Educational Modules

In this unit, students will investigate the properties of solids and liquids by measuring and comparing their temperatures and physical characteristics. They will apply this knowledge to build a real-world clay pot refrigerator that keeps items like vegetables, milk, and cheese cool without electricity.

In this unit, students will investigate fossil findings to understand how animals from the past are classified based on physical traits and behaviors. They will learn to classify modern animals into major groups such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates.

In this unit, students will learn to identify basic forms of energy—light, heat, sound, electrical, and mechanical—and how energy can cause motion or change. They will build a real-world model of a windmill to demonstrate how mechanical energy from wind can be converted into electrical energy.

In this unit, students will explore gravity as a force that pulls objects toward Earth and learn how it can be overcome. They will demonstrate this by using a real-world pulley system to lift objects and observe how force and motion interact.

In this unit, students will learn how light travels in straight lines and how it can be reflected, refracted, or absorbed when interacting with different objects or materials. They will build a real-world model of a periscope to observe how mirrors reflect light to change its direction and extend vision.

In this unit, students will explore how friction produces heat and light by safely learning how to make fire through rubbing materials together. They will also develop basic navigation skills by using maps and a compass to understand direction and spatial awareness.

Students explore how plant structures function in growth, support, and reproduction, and explain how plants respond to light, heat, and gravity through observation, teamwork, and evidence-based explanations.

In this unit, students will explore how stars differ in size and brightness and why they appear as points of light. They will build a real-world model of a Galilean telescope to investigate how telescopes reveal far more stars than the unaided eye can see.

In this unit, students will learn how plant structures support growth, food production, and response to stimuli like light, heat, and gravity. They will also explore sustainable gardening by growing plants in desert conditions using olla clay pots for efficient water use.

In this unit, students will learn how plants and animals respond to changing seasons and how to adapt growing practices year-round. They will choose seasonal vegetables to grow, build a small greenhouse, and learn to collect and store rainwater for sustainable gardening.

In this unit, students will explore the states of water—solid, liquid, and gas—and how water changes form through condensation. They will build a real-world model of a fog catcher to collect water droplets from fog using vertical nets, demonstrating an innovative solution to drought-related water scarcity.

Students learn that scientific terms have specific meanings, models help explain natural phenomena, and all models have limitations. They explore how light travels by building a periscope model ("peek-a-scope") to observe how light reflects, and use it to view objects at different heights and distances—recording observations to understand how height and angle affect visibility.

In this unit, students will learn how the Sun emits radiant energy that can heat objects and how heat is lost without sunlight. They will build a real-world model of a solar oven to explore how sunlight can be captured and used as a heat source.

In this unit, students will learn how animal behaviors are influenced by both heredity and learning, and how environmental factors can affect traits. They will apply these concepts by exploring the process of training a dog to understand learned behaviors.

In this unit, students will learn about the properties and uses of water in its different states and explore how materials change through natural processes like decay. They will build a real-world drip irrigation system and use dry leaves as mulch to conserve water and sustain plant growth during dry conditions.

In this unit, students will learn the differences between physical weathering and erosion, and how natural forces break down and move rocks. They will also explore terrace gardening as a real-world solution to reduce soil erosion on mountain slopes.

In this unit, students will investigate the physical properties of materials and explore how magnets attract certain objects and interact with each other. They will apply this knowledge by building a real-world electromagnet to observe how electricity can create magnetic force.

In this unit, students will learn to identify and classify the three main types of rocks—igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. They will explore how each type forms through processes like melting, layering, and heat and pressure.

In this unit, students will learn how Earth's rotation and revolution create patterns of day, night, and seasonal star movements. They will build a real-world sun clock to tell time using shadows while also learning basic geometry to draw circles, divide them into parts, find latitudes of locations, and use a compass for direction.

In this unit, students will learn about the impact of space research and exploration on Florida’s economy, culture, and understanding of climate change. They will also explore how satellites are launched and used to track environmental changes, including ocean expansion and global climate patterns.

In this unit, students will learn how energy flows from the Sun through producers to consumers and how living things rely on one another for food. They will address a real-world environmental issue by building a floating raft garden to absorb excess algae in a pond and help rescue the fish.

In this unit, students will learn how motion involves changes in position and direction, and how speed is measured by distance over time. They will apply these concepts by building a real-world solar-powered lawn mower to observe how energy and motion work together.

In this unit, students will explore basic forms of energy—especially sound—and learn how vibrations produce sound and affect pitch. They will build real-world instruments like a tissue box guitar, leaf flute, and glass jar xylophone to investigate how sound energy is created and used.

In this unit, students will learn how heat flows from hot to cold objects and how different materials conduct heat at varying rates. They will apply this knowledge by building a real-world earth oven using flat rocks to cook food, exploring heat transfer through hands-on experience.

