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
What Makes Thing Fly?
Second graders study lift, drag and thrust from a real flight instructor. In this physical science instructional activity students build and fly paper airplanes and experiment with variations and design.
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Marvelous Magnets
Students investigate the properties of magnets. In this physics lesson, students view a Powerpoint presentation on magnets and list facts about magnets they learned. Students use magnets in the classroom to identify what materials they...
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Digging up the Dirt on Soil Microbes
Students are introduced to the idea of soil as a habitat for many different organisms. They are introduced to the links between the biological adaptations of an organism and the physical demands of its habitat. Pupils are introduced to...
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Las Maquinas y Nosotros: Machines and Us
Second graders explain the relationship between energy and work. In this technology lesson, 2nd graders describe the different uses of machines in their everyday lives. They record observations and data in their science journal.
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Hatching Chickens
Students observe chicks hatching from eggs. In this science lesson, students view a video to develop an understanding of the proper care and needs of eggs and live animals. This is a great precursor activity for hatching eggs in class.
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Fluid Thinking About Liquids and Solids
Second graders examine the physical characteristics of the different states of matter. In this chemistry lesson, 2nd graders observe how matter changes from one phase to another. They classify substances according to its type of matter.
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Fisheries Management in the Open Ocean
Students explore biology by researching fishing equipment. In this oceanography lesson, students discuss the impact of human technology on the fish population. Students utilize marbles as a visual aide and complete fish population...
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Magnets
Students explore the science of magnets and how magnets work. They conduct a series of fun experiments and magnetize objects and demonstrate how magnetism operates right through other materials.
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Aquatic Life
Students explore aquatic life. In this science lesson, students visit an aquatic ecosystem and collect animals found there. Students create a food chain for the aquatic ecosystem.
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Lenses
Students explore vision by experimenting with lenses in equipment. For this optics lesson, students define the different technology that enhances vision such as microscopes, telescopes and cameras. Students experiment with these devices...
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Polymer Physics on the Playground
Students investigate what materials allow them to slide down a slide the fastest. They set up test procedures and carry out an experiment.
NASA
Foam Rocket
When going for distance, does it make a difference at what angle you launch the rocket? Teams of three launch foam rockets, varying the launch angle and determining how far they flew. After conducting the series of flights three times,...
Curated OER
Fun With Adhesives
Young scholars observe, measure, and record the properties in making objects stick together using science tools. In this science lesson, students explore with their senses while mixing flour and water. Additionally, young scholars share...
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Who Needs What?
Young scholars identify the physical needs of animals and if plants need the same things as animals. They conduct an experiment to see if plants need light and water to grow. They compare the growth of the plants exposed to the...
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Sink or Float?
Students predict and test different items to see if they sink or float. In this sink and float lesson plan, students predict whether an item is buoyant or not, and learn that size and weight do not matter when it comes to buoyancy.
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Mussel Identification Activity
Students identify given species of animals, such as various
mussels, by sets of physical characteristics as they use a key. They also read about mussels on the Illinois River and look at mussel species in the online database. Finally,...
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Simple Machines: Levers
Young scholars discover the fundamentals and daily applications of simple machines. They practice basic engineering theory through their hands-on demonstrations of levers.
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Funny Putty
Students are introduced to the properties of solids, liquids and gases. They see that colloids are mixtures which display the properties of more than one of these states. They engage in an excellent experiment which demonstrates this fact.
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Newton Rocket Car
Learners observe a demonstration of Newton's third law of motion using a small wooden car. They discuss Newton's third law of motion and what happens to motion if the mass or acceleration is increased, construct their car, and record...
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Scrambled Eggs Anyone?
Students listen to Nursery Rhymes highlighting GRAVITY, pull ropes during a Rope Pull Activity and even drop eggs from a height during a Gravity Contest. This is a fantastic lesson which highly motivates Students!
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How Size Shapes Animals
Students investigate how size affects large and small animals differently. In this animal lesson plan, students determine how size affects different animals by constructing their own animal out of marshmallows. Once students create...
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Sound
Students identify sources and importance of sound, discuss sounds heard on way to school, explain why sound waves can be "seen", and participate in various classroom activities and experiments that illustrate how sound travels.
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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...