Cornell University
Making a Battery
Don't be shocked when your class has a blast making their own batteries! Science scholars examine a dry cell battery, then design and construct a wet cell battery. The activity guides them through the parts of a battery, the variables...
Curated OER
Observing the Pumpkin Cycle
Students observe and listen to nonfiction books about the life cycle of pumpkins. They practice early reading skills in a shared reading related to pumpkins. They observe the life cycle of a pumpkin including growth and decay.
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Let's Save Water: Water Conservation
Did you know that cutting down your shower by one minute a day can save five gallons of water? Learn about water conservation with a science reading activity. After kids finish reading key terms and water-saving tips in a reading...
Curated OER
Monarch Butterflies
First graders identify monarch butterflies and study their life cycles. They order the stages of the life cycle and create a monarch butterfly of construction paper. This well-designed lesson should be easy to implement in your classroom.
Rainforest Alliance
Protecting the Critical Habitat of the Manatee and Loggerhead Turtle
Explore ocean habitats with a lesson that showcases the home of manatees and loggerhead turtles in Belize. Here, pupils compare and contrast the homes of ocean animals to those of humans, listen to an original short story about...
Curated OER
My Wet Robot
After hearing about the 2006 PHAEDRA mission that explored the Aegean Sea, middle schoolers work in groups to create a robotic vehicle. They must consider power, propulsion, and other vital systems. Use the multitude of external...
Curated OER
Discovering Language Arts-Intermediate Fiction
Explore the elements of science fiction. Students investigate the literary elements present in science fiction and write their own science fiction stories.
Curated OER
Money Management Part II: Checking Accounts
Having money is great, learning to manage it wisely is imperative. First, the class has a discussion on the value and convenience of having a checking account. Then, they practice filling out deposit slips, keeping an account register,...
Marine Institute
Water Pollution
Sixth graders investigate the various types of pollutants found in water and ways to help prevent water pollution. Through a hands-on experiment, students create samples of polluted water by mixing water with vegetable oil, dirt,...
Lane Community College
Review Sheets: Introductory Physical Science
This hybrid worksheet connects mathematics to a science class. Learners practice solving problems that involve making a variety of conversions. An assortment of questions hits all the calculations needed for a middle school or beginning...
Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment
Concept Muraling
Concept muraling helps learners improve their comprehension of a text by giving them a way to organize their understanding of the key concepts in that text. Introduce readers to this process with a carefully scaffolded instructional...
ReadWriteThink
Webcams in the Classroom: Animal Inquiry and Observation
Boost observational skills with an inquiry-based lesson that takes scholars on a virtual field trip. With help from webcams, learners observe animals in a zoo or aquarium. Observations go into a journal and a discussion is held to review...
University of California
Hot! Hot! Hot!
Calories are not tiny creatures that sew your clothes tighter every night, but what are they? A science lesson, presented at multiple levels, has learners experiment with heat, heat transfer, and graph the function over time....
World Wildlife Fund
Arctic Food Chain
Explore the food chains that support Arctic ecosystems. A class discussion on interdependence and the different roles plants and animals play in ecosystems provides young scholars with the knowledge to complete a worksheet asking them to...
Curated OER
Zoo-Goers Ready to Greet Baby Panda
The Smithsonian's National Zoo, also known as the Washington Zoo, is one of the oldest zoos in the United States. Youngsters read and discuss a news article about Tai Shan, baby panda that was one of the zoos most famous residents. They...
American Museum of Natural History
Ocean Creature Feature
From coloring to hard protective shells, ocean creatures have adaptation features that help them survive. An eight-question online quiz highlights different ocean animals and their unique characteristics. The resource then offers pop-up...
NOAA
A Matter of Density
Larvae transportation on the New England seamounts is based on the density of the water. Scholars calculate density and graph salinity versus temperature to better understand the distribution of organisms in a water column....
WindWise Education
How Does Energy Affect Wildlife?
Is wildlife affected the same way by different electricity generation methods? Teams work together to research four electricity generation sources and their impacts on wildlife. The teams create a summary report and share their...
Rainforest Alliance
Knowing the Essential Elements of a Habitat
To gain insight into the many different types of habitats, individuals must first get to know their own. Here, scholars explore their school environment, draw a map, compare and contrast their surroundings to larger ones. They then...
K12 Reader
What’s Eating You?
Introduce your class to producers, consumers, and pollinators with a reading passage. Class members read the text and respond to five related questions.
University of Wisconsin
Identifying Your Soil for Rain Gardens
Teach your class the descriptive characteristics of soil. Provide information about particle size and a flow chart for assessing texture. Soil scientists then analyze samples and hypothesize which would be the best type for a rain...
NOAA
Climate Is Our Friend…Isn’t It?: Make an Extinction Polyhedron
Climate affects populations in different ways. Scholars research extinct organisms and mass extinctions in part three of the 10-installment Discover Your Changing World series. They create graphic organizers, then fill in the...
Science Matters
Formative Assessment #1: Structure/Function
Just because you taught it doesn't mean they learned it! Use a quick formative assessment to check for understanding and ensure all individuals understand the role of structure and function. The lesson is the fourth in a larger series on...
Science Matters
Structure-Function
Without structure, there wouldn't be function. Scholars examine the meaning of structure and function with a hands-on experience. Using balls from different sports, they compare and contrast their structures and then analyze how each...