Students describe the importance of having a balance ecosystem. After a brief lecture, students give an explanation of the properties of an ecosystem. They create a web, using yarn which shows how the various members of the ecosystem are...

Pupils take a field trip to a farm or observe pictures of farms and animals in the classroom. They paint a mural of a farm setting with animals. They practice phonetic skills with farm stories and songs. They explain how milk becomes ice...

Twelfth graders review the basic principles of physics. In groups, they use these principles to discover how they are present in their everyday lives. They create a webpage that demonstrates on of the principles and share it with the class.

Students study the effects on the evolution of human culture from volcanic events worldwide.

Young scholars study the classification of viruses and describe their structure.  In this investigative lesson plan students complete an activity and answer questions about viruses. 

Students differentiate between how they use water in response to a need and how they use water for pleasure. They read books about water, participate in class discussion and illustrate their observations.

Students examine the state of the environment by viewing the film, Koyaanisqatsi." The film has no dialogue and presents contrasting images of nature and the modern world. After completing a homework assignment about the film, students...

Pupils perform tests to determine the level of oxygen dissolved in water. After examining a table displaying the temperature and solubility of water, they examine the three stages involved in the test. Upon completion, students explain...

Students brainstorm to decide the best way to mark off square areas (that they will later study) that are smaller than one meter. They compare the suitability of different designs and create "mini-square markers." Finally, they test...

Fourth graders observe demonstrations how heated air rises and becomes a low pressure area. After watching several teacher-conducted experiments, 4th graders, in groups, discuss and answer questions in their journals. Finally, they...

Students examine the importance of recycling aluminum and the recycling process as it applies to aluminum. They discuss the recycling process fo aluminum, analyze a section of the book "Where Does the Garbage Go?," and create an...

Students participate in a lab in which they are introduced to carbon-dating. In groups, they use the holes of paper from a hole puncher and determine the rate of retention after shaking coins onto the same area. They record their...

Students estimate how many drops of water can fit onto the surface of a penny and then test their hypothesis to find out. They also experiment with bubbles.

Students draw a picture of animal tracks a scientist might find after they read a story about a fox chasing a rabbit. They make up a key to represent the foxes' tracks and the rabbit's tracks.

Students create a timeline of ten events in chronological order about a scientist to include his/her accomplishments.

Sixth graders complete a lesson plan on the properties, types and amounts of water on Earth. In groups, they travel between stations to identify water resources in Illinois and pollution sources. They complete the lesson plan with a...

High schoolers observe the general structure and organelles of plant and animal cells. Students prepare microscope slides of elodea, onion, check, and cork and identify the cells by size and shape as unicellular, multicellular, plant or...

Students survey their local forest conducting an inventory of tree species and analyzing data of local ecosystems. They design a nature trail, map the area and make a computer generated trail guide.

Fifth graders participate in scientific inquires regarding the concepts of photosynthesis and cell respiration. In this photosynthesis and cell respiration lesson, 5th graders describe the process of photosynthesis with relation to...

Students watch a video of people telling about their experiences with a mental illness. They compare and contrast the life stories they saw to reinforce how mental illnesses are biological illnesses that affect a person's thoughts,...

Young biologists identify parts of the body, sort humans from other animals, and list the difference they see. Learners are split up into groups of three, and each group must find pictures in magazines of humans and other animals. They...

Learners will love a weeks worth of bone study. They use bones and characteristics of bones to explore the evolution of hominoids. Bones are compared, categorized, and considered. A great way to bring physical anthropology and material...

What occurs following a natural disaster? High schoolers research this question and others as they investigate natural succession after a disaster. First, as they differentiate between primary and secondary succession, they explain...

Work on author's purpose with this lesson, which focuses on sequence of events and audience as well.  Middle and high schoolers describe the 50 State Quarters Program for background information. After discussing the images on the...