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More great lesson ideas and articles in our Science Subject Center!

Lesson Plan: Protecting Earth
NGSS: 5-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment...

Lesson Plan: Earth’s Major Systems
NGSS: 5-ESS2-1. Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact...

Lesson Plan: Stars Relative Distance
NGSS: 5-ESS1-1. Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from Earth....

Lesson Plan: How Plants Grow
NGSS: 5-LS1-1. Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water....

Lesson Plan: Movement of Matter
NGSS: 5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment...

Lesson Plan: Animal’s Energy
NGSS: 5-PS3-1. Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once....

Lesson Plan: Natural Disaster Solutions
NGSS:4-ESS3-2. Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans....

Lesson Plan: Natural Resources
NGSS: 4-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and that their uses affect the environment....

Lesson Plan : Fossils and Rock Formations
NGSS: 4-ESS1-1. Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape....

Lesson Plan: Weathering
NGSS: 4-ESS2-1. Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or...

Lesson Plan: Plant Structure
NGSS: 4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth,...

Lesson Plan: Fantastic Fossils
NGSS: 3-LS4-1. Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms and the environments in which they lived long ago.

Lesson Plan: Animal Groups
NGSS: 3-LS2-1. Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.

Lesson Plan: Wacky Weather
NGSS: 3-ESS3-1. Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard

Lesson Plan: Changes in Habitat
NGSS:  3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

Lesson Plan: STEM Project - States of Matter
NGSS: 2-PS1-2. Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose

Lesson Plan: Different Types and Sources of Energy
NGSS: 4-PS3-2. Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.

Lesson Plan: Learn How Sound is Created
NGSS: 4-PS4-1. Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength and that waves can cause objects to move.

Lesson Plan: Exploring Electricity!
NGSS: 3-PS2-3. Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.

Lesson Plan: Solids and Liquids
NGSS: 2-PS1-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties

Lesson Plan: STEM Project Solving a Problem
NGSS: 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints...

Lesson Plan: Recording the Weather
NGSS: 3-ESS2-1. Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.

The Death of Our Sun: A Space Science Lesson
Students learn about the life cycle of stars and consider what will happen several billion years from now, when Earth’s sun dies.

Celebrate Earth Day With Lessons on Water
In honor of Earth Day, a water utility firm offers teachers a free online toolkit to facilitate water education. The downloadable 12-part lesson plan is geared to students in grades 5 through 12.

Telltale Ts
Students use technology to investigate and present information on a variety of animals visited during a trip to the zoo.

Creating a Multimedia Journey
Students take a journey through sound, exploring the sounds of the places they visit. They then research some of those places and write a fictional account of their journey.

Get Animated About Chemistry
Students learn about the elements of the Periodic Table and create an animation to represent one of the elements.

Web Research Helps Students Choose Classroom Pets
Instead of writing traditional animal reports ("This is what a hamster eats."), students research, synthesize, and apply information to determine the best pet for a particular classroom. Internet access is all that's needed for this tech-infused science lesson.

Search for Ice and Snow
Using an Earth Image database (Space Shuttle images) and world map, students identify places on Earth where there is ice and snow, and then create a table showing where they found the information, and the geographic location of the snow and ice.

Croc or Gator?
Students in grades 2-4 read online information about crocodiles and alligators, write down the similarities and differences, and then create a Venn Diagram.

Dangerous Animal Facts
From sharks to tarantulas to snakes, students often are fascinated by dangerous animals. Capitalize on their interest with this fun online lesson in which students identify three facts on a dangerous animal then record those facts on a printable graphic organizer.

Get Into the Flow With an Interactive Volcano
Working in small groups, students in grades 4-8 research volcanos and create PowerPoint slides. They then make an interactive table of contents using a volcano diagram and Action Buttons.

An Out-of-This-World Crossword Puzzle
Make planetary facts fun with this online lesson about Earth's solar system. Students visit an interactive Web site to research the planets and Sun in Earth's solar system, then create original crossword puzzles based on their research.

Plant Growth
Students learn about the parts of a seed, as they plant seeds and observe and record their growth.

Human Body Board Game
Students research a system of the human body, write questions and answers on game cards created in Word, and then play the game using a game board template from Word. This is a great culminating activity at the end of a unit!

Definition Expedition
Students in grades 9-12 learn three ways to define a term in technical writing, search the Web for scientific text, then copy and paste sections into a Word document. Finally, they use the highlighter feature of Word to highlight examples of definitions within the text.  

