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This resource contains a multiple day lesson plan for a third grade class. The lesson is about composting. It involves instruction by use of a Power Point, an outdoor exploration, and even an assessment. I selected this resource because it fits the standard to- obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment (5-ESS3-1). This standard will be the focus of my lesson in this course. Although this standard is for fifth graders, I believe this resource will still be useful. In order to make the resource at a fifth grade level only a few things need to be tweaked. The lesson plan in this resource could serve as an outline for the lesson plan I will be creating in this course.

This website is a complete unit on plate tectonics for 6th grades. There is a planning guide, scope and sequence, activities, pre and post assessments, and formative assessments. All free and easy to download in as a PDF. The unit has been aligned with the science standards and would provides detailed instructions throughout. By the end of the unit students would know plate tectonics accounts for important features of the Earth's surface and major geological events, the location of earthquakes, mid-ocean ridges, and distribution of fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones.

Swings, slides and climbing structures offer different examples of pendulums, ramps, and levers, not to mention forces such as gravity and friction. The students can check temperature on different surfaces and discuss if the heat is absorbed or reflected and why some of the surfaces will be hotter if the temperature is the same.

This website shows lesson plans for 4th grade science classes. This came from the uen.org website which several of us used for our lesson plan analysis project. I think they do a thorough job of planning their lessons and presenting appropriate demonstrations.

This is a fun activity that includes math, science, and fine art. I envisioned using this as a fun filler activity maybe on a Friday afternoon or on a half day of school. I would provide the children with several bags of M&Ms. I would ask them to try and predict how many of each color M&M would be in their bag. They would then divide the colors up into different containers. Students would then be asked which containers held the most M&Ms. You could also ask the students to count out how many of each color and then graph the results as well depending on the grade level. After discussing the data they found, we would then add water to the M&Ms. I would ask the students to predict what would happen to the M&Ms when the water was added. I would jot down the predictions on the board and revisit them after the experiment to see if we came to the right conclusions. Once the M&Ms have mixed with the water and created the paint like effect I would let the students have some painting time. I feel this could be used from kindergarten up through second grade.

This is a full lesson and activity provided by TeachersPayTeachers and it costs $3.00. The lesson and activity is aligned with NGSS-2-LS2-1. First the lesson will be taught to explain the importance of sunlight and water to plants. After the lesson is taught, the class will conduct an experiment to test what we just learned. I will have 3 plants. One will receive water and sun everyday. One will be in the closet and only receive water. The last one will just be in the window receiving sunlight. Since purchasing the lesson from TeachesPayTeachers you will also receive a lab journal for students to be able to write their predictions and record their observations. I chose lesson/activity because I thought it went well together. I like that is starts with the lesson then has a follow up activity for students to do. The science journal is something they can do throughout the week, also. I would use this lesson to introduce the topic of "Do plants need water and sunlight to grow" and have the activity has a follow up and something that could expand their knowledge throughout the week.

This zoo passport activity will not only be worked on in the classroom, but also during our fieldtrip to the zoo. Students will assemble their passports during class time, and I will assist them. While at the zoo, students will mark off what animals they see, and add any other animals by drawing them on the blank pages at the back of the book. I selected this resource because zoo fieldtrips are very popular in first grade, which is the grade I would like to teach. I think it is a great way to make the zoo fieldtrip even more exciting by having them search for certain animals. This is valuable to me because there is a free downloadable printable that I will use instead of having to create my own.

This website is a video showcase -- on the Internet and TV -- of innovative and effective teaching practices in America's schools. It is fabulous. It has hundreds of high quality (made for TV type quality) videos designed to give educators information on how to conduct lessons of all disciplines. Broken down by 5 different subjects, 4 different grade groups and thousands of topics, lots here for any teacher of any discipline. Bonus--common core standards can be found in most videos!

This website is the place to start if anyone has ever wanted to explore the biology of Alaska, Denali, and the lands around Mt. McKinley. Lessons on backpacking, wilderness as the classroom, rafting, camping and even a bug camp are available. Costs cover expenses for guides, food, and supplies. Programs for all grades are available. Camp location is about 1 hour south of Fairbanks, Alaska within the boundary of Denali National Park.

Another pre class video to get the classes intrest going in physics. The video is a clip from the T.V. show The Big Bang Theory that may help the younger students pay attention.

I would recommend starting the video at about 1:15 "What is Physics?" Also re-named the resources to be descriptive and added a tag for grades 9-12, for which I think this is actually more appropriate.

Here is an in-depth introduction to the Solar System and the planets that are in it. From the sun to why poor Pluto is no longer considered a planet, come along for a ride across the Solar System. FreeSchool is great for kids! I like this video for a number of reasons. One thing I really like about this video is how it gives the students an accurate perspective of the size of the different bodies in our solar system. It's also jam packed with a lot of great information about the solar system and builds on possible vocabulary words such as matter and mass. The narrator also has a soothing voice, which is a plus. I would use this video after spending a little time defining the necessary vocabulary of our solar system. We could follow up the video by making our own solar system that we could hang in the hallway.

