California Academy of Science
Coral and Chemistry
Using cabbage juice as a pH indicator, future scientists explore the effect of increasing carbon dioxide on the pH of the ocean and relate it to the health of coral reefs. Ideal for an earth or environmental sciences course, this lesson...
Baylor College
Crossing the Synaptic Gap
As part of a unit on the chemistry of the brain, thinkers learn how chemicals work to transmit messages between individual neurons and how controlled substances impact the synaptic cleft. They do so by playing a dice-and-card game in...
Baylor College
Neural Network Signals
Using a simple circuit with the battery representing the brain, future physiologists test to see which solutions conduct electrical "nerve impulses." Enlighten learners with plentiful information on electric signals in the nervous system...
Curated OER
Biomes: Coastlines and Seas
Students study the different types of coastlines and their territories. In this marine coasts lesson students identify life forms that are in the coastal regions.
Beyond Benign
Puzzler
Are some packaging materials superior to others? Using sustainability as a guide, scholars analyze different packing materials to describe their life cycles. They create puzzles to communicate their findings.
Curated OER
Light Stick Chemistry
In groups of three with the lights off and the shades drawn, investigators place inactivated light sticks, in three beakers: one filled with ice water, another with lukewarm water, and the other with room temperature water. They wait...
Curated OER
Water Chemistry
Students engage in a instructional activity that is concerned with the concept of water chemistry. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students also consider an experiment to observe how water has the abiility to exist as...
Curated OER
Coasts
Learners explain the different types of marine coasts and where they are located in the United States and its territories. They explain and identify some of the life forms that inhabit different marine coastal regions.
Curated OER
WATER CHEMISTRY
Students list reasons why water is important and investigate and graph the freezing points of different solutions.
Cornell University
Electroplating
Silver pennies and copper nickels are made possible by applying some chemistry. Learners use electrolysis to coat a penny with zinc sulfate and a nickel with copper sulfate. Their investigation builds an understanding of electroplating...
Curated OER
Lake Strata and Internal Waves
Use the classic density demonstration of placing a cola, a clear soda, and a diet soda into a tank of water. Then let learners attempt to pour some of the soda into layers in a clear container. The procedure explains a thermocline, and...
Baylor College
Food for the Brain
With a couple of neat diagrams on student handouts, your life science or health class will examine the contents and serving sizes of healthy foods. They dissect a slice of pizza and scrutinize the nutritional value of its components in...
Curated OER
Playing With Polymers
Students explore the world of polymers. In this chemistry activity, students make polymers and observe their properties. Follow-up questions and extension activities are included.
Curated OER
Acidity
Sixth graders describe the physical and chemical properties of acids. In this chemistry lesson, 6th graders test the acidity of different solutions. They identify acids and bases using the pH scale.
Curated OER
Physical and Chemical Changes
In this changes worksheet, students observe and record changes that occur in their every day life and classify these changes as either physical or chemical change. Students record their information in a graphic organizer.
Curated OER
Investigating the Effect of Salinity on the Density and Stability of Water
Water with varying amounts of dissolved salt are dyed and then used to compare densities. The objective is to discover the effect of salinity, and therefore density, on ocean water on the stability of the ocean. Many branches of science...
Curated OER
Carbon Atom Mobile
Students research the element of carbon, its composition, and the importance of carbon to life on earth. Then they design model mobiles of carbon atoms to demonstrate their understanding of the configuration of protons, neutrons, and...
University of Colorado
Patterns and Fingerprints
Human fingerprint patterns are the result of layers of skin growing at different paces, thus causing the layers to pull on each other forming ridges. Here, groups of learners see how patterns and fingerprints assist scientists in a...
Curated OER
Investigating Properties of Water: Temperature
Investigate how temperature affects the density of water and stratification that occurs in bodies of water when temperatures vary. Water of differing temperatures is given different colors to see the layers that form. The lesson is meant...
Curated OER
Let's Make a Tubeworm!
Pupils discuss deep-sea chemosynthetic communities then create a poster of a three-dimensional tubeworm. In this creative lesson students create their own tubeworm and write a written report on it.
Curated OER
Activity #16 Dancing Spagehetti
Students experiment with floating the spaghetti, the gas functions like a life preserver. Pupils comprehend that a person is slightly more dense than water. They comprehend that a life preservers are made of low-density materials. The...
Curated OER
Water
Students conduct a series of investigations on the unique properties of water. In this general science activity, students explain what causes water's surface tension. They explain the different stages in the water cycle.
University of Southern California
Mastering Microbes
Small but mighty! Learners explore the role of microbes in a healthy ecosystem. An engaging activity asks pupils to design an aquaponics system that demonstrates that healthy microbes are necessary to maintain the ecosystem.
Curated OER
Hopping For Candy
Students explore recipes online for different types of candy, and simulate process of making candy to explain how candy makers rely on varied temperatures and basic chemistry to produce perfect sweets.