Light is such an amazing thing! Elementary schoolers explore the wonderful world of light and shadow. The lesson is meant to be carried out on a whiteboard. Objects are placed in front of a light source, and learners must predict what...

Take a field trip to observe Koalas, absolutely! Budding scientists become familiar with the Koala's position in the food chain. They answer questions based on what they see and draw a food chain explaining the Koalas position. Tip: A...

Follow the life of an apple from harvest to the consumer. A three-part lesson describes the different steps to get an apple from the farmer to your kitchen and the approximate waste that happens at each step. They discuss the process and...

Students identify the various parts of the body that serve as wedges and levers, identifying the fulcrum for each body lever. They bite into carrots and apples to analyze how their jaws and teeth work, then complete three worksheets that...

Easy doesn't always mean better. In an era with pre-packaged everything, learners consider the environmental impact of the convenient trend. They critique the packaging of food and how waste impacts cost and then look for solutions.

Students prune a tree.  In this gardening instructional activity, students select a shrub or tree that has a lot of flower buds and use sharp pruners to cut sections of branches.  Students place the cuttings into cool water and...

To celebrate art youth month, little ones get out the magnifying glasses and get close-up with bugs. They make scientific observations of bugs you bring into the classroom. Then, they use markers, clay, paint, or crayons to make artistic...

Learners create a KWL chart to start the discussion on ocean animals. They practice sorting the animals into their different classifications. They use indexes, table of contents and glossary to find information.

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...

Water pollution is everywhere, and pollutants range from oil to fertilizers. Bring the concept to life by demonstrating the difficulties in getting particular pollutants out of water.

Here is a wonderful lesson which has youngsters interview family and local elders about the seasonal history of their local area. They focus on climate change by asking questions about rainfall, temperature, the length of seasons, and...

Students observe chickens hatching in a classroom incubation environment In this egg-hatching lesson plan, students make observations of the hatching process and later care for the hatched chickens.

Emerging ecologists examine endangered species by visiting the US Environmental Protection Agency website. They consider human contribution to the decline of different species. They research an endangered animal and then craft a poster...

Students explore the life cycle of aluminum cans. In this recycling lesson, students review the manufacturing process and how to make a closed loop cycle. Students also have the opportunity to present what they've learned to others...

Students research the life cycle using the Internet. They write a five page paper based on a specific animal that they have been assigned. They create a PowerPoint presentation based on that animal and present it to the class.

Students identify and explain the parts of a flower and their role in the life cycle of flowering plants. In this online plant biology lesson, students explore the processes of pollination, seed dispersal, and germination. Extension...

Students write about an artifact that they are studying. In this artifacts lesson plan, students analyze details of the artifact and answer short answer questions about it.

Students explore magnification. In this scientific observation skills lesson, students observe sea life items and draw pictures of what they observe. Students predict which lens will have the strongest magnification when given three...

Fourth graders identify the different layers of the rainforest and distinguish between the plant and life forms that go along with each layer. They access websites imbedded in this plan and answer questions and draw pictures of plants...

Students explore marine turtle habitats. Students research one species of marine turtle found in the Gulf of Mexico. They identify plants and animals in the habitat. They create a model or replica using information gathered through their...

Students explore environmental care by participating in an Earth science activity. In this clean water lesson, students discuss what a watershed is, how they become polluted, and how it affects the overall quality of drinking water....

Students research natural resources. In this environmental lesson, students define what a natural resource is and explore the life of a single-use water bottle. Students create a waste-reduction plan.

Pupils study the stages of development of an unknown organism. In this zebrafish lesson plan, students examine and collect data as they use microscopes to view a zebrafish embryo.

Students read the book Icky, Sticky Gloop by Morgan Matthes. In this scientific exploration lesson, students compare the fictional character in the book with Benjamin Franklin (both are inventors). They discover why and how inventions...