Curated OER
Mass vs. Weight
Students explore physical science by conducting a measurement experiment. In this mass lesson, students identify the differences between mass and weight and define a list of other vocabulary terms. Students utilize electronic scales and...
Curated OER
Why Invent That?
Students demonstrate an understanding of the text by completing an activity on the advantages and disadvantages of inventing and using a human-powered airplane.
NASA
Pop Can Hero Engine
Hang a soda can from a string and watch it spin by the force created by water streaming out of slanted holes. This plan provides background information, detailed materials and procedures, discussion questions, a lab worksheet, and...
Curated OER
Floating and Falling Flows
Students discover fluid dynamics related to buoyancy through experimentation and optional photography. Using one set of fluids, they make light fluids rise through denser fluids. Using another set, they make dense fluids sink through a...
Curated OER
Sand or Rock? Finding Out From 1,000 km
Students observe how measurements are made with different instruments. In this remote sensing lesson students investigate the physical state of surfaces including the surfaces of the solar system.
Curated OER
Wright Again: 100 Years of Flight
Aspiring aeronautical engineers demonstrate different forces as they construct and test paper airplanes. This lesson plan links you to a website that models the most effective paper airplane design, an animation describing the forces...
Curated OER
The Airplane
Young scholars demonstrate the Bernoulli Principle, review the influences that affected the Wright Brothers, and make and modify paper airplanes. This amazing lesson plan has an excellent structure, and very clear plans for the students...
Curated OER
Inventor's Workshop
Middle schoolers explore the six simple machines that are the basis for all mechanical devices. In this physics lesson, students choose one simple machine to research and then find a complex machine it is apart of. Middle schoolers...
Polar Trec
Down to the Deep Virtual Lab
At a depth of 3,000 m in the ocean, the pressure is 300 times that at sea level! In the activity, individuals predict what will happen to Styrofoam cups submerged 3,000 meters into the ocean. They then convert these units to soccer...
Curated OER
Celebrating 100 Years of Flight
Students practice reading comprehension, note taking and writing skills. In this literacy and writing lesson, students read about the invention of airplanes, women pilots and the space race before writing their own news article on "100...
Curated OER
Interview With An Electric Light Bulb
In this electric light bulb activity, students answer short answer questions about an electric light bulb by pretending they are answering interview questions and they are the light bulb. Students complete 7 questions total.
University of Colorado
Astro-Chronology
Class members play a version of the game Chronology to determine when certain scientific events occurred in history. Teams play until someone has 5-10 events in the correct order.
Curated OER
Scientists at Work: What'll they think of next?
Students explore scientific discovery while watching a video. They, in groups, are to research a scientific invention and present their findings to the class.
Curated OER
Simple Machines: Levers
Students discover the fundamentals and daily applications of simple machines. They practice basic engineering theory through their hands-on demonstrations of levers.
Curated OER
Naturral Born Robots: Robots Have Feelings Too
Students explore robotics. They design a simple device that simulates a human arm lifting a mass. Students test the strength of their arm. Students discuss artificial intelligence.
Curated OER
Ancient Mediterranean Lands: Greece
Sixth graders explore the processes developed by the Ancient Greeks, particularly olives and olive oil. In this Greek culture and inventions lesson, 6th graders read an article and design a flap book. Students collect the olive oil from...
Curated OER
Technology and Change
Learners write a paragraph explaining how a technological innovation from a particular country has affected the world. Using a variety of resources, students identify a technological innovation, giving accurate historical and...
Curated OER
Not So Simple Machines
Students design a simple machine for a simple machine contest. In this simple machine lesson, students design a simple machine that will solve a problem. They draw a diagram, label it, and test the machine before they present it in a...
Curated OER
Extra! Extra!
Learners describe how plants and animals depend on each other. They see how living and nonliving environments change over time. They identify ways in which humans have changed their environment and the effects of those changes.
Curated OER
"Finding" Horsepower
Students investigate horsepower as a unit of power. They examine history and discover that scientists and engineers of high achievement are considered to be among the most valued contributors to their culture.
National First Ladies' Library
A Crippling Cough: Tuberculosis on a Rampage
Students use problem solving skills to examine symptoms, causes, and treatment of tuberculosis in modern times and in early 1900s. Students read patient case, work in teams to diagnose illness, and conduct Internet research to confirm...
Curated OER
Create a Butterfly Mobile
Students construct a butterfly mobile. In this visual arts lesson, students use rice paper, watercolors, a coat hanger, and wax paper to create a unique butterfly mobile. Students use photographs of butterflies to construct a realistic...
Curated OER
Simple Machines - Inclined Plane
Students learn the fundamentals and daily applications of simple machines.
Curated OER
Chromatography
Young scholars study about chromatography, a process used to separate mixtures.