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Things Are Heating Up!
Third graders study how heat is produced from mechanical and electrical machines and human activities.
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Making Energy "trails"
Pupils explore ten different stations that demonstrate either chemical, kinetic, or mechanical energy. They examine the way energy is transferred during each station's hands-on activity. Stations include vinegar and baking soda, wind-up...
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Magnets
For this magnets worksheet, students describe the differences between a generator and a motor, define electromagnet, and identify a circuit as parallel or series. This worksheet has 2 short answer questions, 5 fill in the blank and 18...
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Hybrid Automobiles
Students explain the basic principles of gasoline engines as propulsion for vehicles. They cite reasons why alternatives for gasoline engines are being considered and explain differences between a motor and an engine.
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Let's Make a Solar Car
Students transform a car that they have built out of K'NEX into a solar car. Students add one or two solar cells to the car to power a DC motor then connect the motor to the car and come up with a method to drive the car. This is the...
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TE Activity: Racing with the Sun - Creating a Solar Car
Students use a purchased kit to build a solar powered car. They connect a solar photovoltaic panel to a motor which runs the car forward and backward. They determine how to wire the car to move in both directions.
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Wind Power
What a wonderful way to explore wind power! Through this lesson, learners get a background in the history of wind power, create their own wind turbine, and the test their designs. This is a terrific way to tie scientific principles to...
Nikola Tesla documentary student worksheet
PBS documentary: Tesla - Master of Lightning; this worksheet will keep the students engaged while watching this excellent documentary about Tesla. The documentary can be found on Netflix or YouTube. It will take two class periods to...
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Junior Solar Sprint Series: Gears and Drive Belts
Activate middle schoolers' minds with this physical science activity. Learners vary the diameter of gears and the number of teeth on them to find how energy output is affected. This writeup features well-developed background information...
PBS
The Elements
An attractive handout displays the periodic table of elements in full color. Each group has its own color, and each element is represented by its name, chemical symbol, atomic number, and atomic weight. What makes this periodic table...
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Electromagnetic Bomb (E-Bomb)
Learners explain how E-bomb works. In this physics lesson, students simulate the effects of e-bombs on electronic targets. They discuss its potential harmful effects when used as a weapon.
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Battery Charger
Students explain how battery chargers work. In this physics lesson plan, students discuss the two main ways that vehicles get charged. They build their own battery charger.
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How Gear Systems Work: A Research Project
Students apply information regarding simple machines along with the math concept "ratios." The teacher introduces the concept that technology is the application of scientific knowledge and mathematics concepts to solve a problem. This is...
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Maglev Trains
Students explore how Maglev trains work. In this technology lesson, students discuss the pros and cons of Maglev compared to conventional trains. They build a simple Maglev train model.
National Energy Education Development Project
Exploring Hybrid School Bus Technology
The color School Bus Yellow was created in 1939 because science had proven peripheral vision detects yellow 1.24 times faster than other colors. Young scientists explore modern school bus transportation options and then discuss the types...
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Tools to Live By
Third graders compare life in the early 1900's with the life today. In this technology lesson, 3rd graders research about the development of a certain technological tool. They collect data and report findings in class.
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Magnetism
Young scholars experiment with the concept of magnetism. Working in small groups, students design an experiment to test the magnet attraction of various substances. After completing their experiments, young scholars research magnetism...
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Science: Wind Power
Students build models of wind turbines and experiment with different designs that will improve efficiency. Students will understand the use of wind power as a renewable resource.
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How Do Car Engines Work?
Students perform an experiment which simulates what happens inside an internal combustion engine. They explain how the chemical reaction they witnessed is similar to what happens inside the car engine.
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Simple Machines
In this simple machines worksheet, high schoolers identify the 6 simple machines. They answer 21 questions about the types of simple machines, the output force of simple machines, the input force and the work involved in using a simple...
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Car Engines
Students create piston systems and explore the conversion of linear to rotary motion that propels a car. In this motion lesson, students build and test a model piston/crankshift system and discover why there is a maximum limit to how...
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Basic Logic Gates
In this physics learning exercise, students identify the different types of logic gates shown by the schematic diagram. They write short answers to 12 questions on logic gates.
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Magnetism-Decode Encrypted Statements
Third graders solve a cryptogram by decoding a message written with wingdings. In this decoding lesson, 3rd graders solve a message related to magnetism. Students have notes about magnets once they've finished.
DiscoverE
Arts and Engineering Activity Packet: Grades 3-5
Art and science sometimes go hand in hand. A set of four activities for learners in grades 3-5 teaches engineering concepts as part of art projects. Class members build homemade robots, elastic puppets, musical instruments, and...