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Lesson Plans & Activities

Peer-reviewed, classroom-ready NGSS-aligned lesson plans, activities, data puzzles, virtual field trips, and design challenges covering environmental hazards, climate change, mental health, Earth systems, community resilience, and more.  

Lesson Plans & Activities

Cartoon graphic of a camera with the text "Stop Motion Animation Workshop"
Stop Motion Animation

Learn how to create a short (<1 minute) stop-motion animation of a story!

 This short sequence of tutorials is designed to be completed in two sessions. Each part is about 1.5 – 2 hours long. You may want to leave time between sessions for students to make their pieces. Depending on how intricate their story is, they may need more time for cutting out shapes, making “characters,” etc.
Lesson
STEAM Activity
Action Project
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
University/College
Out-of-school/Non-formal
We are Water logo with birds and a sun and the subtitle, "connecting communities" on the bottom.
Five students prepare to film with camera at a table outside at CU Boulder
Sharing Science with Film: A Guide to Student Productions

The examples and lesson plans provided in the educator guide emphasize scientific film topics; however, the methods shared throughout Sharing Science With Film: A Guide to Student Productions are applicable to films around all topics and genres.

 Sharing Science With Film: A Guide to Student Productions is a guide for educators, and provides a how-to manual for instructing youth on how to produce short films.
Unit
eBook
Action Project
Middle School
High School
Out-of-school/Non-formal
locc logo
Close-up of people setting up a professional video camera, with one person adjusting controls and another holding cables
Filmmaking: Pre-Production

This is the first part of a 3-part unit on the filmmaking process for both formal and informal education settings.

 This lesson has students explore science content, decide on the topic for their film, and do all the preparatory work before filming begins.
Lesson
Action Project
Middle School
High School
Out-of-school/Non-formal
locc logo
Person in a pink plaid shirt operating a video camera on a tripod in an open field with mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.
Filmmaking: Production

This is the second part of a 3-part unit on the filmmaking process for both formal and informal education settings.

 In this lesson, students film interviews with content experts as well as additional B-roll footage, and film mentors help students find existing footage and media to supplement their films. 
Lesson
Action Project
Middle School
High School
Out-of-school/Non-formal
locc logo
Group of students filming an interview indoors; one person holds a boom microphone, another operates a camera, while a man sits in front of them speaking, with a large world map on the wall behind
Filmmaking: Post-production

This is the third part of a 3-part unit on the filmmaking process for both formal and informal education settings.

 This lesson teaches students about editing films and respecting licensed materials, while also ensuring they receive the support they need to ensure completion of their films. 
Lesson
Action Project
Middle School
High School
Out-of-school/Non-formal
locc logo
Illustration of two people high-fiving in a work environment

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