A new interactive map created by Ian Webster, curator of the internet's largest dinosaur database, places our planet's ever-shifting surface into stark relief. Using plate tectonics and paleogeographic maps by C.R. Scotese of the PALEOMAP Project, Webster's map can show you how the earth under your current address changed over the course of some 750 million years.
Material Type: Interactive
This is an introductory level lab to introduce students to the process of calculating density and to develop basic lab skills.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
This is a small quiz assessment to determine whether students understand the base 10 method of metric units.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
Conflict Diamonds or Blood Diamonds are stones produced in areas controlled by rebel forces that are opposed to internationally recognized governments. These rebels sell these diamonds and the money is used to purchase arms or fund their military actions. Provided is short 8 minute video and a corresponding worksheet designed to spark discussion about the Kimberly Process. I great way to incorporate a science and society lesson when studying gems and minerals.
Material Type: Homework/Assignment
This is a teacher facilitated, but student driven inquiry activity about the structure and function of cells. Students will be using their computers to research and compile their newfound information and visuals into a Google Slides Presentation to share with their peers.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
FREE to access discussion forums, events, professional development, and more digital content. Learn to create your own digital learning experiences using NASA visualizations and connect with educators.
Material Type: Lesson
The concentration of a solution is a simply a measure of the amount of solute dissolved in a given amount of solvent or solution. Solutions are often referred to as being “dilute” or “concentrated,” but these terms are somewhat vague (qualitative) and not very quantitative. In this lesson, students explore two "quantitative" methods to express the concentrations of solutions: molarity and molality. Provided are links to two interactive online simulations (PhET), downloadable Student Guides/Activities, a fun laboratory activity, and a worksheet of practice problems to enhance mathematics problem solving.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment, Lesson, Simulation
WhatBird is a step-by-step search engine for identifying bird species. Can be used in conjunction with lessons on dichotomous keys and other classification systems. The site also demonstrates uses of "citizen science" data collections via smartphones, videos, forum posts, etc.
Material Type: Reference Material
Students use heat transfer to determine specific heat of metals. They practice the technique first with 2 known metals and then use the same technique to determine the identity of a 3rd metal.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
The winter severity index (WSI) is a measurement to help gauge the effects of the winter weather on deer survival. The index was developed in the early 1970’s and is calculated by adding the number of days with 18 inches or more of snow on the ground to the number of days when the minimum temperatures were 0◦ F or below. In general, the severity of the winter is based on the total number of points accumulated over the collection period. A winter with an index of less than 50 is considered mild, 50 to 79 is moderate, 80 to 99 is severe, and over 100 is very severe.
Material Type: Data Set, Learning Task
This student inquiry activity walks students through the construction of basic electrical circuits using an online simulation and asks them to record their observations. This activity is a great activity to 'spark' interest in learning about electricity.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Interactive, Simulation
A Great Group / Collaboration Activity to begin teaching the Ideas of Potential and Kinetic Energy. A stick bomb is a (mechanical) spring-loaded device constructed out of popsicle sticks woven together under a bending moment.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
In this lesson, students graph the recessional velocities and distances of galaxies to determine the Hubble constant.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
Windy allows for visual modeling of wind and weather based on scaling locations. View local, regional, or global by zooming in and out.
Material Type: Simulation
The Protistan Tales of Atlantic White Cedar Swamps WebQuest features a guided exploration of microbial diversity. It introduces students to the extreme habitat of the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp and encourages them to explore characteristics of the microorganisms that live there. The WebQuest applies the personification theme of Aesop's Fables as a means to acquaint students with protists. It challenges them to search for microbial "personality traits" and to implement these traits into a creative storyline. Through the use of on-line images, descriptions, videos, and reference sites, students will carefully research specific protists while independently developing observational skills essential to microbiology. Upon completion of this WebQuest, students should be able to differentiate protists based on physical characteristics and specialized forms of locomotion, describe the microbial diversity of Atlantic White Cedar Swamps, and apply learned observational skills to hands-on laboratory activities.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Alternate Assessment
