It's time to boldly go where your class has not gone before! The introductory lesson plan in a five-part series takes young oceanographers aboard the NOAA Ship Okeanos to begin a study of ocean exploration. The lesson plan includes a...

How many potatoes tall are you? Unearth this rich resource! A reading of John Coy’s Two Old Potatoes begins a cross-curricular exploration of potatoes. Class members read, write, weigh, measure, and experiment with potatoes. Additional...

Explore water transport in plant stems using this fun experiment! Your scientists will start by reading Stems by Vijaya Bodach. Then, activate prior knowledge about plant stem functions and water transportation....

The reason people first began trading was because of their desires for objects other societies possessed. In the activity, classes discuss why exploration has been a common thread in all societies and where these desires have taken...

The video clip that comprises the warm up is not available, but the related article from The New York Times and the movie trailer for Aliens of the Deep are, leaving enough material to make this a fascinating lesson on deep-sea...

Take a virtual field trip into the eye of a hurricane. Through a series of websites, mini-meteorologists discover the anatomy of a hurricane and how one is formed. Add some excitement to your atmosphere curriculum by exploring this form...

It's all about cabbage in this scientific observation resource! After reading a related story, learners explore three varieties of cabbage. They observe the leaves using a leaf diagram, predicting what the middle might look like. They...

Create tomatoes in 15-20 minutes using this fun and interactive lesson plan! Learners listen to a book about tomatoes (recommendations listed), and focus on the vocabulary word tomato. They count the syllables...

Learners explore the three-phase strategy used by NASA for scientific exploration. In this space science lesson, students research past missions to Mars. They share their discoveries and create a timeline as a class.

What can young scientists discover from dissecting an owl pellet? Explore the owl food chain, beginning with an introduction to these predatory birds. Suggested strategies here include creating a podcast and purchasing a poster, however...

Math and science come together in this cross-curricular astronomy lesson plan on planetary motion. Starting off with a hands-on activity that engages the class in exploring the geometry of circles and ellipses, this lesson...

What's life like aboard an ocean exploration vessel? Junior oceanographers examine the important role of communication in ocean research in lesson two of a five-part series from NOAA. The materials introduce the class to life on...

Bring the ocean floor to life! Earth science scholars discover the process of deep sea mapping in the third installment in a series of five lessons about ocean exploration. The teacher's guide includes helpful resources, worksheets, and...

Why are the properties of the water important when exploring the ocean? Young scientists discover the tools and technology used in deep sea exploration in the fourth installment in a five-part series. Groups work together to...

How does chemistry help deep-sea explorers? Part four of a five-part series of lessons from aboard the Okeanos Explorer introduces middle school scientists to technologies used in ocean exploration. Groups work together to analyze data...

Students compare the land cover and temperatures in different microclimates to begin to explain why organisms live where they do. While exploring microclimates, students record temperature readings and detailed observations.

Middle schoolers reivew the seven traditional reasons why people explore. They write a summary of their reasons why humans explore. Pupils illustrate their exploration summaries. Students relate the reasons for exploration to the...

Students explore the various characteristics of caves. Through class discussion and hands on activities, students identify what forces converge in the creation of a cave. They complete review activities at the conclusion of the...

In this earthquake exploration worksheet, students complete 2 prior knowledge questions, then use "2D Eclipse Gizmo" to conduct several activities, completing short answer questions when finished.

In this penumbra effect worksheet, students explore the internet program Gizmo to learn about the penumbra effect and answer short answer questions about it. Students answer 13 questions.

Students explore satellite data. In this technology cross-curriculum math and world geography lesson, students locate specific map areas using a microset of satellite data. Students use technology and math skills to determine percentages...

See the underwater world through a different pair of eyes! Middle school marine biologists identify deep-sea organisms by examining images taken by an ROV from the Okeanos Explorer. After determining what creatures lie beneath the...

Students explore the characteristics of stars. In this space science activity, students use the Microsoft WorldWide Telescope program to identify the properties of stars and identify the stars in the galaxy.