The Bear Necessities
Does the idea of your K-2 students doing Web research seem impossible? Check out this simple, but engaging, lesson! With teacher guidance, students use a KWL worksheet and a single easy-to-read Web site to record what they know, what they want to learn, and what they do learn about polar bears.

Prehistoric Pen Pals
Students research dinosaurs, then assume the personality of a specific dinosaur species in this lesson for grades 3-5. Each student/dinosaur writes an online "getting to know you" letter to another student/dinosaur in class. Students swap letters and reply to each other's questions, improving research and letter writing skills while learning fun dinosaur facts.

Foliage Tracker
The spectacle of changing leaf colors dramatically signals fall's changing seasons. Students track leaf changes, input data found at one Web site into another, and then graph foliage changes with a free online tool.

Panda-Monium
Students in grades 3-5 learn basic facts about giant and lesser pandas, then categorize same or differing characteristics onto an online Venn diagram. The activity can be done as a whole class, small group, or individual assignment. Let the panda-monium begin!

Be on the Lookout!
Students practice research skills as they learn about the characteristics, diets, habitats, and habits of a variety of bugs.

Hurricanes in History: Where, When, and How!
Students work in pairs or small groups to complete this fun and challenging activity. They study a graph showing 100 years of hurricane data, and then determine what types of hurricanes are most likely to hit an area in the future. Teamwork, graph interpretation skills, and environmental science facts are reviewed in this lesson.

Looking for Wright Brothers Lessons? You've Come to the "Wright" Place!
It was 100 years ago at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, that man first flew in an engine-powered aircraft. Before that time, such an event was thought to be centuries away! Included: Five lessons to celebrate the Wright brothers' achievement plus links to 20 more lessons.

Wild and Wonderful Lessons About Endangered Species
This Earth Day, put the diversity of plants and animals to work in lessons that will tame your students' need to know about endangered species. Included: Five "captivating" lessons that involve research, role-playing, and real-life creatures.

Trees Sprout Classroom Lessons Throughout the Year
Why not go out on a limb! Springtime and Arbor Day are great times to branch out and include in your curriculum timely lessons about trees. Included: Lessons for measuring trees, reading a color key map, creating tree silhouettes and a "good behavior tree," more.

Five Lessons Teach Students to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Earth Day, first celebrated in 1970, is just around the corner. To celebrate, Education World offers five lessons to teach about trash and the importance of recycling. Included: A Mother's Day gift idea, recycle games, worms, scrap paper projects, more!

What is the Most Serious Problem Facing Earth? --
An Education World WebQuest

In this special Earth Day WebQuest, student teams research a critical threat to Earth's environment as they vie for $1 million in funding from the fictional Help Our World (HOW) Foundation. Included: student work sheets, lots of Earth Day resources, more.

Winter Wonderland -- Lessons for Frosty Days!
Though the weather outside is frightful, wintry lessons are delightful! Whether the topic is snow, cold, or other icy treats, winter is a frosty focus that will motivate and entertain your class. Bundle up and brace for wild, windy, weather outside while showing your students the best of winter activities indoors! Included: Five lessons that make winter a winning subject!

Plant Seeds of Learning: Classroom Lessons Bring Plants to Life!
Spring has sprung! It's the perfect time to explore plants in the classroom. This week, Education World presents five new classroom lessons that involve students in growing things and learning about scientific classification, plant cell structure, the importance of plants in our history, and the many uses of plants!

Teaching Through Invention
Invite your students to invent a better mousetrap -- or a better mouse! This week, Education World lessons focus on inventors and inventions, challenging your students to see the world in a whole new way.

A River of Lessons!
Go with the flow! Celebrate National Rivers Month with five lessons about rivers from Education World!

Spring to Life!
From tadpoles to frogs, from poetry to pesticides, Education World provides lessons about the issue -- and issues -- of spring.

Up, Up, and Away! Aviation Activities!
Ready, set, take off! For thousands of years, people have been fascinated with flying. This week, Education World offers a cargo of lessons about aviation that are just "plane" fun!

A Garden of Growing Activities!
Dust off your gardening tools! It's the time of the year to put the spring in your step and exercise your green thumb. This week, Education World offers a plot full of gardening activities that will have students "digging" for more!

Space: The Final Frontier
Education World presents "Space: The Final Frontier," the next chapter in our yearlong Millennium Series.

