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ENGINEERING TOOTHPASTE
Students make a class list of household products and discuss how many of these products are made through chemistry. They guess the ingredients in the products and imagine how toothpaste might be made. They make toothpaste.
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Modeling Oil and Gas Reservoirs
Students investigate energy by researching how oil reservoirs work. In this fossil fuels lesson, students conduct an experiment using a half full bottle of water, corn oil and oxygen, recording their data as the elements are mixed...
It's About Time
Volcanos and the Atmosphere
In the summer of 1815, snow fell every month in New England. Was this related to the volcanic eruption of Tambora in Indonesia earlier in the year? Young scientists design their own experiments to research the long-term effect a volcanic...
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Photosynthesis: A Controlled Experiment
Students investigate the amount of starch in a plant under 3 different conditions. In this photosynthesis lesson plan, students compare the amount of starch in a plant with increased carbon dioxide conditions, a plant with decreased...
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Groundwater Movement
Students study groundwater movement beneath the surface of the Earth. In this agriculture lesson, students experiment with how water moves through rock materials such as sand, gravel, and clay.
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Just Passing Through
Students explore how water moves through soil. They experiment with different soil types and record their findings.
Cornell University
Buoyancy
Swimmers know to float by turning their bodies horizontally rather than vertically, but why does that make a difference? In an interesting lesson, scholars explore buoyancy and the properties of air and water. They test cups to see which...
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Strong Ice
Through three activities, first-time physical scientists wonder at the properties of water. Freeze some soda cans and a container of water prior to the investigation to show that water expands when frozen. Lab groups experiement with...
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Demonstration of Ideal Gas Law
You know that liquid nitrogen turns into a gas at room temperature. Place some in a two-liter bottle for a physics demonstration of the ideal gas law. Beware, however; this is a dangerous demonstration! Not to mention that you may not...
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Sometimes, solid + liquid = gas
Third graders experiment with common household liquids and solids. In this chemical reaction lesson, 3rd graders discuss phase changes and experiment to find other ways to create gases. They use water, vinegar, lemon juice, flour, baking...
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Ratios, Unit Rates, and Proportions
Explore the concept of ratios, unit rates, and proportions. Learners convert fractions and percents to decimals. They discuss rates and where they can be found in the real world. A hands-on experiment and numerous flash cards and...
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Experimenting with Physical Changes
Fourth graders explore physical changes. They discuss that physical change is a change in size, shape, or state of matter of a substance. Students explore what change takes place when two substances can dissolve each other. They observe...
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Weather
Students explore the earth's atmosphere, weather, and climate. They begin class with a discussion about weather patterns, atmosphere, and the layers of the earth. After the class discussion, students rotate through four stations to...
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How Stuff Is Put Together (Chemical Bonding)
Fourth graders participate in a simple experiment that shows the ratio of elements that make up water.
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Observing Reactions
Students use the scientific method to complete to experiments that have visible reactions. In this visible reaction lesson, students participate in an experiment with melting ice and one with inflating a balloon. Students record their...
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Wiggley Worms
Students investigate how worms affect plant growth. In this biology instructional activity, students construct a worm ecosystem in a plastic 2 liter bottle and plant a seed in the soil. They later compare the ecosystems with worms to...
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Freddy the Fish
Students complete an experiment. In this water pollution lesson, students brainstorm information about river habitats and water pollution. Students then read the story Freddy the Fish and complete an experiment where they use a...
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Hitler's Lost Sub
Students watch a video clip about German submarines lost during World War II. They work together to create their own submarine out of a plastic bottle. They test the buoyancy of the submarine in different activities.
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Electricity
Students explore electricity. After watching a PowerPoint presentation, students discuss the composition of electricity and how it is made. They participate in discovery activities by rotation through four activity stations set up on the...
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Estuarine Currents
Learners experiment observing a demonstration on models of density-driven currents which are typically found in an estuarine system of water flow. They compare/contrast water temperature and salinity to the formations of estuarine currents.
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Center of Gravity
Fourth graders conduct experiments to identify the center of gravity. For this gravity lesson, 4th graders do two hands-on experiments to increase their understanding of this concept. This self-discovery lesson provides students with the...
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What do Earthworms Like to Eat?
Students encounter three ecosystems for earth worms prior to performing an experiment. It will introduce students to one form of ecosystem as well as demonstrate how earthworms and the foods they eat affect the environment in which they...
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Tornado!: Types and Formation
Learners discuss the different types of tornadoes and how they form. Working in groups, they record journal entries by conducting experiments with water bottles simulating vortex formation.
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Comparing Solids, Liquids, and Gases
In this solids, liquids and gases worksheet, students observe a teacher demonstration about gases and they experiment with liquids to show diffusion, shape and volume. They answer nine questions about the experiments related to solids,...