Students determine how diseases are spread from one person to another. They investigate the importance of hand washing to reduce the spread of common colds and other diseases. They listen to teacher read alouds and complete an inquiry...

Do you know how much water you have had in the last 24 hours? Do you know how much your body needs? In this hands-on activity, your class members will estimate how much water our bodies lose each day by filling and emptying one-liter...

Did youknow that chicken causes the greatest risk of food-borne illness. The fourth unit in a six-part series addresses food safety. Scholars research common scenarios of food causing illness through the National Institute for Health....

Some scientists argue that air pollution now causes more deaths than smoking. The second unit in a six-part series focuses on air quality. Scholars learn what's in the air, how clean the air around their school is, and what they can do...

Can a sidewalk increase the amount of pollution in local streams? Scholars learn the answer to this question though research and experimentation in the fifth unit in the six-part series. Pupils study runoff, impervious surfaces, and the...

Should bottled water be sold in schools, or should they only provide tap water? The summative unit in the six-part series encourages scholars debating this topic. The lessons teach how to build an argument, how to gain background...

Fourth graders experiment to find the effects of exercise on the heart rate.  In this exercise and heart rate lesson, 4th graders create questions about exercise and heart rate. Students use the scientific method to test and analyze...

Young scholars practice analyzing skeletal remains for clues by using the Internet.  In this scientific investigation lesson, students research the La Belle shipwreck using the Internet and written materials, later completing a...

Students investigate the dangers of radiation by exploring recent nuclear tragedies.  In this scientific debate instructional activity, students define the idea of radiation "half life" and determine if low doses of radiation are...

Students research the nutritional value of fast food. They assess which fast foods are best and worst to eat. They organize their data into tables and graphs and explain their findings to other students.

Students list five food dishes that are part of their family's heritage. Each student then does research of a country and a recipe (possibly a family recipe). With the help of members of his/her kitchen group, the student prepares the dish.