Learners count the number of varves (annual layers of sediment) in shale billets, taken from the Green River Formation in Wyoming. The count is then extended to reflect the entire 260 meters of sediments where the billets originated.

Fourth graders listen to Rudyard Kipling's Just So stories read aloud. After observing an animal, 4th graders create their own "Just So" stories and publish them on Beacon's SiteMaker.

Students are employees of a unit of the United Nations, they are responsible for coordinating disaster relief after a major disaster (the 2004 Asian Earthquake and Tsunami) occurs. The agency needs to understand the situation in each...

Students explore key concepts/facts in 20th Century history, develop interview questions, and produce master list of questions that can be used in project. Students then interview grandparent, great-grandparent, or other elder about...

Fourth graders investigate the causes of erosion. Through several demonstrations including one using sugar cubes and warm water, they observe the effects of erosion. In groups, 4th graders conduct similar experiments and record their...

In this types of rocks worksheet, students read about igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks. They complete a chart about the three types of rocks and use the information from the reading to determine the origin of their...

Students create a paper dart airplane and measure its flight pattern. In this flight lesson, students follow the included directions to build their own paper airplane. The students change the aileron configurations to see how it affects...

Fifth graders conduct flight experiments.  In this uplifting experience lesson, 5th graders build an airfoil and place in a variety of conditions to observe the results of lift and force in flight, as well as angle of attack....

Fifth graders create paper gliders and check for flight distance and time. In this flight lesson, 5th graders create a paper glider from the attached worksheet and adjust the rudder, aileron, and elevator. They see how these adjustments...

Third graders solve story word problems based on the story Twas the Night Before Christmas. In this word problems lesson plan, 3rd graders incorporate literature with math.

When presented with three unopened bottles of water, students are asked to tell decide which one is contaminated with a microbe. Students work in small groups and role play being a Microbiologist, a patient, or a recorder. The patient is...

Students draw and label the 15 major rivers in Texas. They then draw and label another map with the major lakes and reservioirs of Texas. Students use the maps and locate and label the location of the following major Texas cities:...

This is a well-designed, creative lesson to help students learn more about the human memory. Working in pairs, students complete tasks and gather data. Excellent websites for resources are also provided.

Students experience, through a "dig," the historical discovery of fossils which increasingly link whales to earlier land-dwelling mammals. They encounter the intermediate forms which show changes that lead to the modern whale.

High schoolers read articles relating to Jackie Robinson's breaking of the racial barrier in professional baseball. This leads to a deeper exploration of racism in the United States. They use a variety of worksheets imbedded in this plan...

Fifth graders use a needle and a magnet to create a compass.

Fifth graders use common household items to build landforms and simulate weathering and erosion.

Eighth graders construct various machines and compare the work done by them.

How was December 31, 1959 different than December 31, 2009? Young historians explore the political, social, and musical forces in the world made New Year's Eve a different experience during each decade of the 20th century. After groups...

Students watch the video Santa Claus is Coming to Town and create letters asking questions to Santa Claus. Other students answer the letters of their classmates.

Students research one of the many types of viruses. They create a 3-D model of the virus they researched with graphics software.

High schoolers examine the genetics involved in the human genome. They brainstorm the advantages and disadvantages to this discovery. They research different experts opinion and write a case study which addresses an ethical dilemma.

Young scholars work in a team of two or three to create an egg-drop helmet. They design a container or helmet for carrying a fragile object at great speeds and determine which construction materials worked best .

In this environment worksheet, students distinguish between UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C radiation and explain. Then they list various explanations of the source of ozone depletion. Students also describe why an increase in smog ozone does not...