Curated OER
Hands-On Weather Data Collecting
Fifth graders study weather in their community, in the United States, and around the world. They use thermometers, the beaufort wind scale, and simple weather symbols to measure and record the weather outside their school. They also look...
Discover Earth
Weather Stations
Transform your classroom into a fully functioning weather station with this series of hands-on investigations. Covering the topics of temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and cloud formation, these activities engage young...
Curated OER
Caterpillars and Climate: How Temperature Affects Feeding Rate In Insects
Do you eat more when you are hot or when you are cold? Young scientists observe the eating pace of two caterpillars at different temperatures. The differences in endotherm and ecotherm animals' ability to adjust to temperature change...
Virginia Department of Education
Heat Loss from a Fur-Insulated Animal
How do animals adapt to weather changes? Provide your class with the ability to understand adaptations and body temperature as they participate in this hands on experiment, using fake fur and hot water. Pupils collect data and analyze...
Colorado State University
How Does the Earth Cool Itself Off?
Where does all the heat go when the sun goes down? An interesting lesson has learners explore this question by monitoring the infrared radiation emitted over time. They learn that hot spots cool more quickly that cooler spots.
Curated OER
Plants Help Keep a House Cool!
Students experiment with tree shading and house colors to see how to reduce the temperature of a home.
Curated OER
Meteorologists
Fourth graders investigate the work of a meteorologist and then take on the identity of one to make reports on clouds and temperature.
Curated OER
Algebra II: Crickets-Nature's Thermometer
Students translate functional relationships into equations to answer questions. Students answer questions using different representations of the relationships: function rules, graphs of the function, tables of values, and equations and...
Curated OER
Introducing Temperature Measurement
Students read a thermometer, associate weather conditions and seasons with temperature changes and keep a record of daily temperature.
Curated OER
Kaboom!
Students identify the three ingredients of weather.. They create weather vanes, thermometers, and rain gauges.
Curated OER
Insulators, Conductors, and Energy Transfer
Third graders conduct experiments to determine what types of material make good insulators. They prepare a graph of time vs. temperature for their sample. They choose a graph using each kind of material to display for class analysis and...
Curated OER
Farming: Natural Resources (Lesson 2)
Students identify the types of natural resources. They explain the difference between weather and climate. They practice using a rain gauge and reading a thermometer.
Curated OER
Weather: Like It or Not!
Second graders investigate daily weather changes. In this earth science lesson, 2nd graders identify the different terms used to describe weather. They use the outdoor thermometer to record data.
Curated OER
Farming and the Services of a Community (Lesson 5)
Students identify different types of farms and services of a community. They use a pretend farm scenerio and a worksheet to distinguish between the different types of farms. They also practice using new vocabulary.
Curated OER
Hands-On Weather Data Collecting
Fifth graders use Internet sites to complete a study of weather and atmosphere. They compare weather data from cities around the world. They use thermometers, the Beaufort wind scale, and simple weather symbols to measure weather around...
Curated OER
Heat Misconceptions
Third graders determine that gloves do not provide heat, but rather, they insulate or hold in any heat that is in their hand. They discuss the different temperatures found in ecosystems around the world. What do animals that live in...
Curated OER
A Visit to the Vet
Students identify the differences and similarities between doctors for humans and veterinarians. Students draw a pet's visit to the veterinarian's office and a person's visit to a doctor's office. Students describe exactly what they have...
Curated OER
Physical and Chemical Changes - Making Toffee
Fourth graders make toffee to observe both physical and chemical changes. They determine what types of changes that are caused by the cooking process and which are chemical, and which are physical. In order to do this they follow a...
Curated OER
Observing Objects
Students observe the motion of both a pendulum and a spring pendulum . They then explain the differences and the similarities between the two types of motions.
Curated OER
Bounce Back Ball
Fifth graders work in teams of four to measure the rebound heights of a tennis ball dropped from four different heights. They investigate with the bouncing balls to measure changes in the type of energy they possess.
Curated OER
Methods of Heat Transfer
Eighth graders are introduced to the various types of heat transfer methods. After taking a quiz, they pretend their hands are cold and offer suggestions on how to warm them up. They explain each type of heat transfer method and give...
Curated OER
To Be Salty Sea Ice Or Not
Middle schoolers explore what type of solutions freeze. They design their own experiments to compare how fresh water and salt water freezes. In addition, they write their observations in a journal and complete analysis questions.
Curated OER
The Sky and the Dichotomous Key
Students use a dichotomous key to distinguish between different types of clouds
Curated OER
Instruments and Measurement
Students circulate through stations to determine the proper instrument to make a certain type of measurement. They must make measurements of mass, volume, length, area, electrical current, temperature and force.