Students examine Newton's Laws. In this law of motion lesson, students observe Newton's three laws of physics demonstrated by the teacher. They apply other examples to Newton's first law of inertia.

Students explore air pollution.  In this environmental studies lesson, students work with a partner to create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting possible solutions to prevalent indoor air pollution problems.  Students...

Students construct their own magnet and wire device. In this inquiry activity, students investigate the factors affecting the strength of magnetic forces. They manipulate different variable to determine their effect.

Students construct models of early gas balloons and gliders. For this balloon and glider lesson, students create models of early gas balloons and gliders, discover how the forces of lift and drag effect aircraft in flight, and put on...

Students explore air through guided discovery. In this air instructional activity, students will observe three demonstrations about air. They will answer leading questions as they observe how air displaces and takes up space, how air has...

Learners observe a balloon rocket and how it relates to Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this balloon rocket lesson plan, students make a balloon rocket out of balloons, clothespins, straw, fishing line, and duct tape.

Fourth graders analyze the relationship of clouds and local weather. Students also observe and record cloud data and weather conditions daily as they research different cloud types. The data is analyzed looking for trends in daily...

Students explore the science of magnets and how magnets work. They conduct a series of fun experiments and magnetize objects and demonstrate how magnetism operates right through other materials.

Young scholars discover ways of obtaining oil by participating in an experiment.  In this natural resource lesson, students identify diagrams of oil derricks and pumps in order to visualize how oil is retrieved from the earth....

Students explore canoes and kayaks. In this canoe and kayak lesson plan, students research the history, parts, and sport of the canoe and kayak.  Students then practice how to use a paddle for each boat, and go on a field trip in...

In this activity, students investigate the phenomenon of sound! Students compare and contrast how sound travels through solids, liquids, and gases. They explain how length and thickness affect sound. Students know the difference between...

Students investigate the properties of air by capturing it, squeezing it, and feeling its weight. In this forces instructional activity, students capture bags of air and examine its properties. The weight and pressure of air is emphasized.

Students monitor the weather, clouds, and sky. In this weather lesson plan, students create a sky and cloud window to focus their sky observations. They write observations in a notebook and include the date, time, cloud cover, types of...

Fourth graders examine the physics behind and uses for inclined planes, screws, and wedges. They determine examples of how these simple machines are used in daily life. Working in three small groups, they move from station to station...

Students explore crater impacts. In this moon crater lesson students evaluate and interpret the physical characteristics of a crater. 

Students explore the force of friction between materials. In this physics lesson plan, students participate in an experiment using various materials such as wood, waxed paper, and aluminum foil and explore which item produced the most...

Students recognize, compare and contrast physical characterisics of seeds, identify parts of a peanut seed, and observe and record the growth rate and habits of a variety of seeds.

Students investigate the combination of colors created by the human eye. The lesson highlights the eye's ability to retain the individual colors and add them together to produce a third when the colors are spun.

Students explore vision by experimenting with lenses in equipment. In this optics lesson, students define the different technology that enhances vision such as microscopes, telescopes and cameras. Students experiment with these devices...

Although this animal and environment word search has little educational merit, it may serve as a vocabulary review tool for scholars new to these terms. The words students must find include camouflage, interdependent, muskrat, food...

Students, in teams, follow the process of design, including the stages of investigation, creation, and reflection, as they devise a way to help "save" a (simulated) pet who is trapped in a pipe.

Differentiate between temperature and thermal energy. Your class will build a thermometer using simple materials and develop their own scale for measuring temperature. Discuss with your class and consider why engineers need to understand...

What a great lesson plan! Learners discuss California history, including the state flower, the poppy, and then engage in an art activity. For the activity, they learn about value, shading, layering, blending etc. to produce a realistic...

Upper graders analyze basic concepts about the consumption, importation and exportation of the worlds oil production. They create several graphs to organize the data and draw conclusions about the overall use of oil in the world.