
Ever wondered what motivates a roundworm? Introduce your biology class to C. elegans, a non-parasitic model organism that can help them understand behavioral stimuli. Paired pupils design an experiment to test the worm's reaction to...
Curated OER
Fishy Behavior
Here's a lab that may make you rethink that morning cup of coffee. Biology scholars test the effects of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine on the behavior of zebrafish through an intriguing experiment. Learners observe fish...
Curated OER
Go Fish!
So much science in one tiny fish! Introduce young biologists to the zebrafish, a common aquarium inhabitant. The small, unassuming organism presents an opportunity for learners to study habituation using an easy-to-care-for species. Lab...
Cornell University
Bacteria Take Over and Down
Bacteria outnumber all other forms of life on Earth. Scholars observe the growth of bacteria in petri dishes to understand their role in maintaining good health. Then, they observe the growth of bacteria after they introduce...
Cornell University
Characterizing a Solar Cell
Young classes are sure to get a charge out of this lesson! Learners experiment with circuits of a solar cell. They practice determining current, voltage, and power for the circuit and maximize the voltage and current of the cell.
Cornell University
Thinking with the Eyes
Objects are larger (or smaller) than they appear! Scholars use a laboratory investigation to explore the difference between resolution and magnification. The activity allows them to calculate the size of the field of view of their light...
Cornell University
Optical Simulation of a Transmission Electron Microscope
Don't have an electron microscope? Have your classes build the next best thing! A hands-on lesson asks scholars to build a model of Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). They then use their models to identify the function of each...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Natural Selection and the Evolution of Darwin's Finches
Darwin explained the connection between species of finches 150 years before scientists understood DNA. Technology and progressing science proved he was right, yet many struggle to understand how natural selection happens. Scholars use...
iCivics
Lesson 1: Journalism
Extra! Extra! Do your pupils know what it takes to be a good journalist? Young news hounds explore the world of journalism through a series of activities that focus on ethical reporting. Learners read, evaluate, and investigate popular...
iCivics
Lesson 2: Misinformation
Fake news is a hot topic right now ... but what is it? Intrepid young investigators track down the facts that separate journalistic mistakes and misinformation through reading, research, and discussion. Part three in a five-lesson plan...