First Grade Lesson Plans (12 results)

Science Buddies' first grade science projects are the perfect way for first grade students to have fun exploring science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Our first grade projects are written and tested by scientists and are specifically created for use by students in the first grade. Students can choose to follow the science experiment as written or put their own spin on the project.

For a personalized list of science projects, first graders can use the Science Buddies Topic Selection Wizard. The wizard asks students to respond to a series of simple statements and then uses their answers to recommend age-appropriate projects that fit their interests.

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Designs in Nature: Investigate the Branching Structure of Trees Read More Lesson Plan Grade: Kindergarten-2nd Nature is full of objects with many different shapes. Some of these shapes display obvious regularities or distinct patterns, such as stripes, waves, symmetry, or spirals. Each of these natural patterns has evolved over a very long time and serves a specific function that usually helps a plant, animal, or other organism to survive. In this lesson plan, students explore the branching pattern of trees, plants, and leaves. They will make drawings and a leaf rubbing to compare different branching… Read more NGSS Performance Expectations: K-2-ETS1-2. Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem. How High Can a Super Ball Bounce? Read More Lesson Plan Grade: Kindergarten-5th Students determine the coefficient of restitution (or the elasticity) for super balls. Working in pairs, they drop balls from a meter height… Read more Make a Miniature Habitat Read More Lesson Plan Grade: Kindergarten-2nd Get creative with your students in this hands-on lesson plan! Students will use mostly natural materials to build a shoebox habitat that mimics a real-life habitat for an animal of their choice. As they present their miniature habitats to each other, students realize that not all habitats are suitable for all animals. Each animal species needs the resources of a specific habitat to survive. Read more NGSS Performance Expectations: K-ESS-3-1. Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals (including humans) and the places they live. 2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats. Paper Bridge Design Challenge Read More Lesson Plan Grade: Kindergarten-2nd Your students have probably walked or ridden over a bridge at some point in their lives. In this engineering activity they will design and make bridges out of folded pieces of paper, and test how much weight they can hold with pennies. How does the shape of a bridge affect its strength? Let your students explore and find out with this lesson! This lesson can be expanded to a second lesson looking at how the material a bridge is made out of can change its strength; see second lesson for details. Read more NGSS Performance Expectations: K-2-ETS1-2. Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem. K-2-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs. Plant Cycles: Photosynthesis & Transpiration Read More Lesson Plan Grade: Kindergarten-5th What do plants need? Students examine the effects of light and air on green plants, learning the processes of photosynthesis and transpiration. Student teams plant seeds, placing some in sunlight and others in darkness. They make predictions about the outcomes and record ongoing observations of the condition of the stems, leaves and roots. Then, several healthy plants are placed in glass jars with lids overnight. Condensation forms, illustrating the process of… Read more Pulley'ing Your Own Weight Read More Lesson Plan Grade: Kindergarten-5th Using common materials (spools, string, soap), students learn how a pulley can be used to easily change the direction of a force, making the… Read more Solar Power Read More Lesson Plan Grade: Kindergarten-5th In this activity, students learn how engineers use solar energy to heat buildings by investigating the thermal storage properties of some common materials: sand, salt, water and shredded paper. Students then evaluate the usefulness of each material as a thermal storage material to be used as the thermal mass in a passive solar building.Engineering Connection Engineers design technologies that can turn sunlight into electricity to power households and… Read more Sound and Vibrations 1: Rubber Band Guitar Read More Lesson Plan Grade: 1st 1 2 3 4 5 1 review Young students know that they can hear sounds, but do they know what causes sounds? In this lesson they will learn that sounds are caused by vibrations, and they will build a fun musical instrument of their own. In the Sound and Vibrations 2: Make Sprinkles Dance, students will learn that sounds can also cause vibrations. Read more NGSS Performance Expectations: 1-PS4-1. Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate. Sound and Vibrations 2: Make Sprinkles Dance Read More Lesson Plan Grade: 1st Can you make something move by using only sound? Your students will find out in this lesson plan as they explore the connection between sound and vibrations. This is the second in a pair of lessons about sound. Click here for the first lesson. Read more NGSS Performance Expectations: 1-PS4-1. Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate. Sports Equipment Engineering Challenge Read More Lesson Plan Grade: Kindergarten-2nd Give your students a chance to practice their engineering skills in this fun sports-themed activity! Your motivation: You want to play a game in which you use something to hit a ball (hockey, mini golf, whiffle ball, etc.)... but you don't have any equipment. The students will need to use recycled materials (and some creativity) to build their own! Read more NGSS Performance Expectations: K-PS2-2. Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the speed or direction of an object with a push or a pull. K-2-ETS1-1. Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool. 1 2 >