Featured Science Lessons
Engage students with science lessons that tie into seasonal phenomena:
- Fat Bear Week: Each year, Katmai National Park celebrates Fat Bear Week, highlighting brown bears as they prepare for winter hibernation. Have students watch livecam footage from the park and create a simple food web for bears.
- How Do Ecosystems Change? Have you noticed that some animals migrate in the fall? When birds start migrating, what happens to the ecosystem? Explore the impact of animal migration in this free lesson.
- Living in Space: How do astronauts live in outer space? Explore what life is like on the International Space Station and how it impacts the human body.
- Aurora Activity: NOAA predicts there will be more aurora activity in 2024. Watch a video of an aurora, then explore data and readings to develop an evidence-supported claim.
Fall Resources
Changing leaves, crunchy apples, and spooky season—fall is upon us. Connect the season to your classroom with these free lessons.
- Science Investigations: Munchy Crunchy Apples. Ooey Gooey Oobleck, Building a Human Body, Body Snatchers and Zombies
- Social Studies Lessons: Batty’s Friends, How Did October Get Its Name?, Salem Witch Trials Dot Game
Thanksgiving Science
Dive into the science of a Thanksgiving meal with video-based investigations. This collection includes:
- Free Lessons: Wild Turkeys Are Back, Cooking Matters, Domesticating Corn, Thanksgiving Leftovers, and From Sun to Table
- Key Science Concept Video: Watch a video about stimuli and responses while cooking.
- Career Profile: Learn how food chemists take care of the hidden chemistry in the food industry.
Classroom Community Resources
Building a strong classroom community is key to student success, but it can be challenging. TCI’s Cooperative Classroom Toolkit offers four easy strategies to help foster classroom citizenship and build a supportive environment. The toolkit includes strategies for:
- Building relationships
- Developing classroom norms
- Icebreakers and team building
- Teaching cooperative skills