This activity is a field investigation where students gather leaves from various trees on school property, interpret findings, name tree and leaves, journal activity and develop a new "aha" for nature!

In this Earth Science activity, students will investigate rocks in an outdoor field trip. Students will be divided into groups and given a Ziploc bag to collect rocks. We will then return to the classroom, and the students will put their rocks into different groups. The different groups could be the size, shape, color, and texture of the rocks. We will then talk about the Rock Cycle and the three main types of rocks. Students will record their observations in their science journals.

This article describes some common misconceptions that elementary students may have about plants. It also includes suggestions for formative assessment and teaching for conceptual change.

This article discusses misconceptions about birds (and penguins in particular). It provides tools for formative assessment and ideas for teaching correct scientific concepts.

Get the facts about cougars. Besides finding a detailed description of the cougar, you?ll also learn about some of its unique facts and characteristics. Also included in this Mammal Fact Sheet on cougars is information on their habitat and habits, range, feeding, breeding, and conservation efforts. Don?t forget to check out the video clips of cougars using the link near the top of the webpage. A list of resources completes the fact sheet.

This activity gives a visual representation of how we are able to see the different layers of metamorphic rocks.

This activity asks students to work in a team to develop a set of rules that can be used to program a SPAM filter for a client. The rules are based on characteristics of the subject lines of emails. Students are given samples of SPAM and non-SPAM subject lines to examine. After their rules are ready, they are given a test set of data to use and are asked to come up with a numerical measure to quantify how well their method (model) works. Each team writes a report describing how their model works and how well it performed on the test data. This activity could serve as an introduction to ideas of classification. Alternatively, the activity could be the basis for student introduction to types of statistical errors.

Get the facts about the Downy Woodpecker, eastern North America's most common woodpecker. Besides finding a detailed physical description of the smallest member of the woodpecker family, you?ll also learn about some of this bird's unique facts and characteristics. Also included in this Bird Fact Sheet on the Downy Woodpecker is information on its habitat and habits, range, feeding, breeding, and conservation efforts. A list of resources completes the fact sheet.

This video segment from Kentucky Life explains the differences between dragonflies and damselflies and explores their habitats.

Written for younger students, this site explains biodiversity and links to easy to understand explanations of species and genetic diversity.

Kevin and his grandfather, Omag are going to the zoo. Join them and learn all about animal classification and life cycles.

This short lesson was designed in collaboration with a 7th grade Life Science teacher (Paul Jeffery). The idea behind the lesson is to help students better understand ecological and geographical classifications by teaching them at the same time in their Life Science class and their Geography class. Teaching the two classifications together will help reinforce the idea of classification. While this lesson would best be taught outdoors it can also be adapted to the indoors.

This collection of publications about genetics includes a unique approach to illustrate a genetics timeline. Important genetic events are correlated with other historical events. The book format allows you to scroll through history.

A laboratory experiment where students classify matter into a homogenous mixture, heterogeneous mixture, solution, or pure substance. Also students will test for physical and chemical changes.

Introduction to the characteristics found in different animals and using the book: Feathers and hair, what animals wearAuthor:Jennifer Ward; Jing Jing Tsong

In this video from Cyberchase, Bianca breaks her friend's tabletop when she's practicing dance moves in his living room. She uses measurement and geometry to get a new piece of wood that will fit the table exactly. The accompanying classroom activity helps students advance their understanding of perimeter and area by creating their own tabletop designs.

A pest is any organism that is unwanted or causes harm. How might we use these pest species to find out if they have any beneficial traits, such as antibacterial or antimicrobial properties? Students will learn techniques that allow a closer inspection of the microbiomes of insects in order to look for bacterial resistance and natural antimicrobial properties. This unit features 3 lessons and 10 files. Lessons are aligned to NGSS.

This video lesson introduces students to the concept of size. It looks at how to classify objects based on their size and how the size of an object affects its properties and behavior. In our world, we have many different sizes - starting from quarks and subatomic particles, to atoms and molecules, all the way to aggregates and huge objects like ourselves, and beyond to larger bodies like mountains, planets, stars, galaxies and even to the whole universe. [42:13]

This activity is a field investigation or bio-blitz where students are collecting as many different types of insects as they can. Back in the lab, they will record their findings, sort and classify the insects found. This will lead into a class discussion on biodiversity and the importance of insects and their benefits all living things.

In the following video you will learn how classification is a continually evolving scientific effort to group organisms based on knowledge gathered from different fields. You will also learn how it helps to define the relationships among organisms and between organisms and their environments. [12:01]