Messenger Education
My Angle on Cooling—Effect of Distance and Inclination
When exploring Mars, spacecrafts are exposed to 5-11 times more sunlight than when near Earth. Groups of pupils complete a hands-on activity to explore how distance and angle of the sun affect temperature. Through discussions, they then...
Curated OER
Symmetry in Paper Airplanes
Young scholars explore symmetry. For this geometry and scientific inquiry lesson, students design paper airplanes with middle line symmetry, as well as right, obtuse, and acute angles. Young scholars measure the plane's angles using a...
Curated OER
Reflection of Light
Learners experiment with reflections of two plane mirrors placed at a 90 degree angle to see what will be reflected.
Curated OER
Solar Car Series: Angle/Energy Amount
Does the angle of a solar panel change the output? Emerging engineers find out! Demonstrate for your class how they can angle a straw to match the angle of light rays coming from a source. Then turn them loose to experiment with the...
Cornell University
Light Waves: Grades 6-8
Explore the behavior of light with different materials. Collaborative groups determine whether certain materials absorb, reflect, diffract, or transmit light waves. They then measure the angle of incidence and angle of reflection.
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Estimation Task
Upper graders practice their estimation skills by observing different objects then making their best guess without using measuring instruments. Students are asked to estimate mass, length, volume, and area.
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Reflection of Light With Two Plane Mirrors- Double Mirrors Placed at a Number of Angles
Students place two plane mirrors at different angles to experiment with reflection. They make kaleidoscopes and periscopes.
Curated OER
Measurement: Length, volume, and temperature
Students determine the temperature of the water in a cup, measure the length of a piece of cardboard, and measure out an appropriate volume of water. This task assesses student's abilities to perform measurement and reporting skills.
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The North (Wall) Star
Students engage in a lesson which shows them that celestial navigation is the art and science of finding one's geographic position by means of astronomical observations, particularly by measuring altitudes of celestial objects - sun,...
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Sextant Measurements
Students create a sextant. Using their sextant, students measure the height of tall objects. Students explore how sailors used sextants to identify their location on the ocean. They research how sextants are created.
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Measuring Water Temperature
Learners measure the temperature of three water sources. They collect data points every second for twenty five seconds for each sample using Lego Robolab temperature sensors, complete a worksheet, and analyze the data.
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The Anti-Gravity Machine
Students examine physics by completing a bicycle experiment in class. In this gravity lesson, students measure the characteristics of different bicycles and compare their different race times. Students utilize a shoebox, pencil, tape,...
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Heating and Cooling a Really Large Lizard
Young scholars investigate the effect of temperature on cold-blooded animals, using a 5 x 8 inch index card to represent a dinosaur as their model organism. Students measure temperature changes that occurs at different angles to a light...
Curated OER
Silhouette Outlines
Students create a silhouette by directing light at a person. They change the light, distance from the person and angle to make the shadows different. They are to describe the relationship between the light source and the object.
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Geometry of Exploration: Eyes Over Mars
Students research how engineers and scientists generate linear and angular measurements with geometry to survey the Earth and Mars. They assess how geometric shapes affect navigation. A surveyor comes to the classroom and explains how he...
Curated OER
Water Usage and Conservation
Students investigate water usage at school and at home. They use graphs and tables to evaluate water usage. Students describe possible water conservation measures. They use graphs and tables to relate data as part of a written report.
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Let the North Star Tell You Where You Are
Students participate in activities in which they find the Big Dipper and locate the North Star in the night sky, examine the relationship between the angle to Polaris and latitude, and determine latitude by using an astrolabe.
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Seeing is Believing - Or Is It?
Here is a great science lesson. It extends the concept of vision into the area of optical illusions, perspective, and tessellation. This well-designed plan has tons of great activities, utilizes interesting video, and should lead to a...
Curated OER
Heating and Cooling a Really Large Lizard
Remind your middle school scientists how fox ear size varies depending on the climate they live in; large ears allow heat loss while small ears keep heat in. Discuss how a cold-blooded animal might try to regulate body temperature. Then...
Curated OER
Teaching the Bell Tetrahedral Kite
Students complete readings on kite making and kite flying. They analyze how the parts of a system interconnect and influence each other. Students identifies and uses color and form in a 3D artwork.
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The Bending and Bouncing of Light
Students investigate refraction and reflection of light. In this light lesson, students perform 3 activities to observe light interacting with matter by using a flashlight. They explore refraction using a glass of water and reflection...
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Kites: Patang - The Indian Fighter Kite
Students investigate the history of fighter kites and build their own. In this aeronautics lesson, students discover how other countries utilize fighter kites and where they originated. Students create their own fighter kites in class...
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Let the North Star Tell You Where You Are
Students create an astrolabe and locate the North Star in the night sky. They determine the latitude of the North Star, and calculate an average latitude based on class results.
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Making a Periscope
Students experiment with a simple periscope to see how it reflects light. They draw a diagram of the path a ray of light follows as it travels from an object, through the periscope, and into your eye.