The goals of OpenSciEd are to ensure any science teacher, anywhere, can access and download freely available, high quality, locally adaptable full-course materials. REMOTE LEARNING GUIDE FOR THIS UNIT NOW AVAILABLE!

This unit on weather, climate, and water cycling is broken into four separate lesson sets. In the first two lesson sets, students explain small-scale storms. In the third and fourth lesson sets, students explain mesoscale weather systems and climate-level patterns of precipitation. Each of these two parts of the unit is grounded in a different anchoring phenomenon.

Students figure out that they can trace all food back to plants, including processed and synthetic food. They obtain and communicate information to explain how matter gets from living things that have died back into the system through processes done by decomposers. Students finally explain that the pieces of their food are constantly recycled between living and nonliving parts of a system.

This unit on matter cycling and photosynthesis begins with students reflecting on what they ate for breakfast. Students are prompted to consider where their food comes from and consider which breakfast items might be from plants. Then students taste a common breakfast food, maple syrup, and see that according to the label, it is 100% from a tree.

Based on the preceding unit, students argue that they know what happens to the sugar in syrup when they consume it. It is absorbed into the circulatory system and transported to cells in their body to be used for fuel. Students explore what else is in food and discover that food from plants, like bananas, peanut butter, beans, avocado, and almonds, not only have sugars but proteins and fats as well. This discovery leads them to wonder how plants are getting these food molecules and where a plant’s food comes from.

Students define and classify alloys as mixtures, while comparing and contrasting the properties of alloys to those of pure substances. Students learn that engineers investigate the structures and properties of alloys for biomedical and transportation applications. Pre- and post-assessment handouts are provided.

How can we conduct scientific research so that we have evidence to support a claim?Students in this problem-based learning module are invited to design a testable question to guide Scientific Research, Evaluate the pH of various solutions, Identify Variables, Conduct a Scientific Investigation, and Analyze/Communicate results.    How can we conduct scientific research so that we have evidence to support a claim? Antacid tablets are a multi-billion dollar industry.  Claims are made regularly by certain brands that their extra strength tablets contain “DOUBLE the acid neutralizing power per tablet of regular strength antacids.”  How effective are antacids?  Are double-strength antacids twice as effective as regular strength antacids?  Have you ever noticed a parent/guardian/family member take an antacid tablet? Stomach chemistry is about acids and bases.  When the pH of a stomach is too acidic then it might make the person have a stomach ache.  In some cases “heartburn” or “acid reflux” are used as terms to describe the problems some people face.  Antacids are usually basic which, when taken, might help raise the pH level in a stomach thus making a person feel better.You are invited to design an investigation with a partner, or a team of 4 students, to test your own idea about the effectiveness of antacids.  The challenge?  Have a driving question, clear variable identification, and an analysis of your results.  Materials for your test will be provided to you by your teacher.  At the culmination of your investigation your design team will make a 30-second pitch on your phone to show at your family Thanksgiving meal to explain the benefits (or negatives) of using antacids, and how antacids work.

This book is intended for use by future teachers, written from the perspective of students who have taken Science Methods II. The student authors gathered and created resources to help prospective elementary cience teachers better understand science and feel confident in your abilities as a future teacher.
This book is divided into five parts which align with the Science Methods II course:

Physics
Space Science
Earth Science
Climate Science
Course Materials and Pedagogy

Within each part, the material is broken down into smaller chapters. Here you will find written explanations, video links, glossary terms, key takeaways, and practice quizzes to help you understand the material. This book is designed to be a flexible resource; use it as much or as little as you need throughout the course.

The University of Iowa Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research and College of Education teamed up to develop free eighth grade science curricula on land use and climate science, in response to Iowa’s grade level alignment of the middle school Next Generation Science Standards.

Primary author Dr. Ted Neal, clinical associate professor of science education, led a team of graduate and pre-service teaching students and CGRER scientists to develop the material. They grouped standards, resources and lesson material into six bundles, each designed to engage Iowa’s middle schoolers with local data and information on relevant topics like athletic concussions and agriculture.

These lessons are built on NGSS principles and put learning in the students’ hands with hands-on activities for groups and individuals. Kids will have ample opportunity to get curious, generate questions and lead themselves to answers.

“Breakout” or “Escape” rooms have become extremely popular for children and adults as an entertainment option to have fun and use teamwork to solve a puzzle in a designated amount of time.  The Mystery Escape! problem-based learning module leads student groups through designing their own puzzle based on Chemistry and Periodic Table of Elements.  The culmination of the Module invites students to crack codes to unlock 4 locks that give a clear answer. “Can YOU escape peril?”

The original Native American story component lesson was developed as part of an Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and Washington State Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) project funded through an EPA Region 10 grant. The stories were told by Roger Fernandes of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe. Mr. Fernandes has been given permission by the tribes to tell these stories.As these lessons and stories were shared prior to the adoption of the Washington State Science Learning Standards in 2013, there was a need to align these stories with the current science standards. This resource provides a current alignment and possible lesson suggestions on how these stories can be incorporated into the classroom. This alignment work has been funded by the NGSS & Climate Science Proviso of the Washington State Legislature as a part of North Central Educational Service District's award.

Explore composites in this fast-paced webcast to learn what they are, how they are made and how they are used in the aerospace industry

Learn about the equipment astronauts use to complete a spacewalk, including something you may not think of.

This lesson would be used to follow up with the “What’s in the Water? Lab Activity.”

You are employees of competing Water Testing companies. You recently received a request from the municipality of Cavour to test their water for an unknown/suspected parasite that they suspect has been causing nausea and intestinal distress in their community.

Your mission after developing the Method for testing for the parasite found in the City of Cavour’s water is to submit your report for approval by the City of Cavour.

Your report and presentation will be used to determine whether Cavour accepts your bid for the contract.