Curated OER
Pennsylvania Watersheds
Students identify the major watersheds of Pennsylvania. In this forestry lesson, students learn what a watershed is and are assigned one of the major watersheds of Pennsylvania. Groups then need to determine the boundaries of the...
Curated OER
Oceans
Students become aware of the differences between ocean water and lake water by smelling, tasting and seeing. They distinguish between land and bodies of water on a globe and gain increased awareness of oceans and life.
Curated OER
Snack Attack: Food Packaging Activity
Students design and create packaging material for food. In this snack attack lesson, students design a package to protect a food item from heat and water. Students consider costs of materials, design, and test the package to see if it is...
Curated OER
What Kind of Garden Would Grow in Our Schoolyard?
Learners perform soil tests for pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, composition and water percolation rate and assess the conditions in the schoolyard.
Curated OER
Getting Thirsty?
Students explore the concept of drought and its significance as a natural hazard. In this drought lesson plan, students complete 13 questions on an "Introduction to Drought as an Ecosystem Stressor" worksheet and discuss the responses as...
Curated OER
Backyard Habitats
Students identify habitat elements. They create a habitat in a backyard, on a balcony, at a workplace, or in a schoolyard and provide the four basic requirements of wildlife survival (food, water, cover, and places to raise young). They...
Curated OER
Changes in Ecosystems
In this changes in ecosystems worksheet, learners complete 21 various types of questions related to ecosystem. First, they determine whether each statement is true or false based on vocabulary. Then, students determine whether natural...
Curated OER
Vermicomposting
Second graders create an eco-bin and study the habitat of the worm in soil. In this vermicomposting lesson, 2nd graders observe the effects of water ( too much or too little) and other factors on the eco-bin.
Curated OER
Guetemala's Changing Forest
Eighth graders compare their local ecological zone to the tropical rainforest. In this natural ecology lesson, 8th graders complete an activity about the differences in ecological zones. They compare their biome to the Guatemalan...
Curated OER
Sharks: Fact or Fiction
Second graders discover the truth about sharks. For this shark lesson, 2nd graders use different resources to help distinguish between fact and fiction with what they have heard about sharks. They complete an attached activity sheet.
Curated OER
Monk Seal Research Expedition
Students study data. In this seal research lesson, students act as scientific researchers observing Monk seals in their habitat. They work in small groups to record data from a video and when through they share a piece of information...
Curated OER
Infiltration
Students investigate how the amount of water that can infiltrate into the soil is influenced by precipitation factors and the nature of the soil. The precipitation factors are type of precipitation, amount, duration and intensity of...
Curated OER
Lose Some Weight- Evaporate!
Students determine that some liquids are able to evaporate more readily than others. They create a balance using cups and a ruler to determine which end of a strip dipped in alcohol or water evaporates the fastest, hence loses the most...
Curated OER
Deep Freeze
Students practice various sampling methods for retrieving data under water, ice, and soil. They use the sample material to make temperature measurements, chart contents, and draw their own conclusions as to what is happening in the...
Curated OER
Ecological Impact of Wood Extraction
Students explore their local environment by conducting a class experiment. In this deforestation instructional activity, students discuss the effects of wood harvesting on forests around the world and research environment related...
Curated OER
Flow Rates of Faucets and Rivers
Students work together to discover the flow rates of faucets and rivers. They relate their results to engineering and applied science concepts. They make predictions on the flow rate of a nearby river in their local community.
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
When Disaster Strikes: Flooding in Pakistan
Students complete various activities after reading about flooding in Pakistan. In this lesson on humanitarian efforts, students read about flooding that occurred in Pakistan, discuss what they have read, and synthesize the information...
Orange County Water Atlas
Location, Location, Location…
Young geographers discover not only how to read and recognize coordinates on a map, but also gain a deeper understanding of latitude and longitude and how climate changes can vary significantly across latitudes.
Royal Society of Chemistry
A Cartesian Diver—Classic Chemistry Experiments
Sometimes the simplest experiments leave the biggest impression! Introduce young chemists to the Cartesian Diver by having them make one of their own. Use the Diver to further their study of liquids and gases, as well as compression.
Cornell University
Beneficial Insects
A lot of people think of insects as pests. But actually, some insects are beneficial because they get rid of pests! After learning about beneficial insects, class members research given insects to find out if they are pests or predators.
American Museum of Natural History
Rising CO2! What Can We Do?
It is colorless and scentless, but it makes a large impact on the environment. Learners explore carbon dioxide emissions and what they mean for the environment using an interactive graph. They review changes over time and how they impact...
National Park Service
Living & Non-Living Interactions
What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Propane Tanks
As an assessment task, learners must determine the radius of a new tank that has double the capacity of a given tank. Task tests knowledge of determining volumes of cylinders and spheres.