An Ocean of Activities!
Surf's up! This week, Education World offers ten lessons that offer students the opportunity to explore the largest bodies of water on Earth: oceans! Included: Activities that involve students in creating time lines and posters, learning about ocean mysteries and legends, and much more!

Lesson Planning Resources
Lesson Plan of the Day
A new lesson every day of the school year.

Learning Games
A new game each week for fun and learning.  

Fact Monster
Printable activity builds students research, literacy skills.  

New for KIDS
Printable activity spurs discussion, critical thinking.  

Writing Bugs
Printable student work sheets motivate student writing.
Show-Biz Science
Vicki Cobb's hands-on science showstoppers.
Teacher Lessons
Dozens of lessons. Submit yours, earn cash.
5-Minute Fillers
Use these fun quick-tivities!
Tech Lesson of the Week
Integrate technology with step-by-step lessons. 
Geography
Build skills with these printables.

Book Report Makeover
Ideas for spicing up boring book reports.  

Reader's Theater Scripts
And teachers' guides too.  

Holidays and
Special Days

Hundreds of great themed teaching ideas.
Every-Day Edits
Printable sheets for daily language practice.
Math Puzzles: Choose from two printable puzzles:
It All Adds Up
Basic addition, a fun format.

Math Cross
Try a challenging weekly puzzle.

Lesson Plans
By Subject

View lesson themes of special interest.

Work Sheet Library
100s of work sheets for all subjects, grades.

More Printables
Internet Scavenger Hunts
Timely computer center activities.
Coloring Calendars
Use them to reinforce skills. 

Month of Fun
Games and puzzles for each month's special days.
Contests & Competitions
Special opportunities for student learning.
 
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newsletter, eight more!
More Resources
Dont miss our Template Library (including graphic organizers, printable certificates, more) and these other features:
Behavior Management Tips
Best Idea Ever
Calculator Lessons
Classroom Management Tips
Strategies That Work

Bug Me! -- Classroom Activities for Teaching About Bugs
If you thought bugs were for the birds, this swarm of activities will change your mind! Included: Ten activities for teaching and learning with bugs.

Volcanoes: Nature's Explosive Spectacles!
Volcanoes, with their untamed displays of fire and fury, are surely the most dramatic and least predictable of nature's many spectacles. This week, Education World brings the drama alive with ten lessons designed to capture students' interest and extend their learning.

Ten Activities for Teaching the Five Senses
Our senses allow us to enjoy our food, the sound of music, the beauty of a sunny day, the softness of a childs hair -- in short, our lives! With the aid of the Internet, you can teach your students about the special gift of the senses and how they work. They will encounter sound by making instruments, guess what is inside a feely bag by using touch, or rub a homemade scratch n sniff gingerbread boy! Experimenting with the senses is fun for everyone!

Dinosaurs Sell! An Education World QuickQuest!
Dinosaurs are in the news again! Invite your students to learn the reasons for the publics endless fascination with the mysterious prehistoric creatures as they complete Dinosaurs Sell!, an Education World QuickQuest.

Leaping Lizards! Dinosaur Activities on the Web
Too much to do? Too little time? Education World's quick-tivities create instant teachable moments to take advantage of the opening of the summer movie blockbuster, Dinosaur. Included: Printable and interactive activities that students can do online and off, in or out of class!

Science Experiments Straight from the Web!
Think of your favorite science lesson from elementary school, and it probably wont be one that involved a lecture. Hands-on means heads-up! Teachers are responding to their students need for real-life, experimental science activities. But where can you find them? The Web is brimming with great lessons for you, so build a guitar, make a raisin dance, or build a solar hot dog cooker. You provide the supplies, and the Net will show your students how to use them. Included: Bill Nye tells Education World that there is no substitute for hands-on learning!

Gems from the Garden --- Digging Up Activities for All Ages!
As temperatures warm and snow melts, educators search for ways to invite new growth into their classrooms. The Internet is full of hands-on activities for the indoor and outdoor gardener. Plant a seed, design a garden, or investigate the life of a worm --- welcome the new season with those activities and a crop of others! Included: Online resources for students to plan and plant their own Fantasy Farm!

Computer Sabotage: A Lesson Plan
Computer teacher Tom Guy was surprised to find that his students were coming to him, completely perplexed, with every minor glitch that occurred in the computers in his lab, even when error messages gave them only *one* option! He decided to give the kids a crash course in fixing minor difficulties, by "sabotaging" a computer each day and putting the students on the case.