Good resource. Try tagging using K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and/or 9-12 as grade level options. For this one, for example, K-2 AND 3-5 rather than K-5. Thanks!

From our small world we have gazed upon the cosmic ocean for thousands of years. Ancient astronomers observed points of light that appeared to move among the stars. They called these objects "planets," meaning wanderers, and named them after Roman deities-Jupiter, king of the gods; Mars, the god of war; Mercury, messenger of the gods; Venus, the goddes of love and beauty, and Saturn, father of Jupiter and god of agriculture. This activity assists students with facts and knowledge on how the solar system works. By providing a diagram that assists the student in the order and distance of each planet, this activity provides the student with a realistic vision of what outer space looks like. I believe that this resource can be used to help students memorize as well as find interested in how the solar system works and how each planet is arranged, what their made of, their distance from the sun, ect.

Edit your tag to be "solar system" so it is in one place. Remove "science" tag, as these are all science. Use teh grade level tags k-2, 3-5, 6-8, and/or 6-8 rather than broader ones like k-5.

This website is a great resource for staying up-to-date on current events in elementary science. It provides information about upcoming conferences for professional development and also has a section for useful magazines, textbooks, and other print resources to use in class. It includes articles that can cover a range of topics or address very specific lessons for a particular grade level. This website could be a great way to demonstrate to students how science is being used right now. It also includes a section of interactive resources and lab ideas.

This would be a great field trip for children to go on. Eckert's offers tours around the farm and children can do pumpkin picking and apple picking. Children can learn about apples or pumpkins and the growing process. Students can be taught about different material depending on the grade level. I have visited Eckert's many times throughout my life and have enjoyed it. I think children would enjoy it as well. Although, it does cost money for the tours, it is still low cost.

This is Bill Nye the Science Guys website. I picked this website because I know of many kids who really enjoy his videos. The website contains some free videos, and you are able to shop the store for more and books. The website also contains at home demos, which are something that can be used in the classroom. I believe this could be used for almost any grade level throughout the elementary school. There are also quizzes that students can take. There is also a contact Bill section. I think it would be great to write a class letter to Bill.

The concept of the video is to show that when molecules are heated up they slow down and move farther apart, while the opposite happens when the molecules are cooled. The video shows and explains that by heating up the air inside an old, thick milk bottle and placing a hardboiled egg on top, the egg will be "pulled" unbroken into the bottle through the small opening at the top. The student explains that when the air inside is heated up the molecules spread far apart while the molecules in the cooler air outside of the bottle are compressed and practically push the egg through the opening. The student also does another demonstration that can be done safely at home, or in the classroom, by heating up the air in a glass juice bottle and placing a water balloon on top with the same results. She also shows that by cooling the air inside the bottle by blowing in it, the egg pops back out. I liked this video because the student is demonstrating and explaining to the grown ups the scientific principles involved. I also liked it because it provides a safe way to conduct the same experiment at home or at school. I think this is a great visual demonstration to add to chapters related to properties of matter. I would show the students the video and ask them how they think that worked. I'm fairly certain that a few would say it was a trick of some kind, so I would ask them if they thought we would get the same results or if something different might happen. I would then conduct the same experiment in the classroom.

This resource is a neat little activity that shows how plants absorb water using capillary action to transport water and nutrients from the trunk to the highest leaves. The activity involves cabbage and water colored with food coloring. The site gives a look at the cabbage leaves after 48 hours of "sucking" up the water. I chose this because I found it interesting and a neat, grade-appropriate way to explain plant biology to younger students. I would use this resource as part of a unit on plants, with a bonus use of the title if it is close to Halloween time.

This is a short audio-only clip that helps teach younger students about chemistry they can find in their own houses - specifically, the kitchen. The clip explains the various properties of water - solid, liquid, and water - and explains that all three, despite their three different forms, are all the same chemical. I chose this out of a desire to find grade-appropriate chemistry experiments for primary students, and I would use it in conjunction with video and a hands-on activity as part of a lesson on the three states of matter.

Our eyes are using light to see various objects all the time, but when this light travels through different mediums (such as water & air) it changes direction slightly. Light refracts (or bends) when it passes from water to air. I selected this resource because I could not quite find a good field trip. I feel like this is an easy way to show the young children how objects bend when looking through other material. This is a very easy lab and experiment for young grades. I would use this lab when showing my class how objects may appear and look different when seen through different objects.

Grade Level: 2nd-4th; Type: Botany Objective: Test whether plants can grow without sunlight and water. How do plants make their own food? Plants contain a green pigment called chlorophyll, which can make food from water and energy from sunlight. But what happens when you deprive plants of water and sunlight? This would be a great classroom experiment completed by the entire class as a whole. It will show the students the real differences of a plant with or without food in the sunlight and in total darkness like a closet or cabinet. I would love to do this lesson in my classroom to demonstrate to the students what plants need to grow and survive just like we as people need certain things to grow and survive.