Curated OER
All Messed Up
Students begin the experiment by mapping and calculating their school parking lot. They calculate the volume of water falling on the lot and map the route the water runoff takes. They discuss the roles that humans play in affecting water...
Curated OER
Fossil Fuel and the Ticking Clock
Students study energy sources to learn about fossil fuels and environmental concerns. In this energy sources activity, students watch demonstrations for various energy examples. Students find hidden pennies, make a bar graph on their...
Curated OER
Solar Matters
Students design an energy resource wheel and demonstrate how to use it to access information about renewable and nonrenewable energy sources.
Curated OER
Waterwheel Work
Students investigate the history of the waterwheel and common uses for water turbines today. They construct an experimental waterwheel using a two-liter plastic bottle, measure the rate of revolution of a waterwheel, and complete a...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pennsylvania’s Energy Supply
Third graders become familiar with the various types of energy and which types are found in Pennsylvania. In this Pennsylvanian energy resources lesson, 3rd graders, identify wind and water as sources of energy. Students...
Curated OER
Alternative Energy
Young scholars identify the five major alternative energy sources. For this physical science lesson, students assess the advantages and disadvantages for each type of energy. They complete a concept map using information they researched.
Curated OER
Bricks Soak Up Water
Students determine whether various rocks are porous or not. They conduct an experiment to determine if a brick is porous, calculate how much water the brick soaked up, and develop a conclusion.
Curated OER
Transpiration
Students interactively explore the term transpiration. In this science/ecology lesson, students discuss what they would do if they were thirsty while conducting research in Brazil. Additionally, students write descriptive words to...
Curated OER
Oil + Water + Wildlife = A Real Mess
Students conduct an experiment. In this environmental protection lesson plan, students explore how oil spills affect living organisms in an ecosystem. Students work in groups to complete a lab activity and then discuss their findings.
Curated OER
Car Wash
Students determine the most appropriate site for a car wash, based on each site's soil characteristics (chemical, physical) and topographic features. They perform an experiment to determine the changes to three different soil types when...
Calvin Crest Outdoor School
Survival
Equip young campers with important survival knowledge with a set of engaging lessons. Teammates work together to complete three outdoor activities, which include building a shelter, starting a campfire, and finding directions in the...
Curated OER
Dante's Peak Movie Review
Middle or high school volcanologists watch the 1997 film, Dante's Peak. They make observations as they watch and then write a movie review, focusing on what was accurately represented. They also point out what facts were stretched by...
Curated OER
Clean, Green Power
Students explore and discuss alternative energy sources, and identify disadvantages of current fossil fuels.
Curated OER
Plumbing the Deep-Using Sound Waves to See
Students explore and learn about the concept of echolocation. In this echolocation lesson, students explore how animals and engineers use echolocation (seeing under water) and sound waves to look and hear things under the deep water.
Curated OER
Cloud Observations using GLOBE Protocols
Students observe which of ten types of clouds are visible and how much of the sky is cloud covered. They see that by observing clouds, we can get information about temperature, moisture, and wind conditions in different places in the...
Curated OER
Groundwater Movement
Students study groundwater movement beneath the surface of the Earth. In this agriculture lesson, students experiment with how water moves through rock materials such as sand, gravel, and clay.
Curated OER
Raw Seafood ~ On the Half Shell
The topic is fascinating, but there is not much for learners to do here. Food borne illness has always been a problem for humans to face, and here, data from the Center for Disease Control is analyzed. Learners look at the number of...
Curated OER
The Cinder-Eyed Cats - Storybook Theater
The students listen to the story "The Cinder-Eyed Cats." The students then chose individual parts to play in a theater like production. The students move like their character, be it a fish, an octopus, a lobster, a cat, etc. Water music...
Curated OER
Make a Windmill
Students explore Earth science by conducting an energy experiment in class. In this windmill lesson, students identify how wind has been used to pump water throughout history and the latest developments wind energy has produced. Students...
Curated OER
Heat Energy - Energy Transfer
Here's a great selection of slides for a class being introduced to heat transfer. Types of materials that are good conductors or insulators are covered and the diagrams that accompany the information should make understanding more...
Curated OER
QAR for The Color Purple
Have you heard of the QAR strategy? If your class is reading The Color Purple, provide them with this two-page activity to get them thinking. With the strategy, readers are introduced to four types of questions (right there, think and...
Curated OER
Air Quality Issues
Students identify the different layers of the atmosphere. They examine the different types of air pollutants. They also discover laws in effect that work to protect the environment.
Curated OER
Class Presentation on Coal
Did you know that coal was formed from plants? After being assigned a coal-related topic, groups gather, organize, and present information about this energy source. The presentations should include visuals like graphs, charts, tables,...
Port Jefferson School District
Climate Patterns
Young climatologists explore the factors that contribute to a region's climate in this two-part earth science activity. To begin, learners are provided with a map of an imaginary planet and are asked to label global wind and...