Here is an inventive plan that should get your young scientists excited! In it, groups of pupils test out the work done by six different simple machines. The machines are: the wedge, the lever, the inclined plane, the pulley, the screw,...

Here is a nice, clean wrap-up instructional activity for your chemistry class when they are studying chemical reactions . They experiment with different oils to make soap. To make it more fun, they are to imagine that they are part of a...

Through inquiry and exploration, 4th graders will learn and understand the functions of open and closed circuits. They will break into 2 groups, define vocabulary, hypothesize how to light a bulb, then test their hypothesis 4 different...

Young scientists learn that seeing isn't necessarily believing when it comes to the states of matter. After performing a fun class demonstration that models the difference between solids, liquids, and gases, children complete a series of...

If you're reading the story "Merry Christmas, Geraldine" by Holly Keller, this is a fantastic cross-curricular resource to use. Complete with activities for language arts, science, social studies, art, and math, you'll get the most out...

Young scientists get the chance to dissect pellets "owl" by themselves to determine the owls environment and nourishment. This is the third part of a three-part series. 

What's the difference between qualitative and quantitative observations? Learners make observations, inferences, and predictions about their environment with a set of questions and activities that are applicable to either language...

What is the difference between making inferences and making observations? Young climatologists refer to a PowerPoint to make observations on each slide. They record their observations in a provided worksheet before drawing a...

Does increasing the pressure between two moving plates provide a stabilizing force or create more destruction? The hands-on lesson encourages exploration of strike-split fault models. The sixth lesson in a 20-part series asks...

Ever made solar s'mores? Or recreated the solar system using peanuts? Astronomers young and old investigate all things solar using a variety of activities. Explore how the sun works, types of light it emits, and methods of charting the...

How do oceanographers make maps under water? Junior explorers discover the technologies and processes involved in creating bathymetric maps in part three of a five-part series designed for fifth- and sixth-grade pupils. The lesson...

Many upper level tests require pupils to interpret written descriptions of scientific principles. Scholars practice the skill by working through three levels of difficulty. Each question covers kinetic energy, gravitational potential...

Did you know that some seeds rely on elephant dung for dispersal? Pupils use class discussion and direct instruction based around a presentation to learn about seed types and dispersal methods. Slides vary from presenting content to...

Students explore the differences between learned and innate behavior among humans and monkeys. They complete an assignment and read articles about two studies, which used similar test methods to show that infants and monkeys share an...

Can organic molecules come from a pre-biotic environment? Stanley Lloyd Miller proved it is possible when exactly the right conditions exist. Learn about his experiment and the other experiments later building off of it that changed the...

Students design and conduct a scientific experiment to test which of four antacids would be most effective for neutralizing acids. They rank the antacids in order from most effective to least effective and explain how they determined...

Students examine and explain how the distance to nearby stars can be measured by the parallax method, discuss the role of women in the history of American astronomy, form their own opinions of the importance of Harlow Shapley and Edwin...

Students investigate rivers. In this geography lesson, students work in cooperative groups to read about rivers from articles they have collected. Students form questions using Bloom's Taxonomy as a guide.

Seventh graders investigate the scientific methods of testing the effectiveness of soap use against germs. They study the history and chemistry of soap as it has helped control the spread of germs. They make bubble soap.

Learners design and create a compost pile in order to study the Nitrogen Cycle. They then use the scientific method to determine if plants grow better when they add organic matter from their compost pile to the plant's soil.

Learners germinate seeds under a variety of conditions. First, students read and discuss the background of gardening. After reviewing germination and the steps to the scientific method, groups of learners complete experiments.

Students brainstorm ideas for science fair projects. Students observe a PowerPoint presentation and explore the scientific method. In groups, they formulate a hypothesis. Using the internet, students research their topic and gather...

Students investigate the effects of light radiation on the human eyes. They construct a pair of snow goggles that are used to see how a filter can protect the eyes from radiation. Then students explain how the scientific method can be...

Students match flowers to pollinators and construct models of flowers to demonstrate why different kinds of flowers need different kinds of pollinators. They use their flower models and the "Scientific Method Format" included in the...