In this unit, students will explore the life cycles of Florida plants and animals, comparing complete and incomplete metamorphosis and types of seed-bearing plants. They will study the butterfly life cycle, focusing on monarch migration and the role of milkweed in their survival.

In this unit, students will investigate how different watering methods affect plant growth and health by conducting team and individual experiments. They will practice the scientific process by making observations, comparing results, citing evidence, and using creativity to design and explain their investigations.

In this unit, students will explore the changing phases of the Moon over a month and understand the lunar cycle. They will build a moon phase calendar to track and visualize the Moon’s observable shape each night.

In this unit, students will learn to identify common earth-forming minerals by their physical properties such as hardness, color, luster, cleavage, and streak. They will also understand how these minerals contribute to the formation of different types of rocks.

In this unit, students will explore how traits are inherited through basic Mendelian genetics using Mendel’s pea experiments. They will also learn about the processes of sexual reproduction in flowering plants, including pollination, fertilization, seed dispersal, and germination.

In this unit, students will explore Florida’s natural resources, including water, solar energy, and minerals. They will build a real-world model of a solar water heater to solve the practical challenge of heating water from an aquifer using renewable energy.

In this unit, students will explore how plants can grow without soil using a hydroponic floating garden system and the benefits it offers for plant growth. They will also learn how energy flows through a food chain and how humans and other living things impact the environment.

In this unit, students will compare seasonal changes in Florida’s plants and animals with those in other regions. They will apply this understanding to solve a real-world problem by building a hydroponic system using recyclable materials to grow lettuce and address the food crisis for migrating manatees.

In this unit, students will explore the structure of the Solar System by comparing the properties of inner and outer planets and identifying key celestial objects like moons, asteroids, and comets. They will build a real-world model of a Galilean telescope to observe and better understand Earth’s place in the Solar System.

In this unit, students will investigate how temperature influences physical and chemical changes, with a focus on decomposition. They will apply this understanding by building a real-world compost bin, learning what materials can or can't be composted, and exploring the science behind composting.

In this unit, students will explore the basic properties of solids, liquids, and gases, and understand that all matter is made of tiny, unseen particles. They will apply this knowledge to solve a real-world problem by building an apple sorter that categorizes apples by size—small, medium, and large—using measurement skills.

In this unit, students will learn how electrically charged objects can attract or repel other objects without contact, exploring the principles of electrostatic forces. They will apply this knowledge by building a real-world “magic cleaning wand” that uses static electricity to attract and pick up small paper pieces.

In this unit, students will learn how electricity flows through closed circuits and explore the differences between series and parallel circuits. They will solve a real-world problem by constructing paper circuits and identifying materials that conduct or insulate electrical current.

In this unit, students will explore how forces like pushes, pulls, gravity, and mass affect an object’s motion and how balanced and unbalanced forces work. They will solve a real-world problem by constructing a wooden-wheeled cart from natural materials to transport a Christmas tree, applying their understanding of force and motion.

In this unit, students will explore basic forms of energy—such as mechanical, electrical, and chemical—and how energy can cause motion or create change. They will solve a real-world problem by building a hydropower system using a waterwheel and dynamo to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy.

In this unit, students will compare how plants and animals use different structures—like stems, skeletons, or exoskeletons—for support and function. They will apply this knowledge by building a real-world robotic hand using cardboard, straws, and strings to solve the problem of plucking apples from tall trees.

In this unit, students will identify major human organs and describe their functions in systems like circulation, digestion, and movement. They will also learn to measure heartbeat using a stethoscope and plot graphs to analyze changes in heart rate under different conditions.

In this unit, students will learn how to separate mixtures of solids based on observable properties like size, shape, color, and magnetism. They will solve a real-world problem by designing and building a coin sorter that uses these properties to organize coins efficiently.

In this unit, students will learn to design and conduct scientific investigations by exploring conductivity through simple, series, and parallel paper circuits using a coin cell battery. They will solve a real-world problem by testing various materials to determine the best electrical conductor and applying scientific reasoning to support their conclusions.

In this unit, students will explore how mechanical energy can be converted into electrical energy by building a hydropower system using a waterwheel and dynamo. They will conduct investigations to determine the most efficient renewable energy source for lighting an LED and identify the best conductors of electricity, using evidence-based conclusions.

In this unit, students will explore the water cycle, the different states of water, and how the ocean connects Earth’s water sources through evaporation and precipitation. They will apply this knowledge to solve a real-world problem by using aquatic plants to minimize water loss from reservoirs during hot summers.

In this unit, students will learn how factors like air temperature, pressure, humidity, wind, and precipitation determine local weather conditions. They will solve a real-world problem by building a barometer to measure atmospheric pressure and help predict rainfall.

In this unit, students will explore how temperature and humidity vary across environments like swamps, deserts, and mountains, and how climate zones are shaped by latitude, elevation, and nearby water bodies. They will solve a real-world problem by learning to measure latitude to better understand climate geography.