In this lesson, students will understand the particular impact that glaciers had in forming the Great Lakes by carving out the basin and filling the waterways with ice melt as they retreated over 10,000 years ago.
Created to teach students of the 21st century, SOPHIA is bringing the forms of energy straight to your fingertips. Become the commander of your own learning experiences as you take part in this energy tutorial. [4:00]
Curator of Invertebrate Zoology Dr. Joe Hannibal gives us a behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum’s invertebrate paleontology collections, from tiny brachiopods to massive millipedes.
This lesson provides a timeline of fossils while also discussing the different types, locations, and geology of various fossils. [4:13]
Smithsonian Education presents "Fossils: Footprints Across Time." Teachers can download this teaching package that introduces students to the study of fossils. Students will discover what fossils can teach us about the Earth as it was millions of years ago. In addition, they will also learn how paleontologists organize their findings into time charts to give us a better picture of Earth's geologic history. Students will enjoy the hands-on activities described in the lessons. Teachers will appreciate the student handouts provided, as well as the list of resources.
Collections Manager Amanda McGee shows off some of the coolest fossils in the Museum’s collections. Worksheet available for grades 1-2.
Papa and his son Pierre work at a grape farm. Pierre loves to go out and play as soon as the sun comes up. What do you know about the sun and the Earth?
This lesson in high school physics on Newton's Second Law of Motion provides a discussion of free fall and air resistance, and answers, "Why do objects which encounter air resistance ultimately reach a terminal velocity?" and "In situations in which there is air resistance, why do more massive objects fall faster than less massive objects?"
Learners start by using the “Freshwater” section of the Aurelia app. This helps them glean base knowledge of freshwater fish adaptations and their habitats. Students then extend their knowledge to consider how fish have to adapt seasonally, namely in the winter when surface water freezes over. They’ll discover how fish have to physically and spatially respond to those changes within their environment. Although this activity could translate to other freshwater habitats, for this lesson, fish from the North American Great Lakes will be utilized.
Estimated time required: 1 class period.
Technology required for this lesson: Tablet or Smartphone.
Freezing temperature, the temperature at which a substance turns from liquid to solid, and melting temperature, the temperature at which a substance turns from a solid to a liquid, are characteristic physical properties. In this experiment, the cooling and warming behavior of a familiar substance, water, will be investigated. By examining graphs of the data, the freezing and melting temperatures of water will be determined and compared.
The World Wildlife Fund and the Nature Conservancy have compiled a comprehensive database about the freshwater regions of the world. Includes great interactive maps to find detailed information about any area of interest. Explore what's being done to conserve freshwater resources and why freshwater is so important.
Students study how the nature of two materials in contact, and the smoothness of their surfaces affect the magnitude of the sliding force of friction. They use a force sensor to measure frictional force for different surfaces.
An episode of "Dinosaur Train" discussing the traits of a triceratops that allow it to ward off potential predators. [12:30]
Watching plants grow is like watching paint dry: It happens so slowly that the changes are imperceptible from one moment to the next -- and yet the end results are dramatic. This video segment shows just how amazing plant development can be by depicting various plants "in action". [1:07]
This video segment describes the basics of the circulatory system: how the heart pumps the blood that carries oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. [3:14]
Just after World War II, nuclear scientists turned their attention from fission to fusion. This video segment adapted from AMERICAN EXPERIENCE looks at the beginnings of thermonuclear power generation. [3:18]
The Futures Channel has compiled an extensive library of videos about space exploration. You can find a short clip that will enhance many topics. This is a superior resource for information about the atmosphere and surface of Mars, missions in space or different types of space technology.
Informational site provides illustrated tutorial of light reflection. Also discusses the law of reflection.
In the early 1600s, most people believed that the Sun revolved around a stationary Earth. This video segment adapted from NOVA tells how Galileo proved that the Sun, not Earth, is at the center of our universe.
This video segment adapted from NOVA shows how Galileo used his telescope to carefully observe and study sunspots.