Fifth Grade Lesson Plans (Page 4)

What Do Enzymes in Pineapple Juice Do to Milk?

Lesson Plan Grade: 5th

In this fun chemistry lesson, students will explore chemical reactions by mixing pineapple juice and milk. Students will observe whether the properties of milk change when it is mixed with pineapple juice, as well as how they change. They will then infer from their results whether a chemical reaction happened. In the process, they will not only learn about chemical reactions but also discover the importance of enzymes and their role in the human body. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

5-PS1-4. Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances.

What To Do About CO₂?

Lesson Plan Grade: 5th-12th

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Where does CO₂ come from and how does excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere affect the ocean and aquatic life? In this lesson students are introduced to the carbon cycle and explore pH and acidification with hands-on experiments. They then connect their experimental data with real-world data to evaluate claims about carbon dioxide and ocean acidification. Finally, students are introduced to how different companies and research groups are using green chemistry to build carbon capture… Read more

Wind Maze

Lesson Plan Grade: 4th-12th

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Students will explore the elements by designing a wind maze, a device that can direct the wind along a specific path. Learning Objectives Students will: Design and test a wind maze. Consider how to direct the wind down an intended path by creating bends in the maze. Use observations from their tests to compare solutions and iterate on their designs. NGSS Alignment This lesson helps students prepare for these Next Generation Science Standards Performance Expectations: … Read more

Art & Science: Decomposition

Lesson Plan Grade: 4th-6th

© 2017 California Academy of Sciences Which material best protects construction paper from fading? Set up an investigation to find out how effective different materials are at blocking sunlight! Then, use your results to inform an artistic composition. Read more

Brainstorming for Engineering Projects using SCAMPER

Lesson Plan Grade: 3rd-8th

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Coming up with new ideas is hard! How do engineers design new things or improve existing ones? Engineers and inventors use different brainstorming techniques to help them think outside the box and come up with new ideas. In this lesson plan, your students will practice brainstorming with a method called SCAMPER. Read more

Climate Change and Sea Level Rise

Lesson Plan Grade: 5th-8th

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"Surprise Glacier" © 2010 Jiuguang Wang Do sea levels rise when ice melts? Does it matter whether the ice is on land or in the ocean? Students design an experiment to find out. They collect data, graph their results, and interpret their findings. Along the way, they learn about density, displacement, and climate change. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

5-PS1-2. Measure and graph quantities to provide evidence that regardless of the type of change that occurs when heating, cooling, or mixing substances, the total weight of matter is conserved.
MS-PS1-5. Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved.

Compost: A Scientific Investigation

Lesson Plan Grade: 3rd-7th

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"Compost" © 2014 Philip Cohen In this two-part inquiry-based activity, students will practice using the scientific method while learning about decomposition, exploring how some types of garbage will decompose while others will not. Students can then go on to design their own experiment to test different variables affecting the rate of decomposition. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.

Count the Seconds

Lesson Plan Grade: 4th-8th

Students design a device that can track a specific amount of time and indicate when that time has passed with a sound or visual signal. They iterate their designs and prototypes to improve repeatability. Learning Objectives Students will: Design and build a device that indicates when a specific amount of time has passed. Use simple machines in their device. Identify the ways in which energy is stored and transferred in their device. Iterate and improve their designs based… Read more

Cricket Wicket Knockdown Challenge for Grades 3-5

Lesson Plan Grade: 3rd-5th

Teach your students about the engineering design process with this fun lesson plan. They will design and build a ball-launching machine to knock down a target. Optionally, they can enter their designs in the 2020 Engineering Challenge for a chance to win a cash prize for your school! Teachers, note that middle school and high school versions of this lesson plan are also available. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
3-PS2-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.

Discovering Rainforest Locations

Lesson Plan Grade: 4th-8th

"Global Biomes" © 2012 NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center In this activity, students will compare maps showing worldwide temperature, precipitation, biodiversity, and soil nutrition levels to predict where on our planet rainforests are located. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

4-ESS2-2. Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth's features.
5-ESS2-1. Develop a model using an example to describe ways in which the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
MS-ESS2-6. Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.

Fifth Grade Lesson Plans (69 results)

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