Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.

Science curriculum for K—5th grades.

90 sec
  • Hands-on — lead students in the doing of science and engineering.
  • Standards-aligned science lessons — Cover core standards in 1-2 hours of science per week.
  • Less prep, more learning — prep in minutes not hours. Captivate your students with short videos and discussion questions.

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Mini-lessons

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You probably know that fireflies (lightning bugs) flash light! Why though? Do you think their light helps them somehow?
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They light up so they can find each other from far away. Imagine being a tiny bug and trying to find another bug!
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Some fireflies flash all at the same time. Scientists used flashlights to flash patterns—and the fireflies copied the flashes!
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Creatures that light up are rare, EXCEPT in one of these habitats. Which habitat do you think has a lot of this type of creature? Why?
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Hint: Think of fireflies. They only come out at night in the DARK, using light to find each other. Does this give you any ideas?
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The DEEPEST parts of the ocean are so dark and almost no light reaches there. The only way to see creatures is if they light up!
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Is this little fish breathing fire? Is it spitting out light? What do you think is going on here?
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It’s spitting out the meal it just ate! The fish isn’t glowing—its food is glowing! Why would it want to get rid of a glowing meal?
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The dark ocean is filled with predators—fish that will eat smaller fish. If a small fish is glowing, it’s easier for predators to find it.
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This thing is crawling around in the jungle. What do you think it is?
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If you said worm, you were close—but it’s actually a beetle! Why do you think it lights up? (It’s not to find others in the dark.)
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The lights are a warning! When predators eat these beetles, they get sick! So they learn to stay away, and the beetles stay safe!
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Here’s another dark place! It’s a cave! What do you think it is that's glowing?
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They’re called glowworms! Each glowworm can make sticky “string,” kind of like a spider’s web. Why do you think they glow?
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Small bugs fly to the lights and get caught in the sticky string. Then the glowworms eat them!
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I pulled three questions from my jar. Which question do you want to explore next week?

  • Why do lightbulbs get hot?

    -Lyric, 3rd Grade

  • How are pianos made?

    -Vivian, 1st Grade

  • How high can birds fly?

    -Nova, 2nd Grade

Why do fireflies glow?

Watch the video to discover the answer and don't forget to vote for next week's question. There are mysteries all around us. Have fun and stay curious!