Exploratorium
Pupil
Give pupils a magnifier, a mirror, and a flashlight so that they can examine their own pupils. As they shine a light on their eyes, the light is shone on how this structure dilates and contracts to control how much is allowed into the...
Exploratorium
Polarized Sunglasses
Reflected waves of light move within a plane, and because of this, polarizing materials can reduce the glare our eyes see. This resource explains how to set up a demonstration of this effect. Consider it for use in your physical science...
Exploratorium
Laser Jello
The concepts of refraction and reflection gel with your physical science class during this colorful exploration. Shining lasers through Petri-dish-shaped gelatin desserts, they will notice how the light travels and bounces off the sides....
iCivics
Mock Election
Here is an excellent resource in which class members host a mock election for a candidate and policy that will be implemented into your very own classroom. Progressing from primaries, through the campaign trail, and finally to the mock...
iCivics
Taxation
A paycheck stub can offer loads of information on the taxes American citizens pay. This resource not only includes analysis of a stub as an activity, but also provides a wealth of informative reading material on such topics as the...
Exploratorium
Hand Battery
Get hands-on in your physical science class by having learners conduct electricity with their own hands! By placing one hand on each of two different metals, a current can be generated and measured on a microammeter. Make an experiement...
Exploratorium
Jacques Cousteau in Seashells
Visionaries create images out of dots to demonstrate the eye-brain connection. Through this activity, they learn that the brain interprets data collected by the eye into recognizable information. Search online for "Jacques Cousteau in...
Exploratorium
Descartes' Diver
Pique interest in water pressure, demonstrate buoyancy, and explore water displacement concepts with a homemade Cartesian diver. You may want to change the name of the toy, however, as is is not documented the Rene Descartes actually...
Exploratorium
Diffraction
Kindle knowledge of how light travels by using this activity in your physical science curriculum. By setting up a candle flame or flashlight bulb and viewing it through a slit, observers of light see evidence of its wave characteristic....
Exploratorium
Blue Sky
Use a container full of water as a prism and show that as light is bent, the individual colors from different wavelengths become visible. This explains why the sky appears to be blue midday, and why as the sun nears the horizon, it looks...
Exploratorium
Blind Spot
A small card with a dot and an X is held at arm's length and used to show youngsters where their blind spot is. This illuminating little activity is a compact addition to your lesson on the structure of the eye as it explains the part of...
Exploratorium
Balancing Ball
Demonstrate lift to the class that is studying aerodynamics. In the stream of air produced by a blow dryer, little physicists place a wad of tissue paper and a spherical figure to compare. Or, if you have a vacuum cleaner and beach ball,...
Exploratorium
Balancing Stick
Have some physical science fun when studying the center of gravity or center of mass. Simply have balancing artists stand a dowel on one finger and keep it from falling over! A lump of clay is added and moved up along the dowel over a...
Virginia Department of Education
Mathematics Vocabulary Cards – Grade 4
An excellent way to reinforce math vocabulary in your classroom! Seventy-eight posters focus on number and number sense, computation and estimation, measurement, geometry, probability and statistics, and patterns, functions, and algebra.
Granite School District
5th Grade CCSS Vocabulary Word List
Develop the academic language of fifth grade mathematicians with this list of Common Core vocabulary. Accompanied by a series of word cards that support each term with examples and images, this resource is a valuable tool for any fifth...
Granite School District
7th Grade CCSS Math Vocabulary Word List
Address key vocabulary in the seventh grade Common Core Math Standards with this comprehensive list. A series of word cards is also provided that supports each term with images and examples, making this an excellent tool for teaching the...
Berkshire Museum
Where’s the Water?: Acting Out Science Cycles
Young scientists transform themselves into rivers, oceans, clouds, and drops of water in order to explore the water cycle. After assigning and explaining to students their different roles in the activity, the teacher reads aloud a...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Dispenser Designs
After reading about the history of tape dispensers, learners compare and contrast different dispenser designs. Next, teams work within budgetary and time constraints to design a better dispenser. When finished, each engineer reflects on...
Blogger
Problem Solving Strategies
Eight mini-posters remind your math class of strategies to try when attacking a problem. Print each one on a different brightly colored piece of paper, laminate, and post in your classroom for year-long reference. Strategies...
Florida Center for Reading Research
Dictionary Cube
Young scholars investigate new vocabulary words with a fun, collaborative activity. Given a deck of word cards, pairs of students flip over one at a time and independently look up the term in a dictionary. They then take turns rolling a...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Cost-Effective Buying
Middle school energy experts read about the relationship between energy use and cost-efficiency. Then they work through a couple of scenarios to determine which approach is more cost-effective.
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Fueling the Future
Future mechanical engineers and automotive technicians read about various solutions to using gasoline in cars. Included are electric, fuel-cell-powered, and hybrid vehicles.
NASA
Hurricanes and Hot Towers with TRMM
Take cover because a wild presentation on hurricanes is about to make landfall in your classroom! An outstanding PowerPoint presentation is the centerpiece of this lesson. Not only does it provide information and photographs, but several...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Elapsed Time
Identify the larger number, place the smaller number on the bottom, and then subtract in order to determine elapsed time. Animated slides of each step are also narrated by a friendly voice to teach elementary math minds how to solve such...