Add Color ---and Learning--- to Your Fall Lesson Plans!
Savor the season! Bring the colors of fall into the classroom with some free foliage from Vermont! Then involve students in some hands-on science and language activities that will teach important concepts and valuable study skills. Included: Ten activities to teach about the season!

Internet Scavenger Hunt: Inventors and Inventions
Education World writer Hazel Jobe has created special Internet scavenger hunts that will have your students surfing the best on-line resources for fun facts about some famous and not-so-famous inventors and inventions. Included: Two hunts -- one for elementary age students and one for older students.

Twister! Understanding -- and Surviving -- Tornadoes
Whether you live in "Tornado Alley" or not, spring brings to your state the increased possibility of a deadly tornado. Are you prepared? This week, Education World helps you learn about the meteorological events that signal the possibility of a tornado and what safety measures you and your students can take to survive.

The Endangered Falcon: Back from the Brink
Recently, plans were announced to remove the peregrine falcon from the endangered species list. This week, Education World introduces you to sites featuring this amazing raptor and provides you with activities that will help you and your students explore the falcon's return from near extinction.

Tracking Sea Turtles: Lessons in Saving an Endangered Species
Put on your scuba gear and grab your camera -- we're going on an undersea adventure! Endangered sea turtles are in need of our attention, and the Internet offers some great activities for learning about sea turtles -- and even tracking their movements! Are you ready to make some turtle "trax"?

The Return of the Wolf!
Few efforts to spur the recovery of endangered animals have evoked as much opposition as recent programs to reintroduce the wolf to the wild. What is it about this close relative of the beloved family dog that instills such fear and loathing? Are those feelings justified? This week's activities might help your students answer those questions.

Track the Meteor Storm Online!
Astronomers forecast heavy meteor showers for November 17 -- a "once-every-33-years" occurrence! To help your students understand the causes and effects of this rare spectacle and to prepare them for the excitement of an event they're probably hearing a great deal about, Education World offers scavenger hunts for elementary, middle, and high school students. Included: Cross-curricular activities for extending the lessons.

Hurricane Watch!
To your students, September probably means new friends, new books, and new and exciting adventures. But to meteorologists, September signifies an adventure of another kind. It's the peak month of the Atlantic hurricane season. This week, Education World brings the two together, providing activities designed to help your students understand this powerful force of nature.

Create a Whale of a Lesson!
Fishing for activities to celebrate Keiko's return to his natural habitat? These activities would make a great addition to any unit on sea animals!

Animals of the World: An Internet Scavenger Hunt
Where in the world do some animals live? Send your students on an Internet scavenger hunt! They'll learn about the natural habitats of ten of the world's animals --- including some animals they've never heard of! (A scavenger hunt for Internet beginners --- and one for experienced surfers too.)

The Human Body: An Online Tour
The human body is the most fascinating and fantastic machine in existence. No one understands all of its many mysteries; and no single source can do justice to its many parts. This week, Education World tours the Web to find the best "human body" sites. You won't believe what we discovered! Included: Sites for all ages. Activities too!

Forecasters Fear El Niño Year
What is El Niño -- and why does it affect weather? Find out how forecasters think El Niño will impact you! Included -- activities for teaching about El Niño across the grades!

Bats in the Classroom: Activities Across the Curriculum
October -- the perfect time to work bats into the curriculum, to teach about some of the misconceptions often held about these interesting creatures of nature.

Photosynthesis: Don't "Leaf" Out Fall's Most Valuable Lesson!
Autumn is here! Fall's colors provide the perfect motivation for teaching about photosynthesis across the grades. Included: We've raked up a pile of activities for you to "leaf" through!

Hurricanes Spark a Storm of Classroom Activity!
Hurricane season is here! Use some of these activities and Internet connections to engage students of all ages in a study of these powerful and frightening storms.

Dive into Learning: Swim With the Seals!
Put your students in touch with the real scientists at WhaleNet. Your students will be able to track online the movements of two just-released seals. (This site is sure to get your students' "seal" of approval!)

What's "Bugging" You?
Mosquitoes got you down this summer? Ticks? Roaches? Now is a great time to challenge students to learn more about the fascinating world of bugs! Try some of these activities. And check out some great Internet sites!

Mission to Mars
A galaxy of ideas related to the Red Planet.

Be sure to see our Science Subject Center for more great lesson ideas and articles.