The Leonardo is committed to providing educators of all backgrounds and levels with inventive, high quality teaching material that promotes inquiry, creative thinking, and problem solving. Use these free lesson plans and other resources to increase engagement and learning in science, technology, engineering, math, and art -- and to promote vital 21st-century skills in your classroom.
Bubble Blast Off!Use baking soda and vinegar to propel a film canister into the air or pop a Ziploc bag with a bang! Learn how this chemical reaction is related to photosynthesis. All ages. 15-20 min.
Core: 5th Science; 8th Science
Bubble BlocksExperiment with different geometrical configurations of soap film and bubbles while discovering how light behaves when it passes through the soap and water. All ages. 10-15 min.
Core: 6th Science; 8th Science; Geometry; Chemistry
Color ShadowsStudents will use three colored lights to create their own pallet of endless color. All Ages. 15-20 Min.
Core: 5th Art; 6th Science, Art, Theater; 7th-12th Art, Theater, Film, Photography; 8th Science
From Discarded to SuperheroCreate a superhero from a discarded toy using what you have learned about simple machines. This is a post-visit exercise for the Kinesiology field trip. All ages. 1 hr+
Core: 7th Science, 8th Science, Biology, 7th-12th Sculpture
Gel OpticsCreate home-made prisms with gelatin and learn how light can be bounced around and bent in many different ways. All ages. 10-15 min.
Core: 5th Art; 6th Science, Art; 7th-12th Art, Sculpture; 8th Science
Glow Sticks vs. PaintExplore the differences between colors of light and colors of pigment and use that understanding to create color recipes and a collective, temporary work of art. All ages. 10-15 min.
Core: 5th Science, Art; 6th Science, Art; 7th-12th Art, Painting; 8th Science
The Great Salt Lake: A Dense ResourceExplore crystal formation, density, buoyancy, and other salt water properties. This exercise relates to the Morphology field trip. All ages. 90 min.
Core: 7th Science; 8th Science; Chemistry; Earth Systems; Biology; 7th-12th Painting
Hunting For AlgaeDecipher those big names in the ingredient lists of foods and beauty products to discover how many came from algae. This is a pre-visit exercise for the Morphology field trip. All ages. 10-30 min.
Core: 5th Science; 7th Science; 8th Science; Chemistry; Biology
Power CarsCompare the various forms of energy and collaborate to create an ideal mode of transportation. This exercise can be used with the Energy theme of The Leo on Wheels. All ages. 45 min.
Core: 5th Art; 6th Art; 8th Science; 9-12th Art, Earth Systems, Biology, Physics
Searching for Simple MachinesSearch your home or classroom to find simple machines. Then design a compound machine to accomplish a task. This is a pre-visit exercise for the Kinesiology field trip. All ages. 50 min.
Core: 5th Art; 7th-12th Art; 8th Science; Physics
Stitching Through CO2Learn how food, fuel, plants, and humans affect the carbon cycle. This exercise relates to the Morphology field trip. All ages. 50 min.
Core: 5th Science, Art; 6th Science, Art; 7th Science, Art; 8th Science, Art; Earth Systems; Biology; Chemistry; 9th-12th Art
Water ErosionExplore how water changes the surface of our earth through erosion. All ages. 15-20 min.
Core: 5th Science, Art; 6th Art; 7th Science; 8th Science; Earth Systems; Biology; Physics; 7th-12th Art;
Wind Erosion in a BoxWitness the effects of wind on our Earth’s surface from a bird’s eye view and explore how plants and humans can impact the results of wind erosion. All ages. 20-25 min.
Core: 5th Science; 7th Science; 8th Science; Earth Systems; Biology; Chemistry
The Leonardo promotes critical skills by integrating cutting-edge innovation with creative thinking in formal and informal education, producing adept citizens who can find solutions to the local and global challenges ahead.
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