What is the relationship among the heart, circulation, and exercise? Your class members will explore first-hand how different physical exercises affect an individual's heart rate. They will begin by learning how to measure their own...

Vaccine development is the focus of a lesson that explores its history, timeline, and how the scientific method aids the process. Following a discussion about Edward Jenner and Small Pox, learners answer questions in their journals then...

Should athletes carb load before an event or consume carbohydrates during the competition? Scholars discuss how to set up a hypothesis and experiment to answer a question relating carbohydrates and athletic performance. Then, they read...

A lesson introduces scholars to the scientist, Martinus Beijerinck, the person behind virus discovery. Learners research and complete a graphic organizer that showcases the differences between a virus and bacteria. Small groups share...

Students practice analyzing skeletal remains for clues by using the Internet.  In this scientific investigation instructional activity, students research the La Belle shipwreck using the Internet and written materials, later...

This is a terrific resource for practicing the scientific method or for examining the claims of different sunscreens when learning about electromagnetic radiation. You may have to improvise, however, as it was written to accompany a...

Students investigate the ingredients and creation of chewing gum.  In this scientific method lesson, students make predictions about what will happen to the mass of a piece of gum as it is chewed by a human.  Students graph the...

When astronauts get hungry in outer space, they can't just call and have a pizza delivered. In order to gain an appreciation for the challenges associated with space travel, young learners are given the task of selecting,...

During a cholera outbreak, scientists presented two theories; one theory was based on miasma and the other on germs and contaminated water. The lesson looks at the scientific process for finding the real culprit. 

Should people take vitamins or get the needed minerals through diet? Experts disagree based on many different factors. Scholars compare study findings and discuss the differences. They learn the importance of comparing results across...

The microwave is a staple in many American households, but how exactly does it work? Approach this question from a scientific and practical standpoint, and discover cooking strategies, recipes, and methodologies for the standard...

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

Fifth graders discover how blood moves around the body.  In this circulatory system lesson, 5th graders feel their pulse before and after exercise.  Students count their heart rate. Students use the scientific method to record...

Students conduct a simple investigation to explore tooth decay.

Students explore digestion/nutrition and utilize scientific investigation skills. They complete meal logs for several days and graph their results. After analyzing their data, they write formal lab reports.

Turn your class loose to experiment with the different fat content in skim milk, whole milk, half and half, and heavy cream. This is a visually vibrant experiment, as learners drip food coloring on the surface of the products and measure...

Students investigate the differences between weather in the past and in today's world.  In this climate change lesson, students review what they currently know about global warming, then discuss ways climate change might make life...

Students investigate simple machines and their uses in everyday life.  In this scientific method lesson, students examine physical tools such as wedges, screws, and levers using a "how does it work" approach.  Students complete...

In this colorful packet, students engage in a variety of activities involving plants and seeds. After answering the 50 questions in the packet, learners can go on to delve into their own projects.

High schoolers, as members of a team, are asked to prepare one meal to feed one person in a day. They analyze their meal and their daily menu for the nutritional content and explain this during an oral presentation.

High schoolers identify research methods in health-related issues. They read and analyze studies. They identify problems associated with the studies.

Clean up the environment with a lesson that focuses on replacing hazardous cleaning supplies with green, environmentally-friendly products. Using a dirty patch of surface as a control area, kids clean other parts of various surfaces...

Looking for authentic hands-on nutritional experiments? High schoolers will perform experiments to test for the presence of vitamin C in several solutions as well as the effect of caffeine on Daphnia. They will also consider the...

Introduce infectious diseases and the epidemiologic triangle. A helpful resource describes the agent, host, and environment from the three vertices as well as the time factor, which is in the middle. Scholars complete a simple...