Resources for Teaching Science

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.

This dairy farm is located in Trenton, IL and would be an excellent learning experience for children. You can set up a tour with the dairy by calling the number listed on the website. I envision taking this field trip during a unit on the food groups. It could also be used as a single, more specific, lesson about the process of creating yogurt, cheese, and milk. Students would also have the opportunity to taste a free sample of the yogurt after the tour. I can remember going on a field trip similar to this one when I was in the second or third grade. I would probably also use it for that grade level. It does not say the cost of the tour on the website but I was told that it is inexpensive.

I found this and thought it would pair well with the Clouds in Jars I posted earlier. Both these activities could be used as part of a center day during a unit about weather. This page includes two experiments on how to create lightning. The first one sounds kind of involved and from what I read it did not have great results. I would probably used the second one. All the students would need would be a balloon and a metal spoon and, depending on the age of the students, they would only need minimal supervision. The students would be creating static electricity by rubbing the balloon on their hair and then touching the spoon to the balloon. This is really cool and really simple. This could also serve as a filler activity on a day when you need something quick to fill up some time. I could also see this activity being used during a unit on electricity as well. I would probably use this activity with students between kindergarten and third grade.

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.

This is a fun science activity that helps students discover the physics of air flow by building a "hovercraft" out of a balloon and an old compact disc. I chose this resource because I feel that the explanation can help students think about how some things are powered using air as the primary resource, and I would use this activity in a lesson that focuses on air as a force.

This is an interactive game the students can play either as a center in the classroom or even at home. It shows the students how important it is for plants to grow with a certain amount of sunlight and a certain amount of water. I would use this is a K-3 setting just because it is a very simple game, but also keeps them on their toes as to when the plant needs water and sunlight as well as how long it takes for plants to grow on a weekly scale. I would use this is my classroom as a center game or a resource for them to play at home to keep their minds going in science.

This is a video about tropism in plants describing the behaviors of plants as they grow. It describes how plants react to the environment and other things around them. This is my technology resource that I would use during my lesson of plant growth and behavior. It is very educational and give lots of vocabulary along with examples that would help the students picture what the words actually mean.

This resource is a great resource to consider when covering plant and animal behaviors. It is basically a tool that a teacher could use in the classroom to help get the students to understand different behaviors, but it could also be a guide in helping a teacher bring in a plant or animal and using this tool to talk about the different behaviors of that plant or animal.

This lesson is about the importance of recycling and how to do so. Students get to explore the physical properties of objects and decide whether they can be recycled or not. Then, the students get to work together to make recycled paper. I think that this lesson is important to young students because if they learn to recycle at an early age, then they can carry that with them as they grow older and continue to recycle.

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.

As plants grow, they move up toward the light. But what is a plant's favorite color? Do plants move toward some colors more than others? Problem: Do plants bend toward certain colors of light? This experiment would be great for a 4th or 5th grade classroom for the students to see different plant behavior. I would definitely use this resource within my classroom as a project for the class to do throughout a period of time. I personally like this experiment because it will get the kids excited and interested because they have no idea what to expect or to even think a plant will grow more towards a certain color than another.

This is a free 5-minute animated video that explains how animals adapt to changes in their environment for survival.The video also touches on the topic of natural selection by explaining that the traits suited for survival are then passed on from one generation to the next. I like this video because it's fun and would appeal to third graders but it's still teaching them the concepts that are introduced when teaching about biological evolution (3-LS4). I would show the video before delving into the variation among species and survival of the fittest topics where introduced. I think it's helpful when teaching concepts to make them relevant to the students, and this video shows how animals that the students are familiar with, such as tigers, obtained and use their camouflage.

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.

I found this while I was looking for a suitable experiment that might involve snacks. This activity has students constructing a "solar oven" out of an old pizza box, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and newspaper. The idea behind this is that students can harness the ultraviolet energy provided by the sun to make an oven that will cook food. The experiment had the students cook s'mores, but it is also possible to cook a hot dog. I selected this resource because I was looking for a fun but relevant activity that would include snacks; this way, students can learn a lesson about the sun and the energy it provides while staying engaged with the promise of a snack afterward. I would use this as part of a lesson on the sun and energy, and would probably use it closer to the end of the school year, as the weather warms up and students are looking forward to summer activities.

This website is a little project that the students can do while at home. I selected this website because it shows the students that even in their own backyard there is still plant and animal biodiversity going on. I would use this as part of my lesson segment to get the students thinking that plant and animal biodiversity is all around us.

This is a really cool activity that could be used in a unit about weather. The students create a "cloud" inside a mason jar and watch as the food coloring "rains" down through the cloud. I could see myself creating a lesson very similar to the lesson depicted on this page. The students read a story about clouds and rain and then did this activity following the reading. Although this activity was done with pre-school children, I think it would be appropriate for first through third grade. I might use this at the beginning of a unit on weather. This could also be a cool center activity for a center day. All the centers could have a weather theme. Or I could also see this activity being useful when discussing the water cycle. Students would be able to see how the "cloud" holds the water for a short time but then releases it. I really can't wait to use this one!

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.

Summary Why I chose this/what makes this an awesome resource How I might incorporate this resource in the classroom

Apple Oobleck made With Apple Sauce This is a different way to approach introducing oobleck into the classroom. Students could participate in all parts of this activity. They could help make the oobleck, explore it, and, with teacher permission, possibly even taste their creation! This would also be a very cool way to explore the 5 senses with your students or just a fun activity to do during the fall. I think this could be used in kindergarten up through second grade.

This is a really cool twist on the typical baking soda and vinegar volcano. The ingredients are mixed together and the students are allowed to play with the Moon Dust before the vinegar is added. While students will be learning about the moon, this will also provide an opportunity for the students to practice making shapes and letters in the Moon Dust. Once the vinegar is added the students see the eruptions taking place and it creates a whole new tactile activity. This is designed for a pre-school or even kindergarten class.