Lesson Plan
NOAA

A Matter of Density

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
Larvae transportation on the New England seamounts is based on the density of the water. Scholars calculate density and graph salinity versus temperature to better understand the distribution of organisms in a water column....
Lesson Plan
North Carolina State University

Silly Stuff

For Teachers K - 2nd
It's time to get a little silly with this fun primary grade science activity. By simply combining two liquids, white glue and corn starch, a strange solid is formed, commonly known as silly putty. To ensure everything goes smoothly,...
Lesson Plan
Middle Tennessee State University

The Invention of the Telephone

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
All of the people in your class would agree that life would be different without the invention of the telephone! Study Alexander Graham Bell's most famous and influential invention through the primary source document of his...
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Preparing for Project BudBurst

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
Plants take cues from the environment—change in daylight hours and temperature—to complete their seasonal life cycles. Lesson four in the series of six has classes collect phenology data on plants. After taking initial observations,...
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Plant Phenology Data Analysis

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
Scientists monitor seasonal changes in plants to better understand their responses to climate change, in turn allowing them to make predictions regarding the future. The last activity in the series of six has scholars analyze BudBurst...
Lesson Plan
Forest Foundation

Exploring Heat & Energy

For Teachers 4th - 8th
How does fire keep itself going? Explore the ways that heat uses fuel and energy with a lesson about the fire triangle and combustion. Several activities demonstrate how heat moves from warmer objects to cooler objects, as well as the...
Lesson Plan
Michigan State University

All About Rodents

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Get to the know the common house mouse and the Norway rat with an activity that reinforces reading comprehension skills. Scholars read a three-page document detailing key information about mammals, specifically rodents, and use their...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Too Much of a Good Thing?

For Students 4th - 5th
Continuing their study of beneficial insects, young entomologists discover where in the world some of these bugs are. By labeling, coloring, and using the scale on a map, pupils explore the territories and arrival of the Asian lady...
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Introducing Ecosystem Services

For Students 10th - 12th Standards
Purifying air and water, providing soil in which to grow crops, and moving water through its natural cycle are all services an ecosystem provides that benefit humans. Lesson four in a series lets learners explore and discuss the value of...
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Are All Plants Created Equal?

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Photosynthesis requires energy and produces food, and cellular respiration produces energy and requires food. An interesting lesson analyzes the factors that affect the rates of photosynthesis and respiration. Classes spend one day...
Lesson Plan
Lake Science Collaborative

Blood Circulation Simulation

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Act out the circulation of blood in the body with an innovative activity. Kids act as either body parts or blood, and carry necessary nutrients and waste throughout different stations to represent the way that oxygen circulates. 
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Climate and Forest Ecosystem Services

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Forests, through sequestration, capture excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and store it, aiding in climate change. The third installment in a four-part series on how climate impacts forests explores carbon sequestration....
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Oceans as a Heat Reservoir

For Teachers 7th - 11th Standards
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide and 80 percent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scholars learn how and why the oceans store heat more effectively than land and how they help mitigate global warming. Pupils...
Lesson Plan
University of Minnesota

Manduca sexta Wax Model

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Caterpillars' and moths' most obvious change is physical, but what happens to their nervous systems as they complete metamorphosis? Through a hands-on investigation, young scholars construct the nervous system of a caterpillar. They then...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Nano What?

For Students 9th - 12th
The size of a nanoparticle is difficult for pupils to grasp. A hands-on experiment is designed to give your classes perspective. Learners analyze different sports drinks for the content of electrolytes as an introduction to nanoscale....
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Purdue University

Design of Music Instruments for a Rock Band

For Teachers 3rd
Can you create a rock band? Scholars learn about the creation and transmission of sound in a hands-on STEM activity. First, they explore the transmission of sound using a tuning fork. Then, they must solve the problem of missing...
Lesson Plan
SeaWorld

Ecology & Conservation

For Teachers K - 3rd
How much trash does an average family produce in 24 hours? Where does that trash end up? Get your youngsters thinking about ecology and conservation as they discuss the impact pollution has on the marine environment. After a deep...
Lesson Plan
LABScI

Electrolysis: Splitting Water

For Students 9th - 12th
Explore the chemical components of water through an electrolysis reaction. Scholars use a battery to divide various water solutions into different gases. As they collect the gases, they measure the volume and make a comparison to the...
Lesson Plan
Nuffield Foundation

Intrepreting Information about Sweating and Temperature

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Why do we sweat? Scholars analyze data about body temperature, sweating, and other factors to better understand sweating. They note the changes after drinking ice water to sweating, skin temperature, and body temperature. Analysis...
Lesson Plan
Georgian Court University

Introduction to Marsh Ecology

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Compare and contrast the characteristics of fresh and salt water marshes. After exploring the typical plants and animals found in each marsh type, participants use a set of flash cards to sort into fresh and salt water marsh life. Their...
Lesson Plan
Chymist

Batteries

For Students 9th - 12th
Young scientists study the construction of a battery through experimentation. They engage in five experiments which combine to create a thorough study of the history of batteries beginning with a model of the first battery.
Lesson Plan
Florida International University

Counting FishStix

For Teachers 9th - 12th
How do we count the fish in the ocean? An engaging lesson models how to estimate fish populations with observational surveys. Class members begin by studying the behavior of fish on the coral reef in the oceans. They...
Lesson Plan
Nuffield Foundation

How Much Energy Is There in Food?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
People associate calories with food, but what is a calorie? Young scientists measure the number of calories in samples of food to better understand the concept. They test a variety of samples, take measurements, and compare their results...
Lesson Plan
Nuffield Foundation

Assessing Human Hearing

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Young scientists explore hearing through multiple experiments, demonstrations, and activities. They focus on the changes in hearing over a lifetime, how we can determine where a sound is coming from, and the ability to filter noises.