American Chemical Society
Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons
Atomic bombs harness the power in the nucleus of an atom, creating devastating power and damage. Classes review parts of an atom by charging a piece of plastic and holding it near their fingers, discussing what is happening and why....
Curated OER
Cool Liquids
Chemistry neophytes use a temperature probe to assess the change as five different liquids evaporate. The implantation section suggests that they take readings every five seconds for a total of four minutes. They graph the data, look up...
Curated OER
Business Responsibility to Wetlands
Eighth graders discuss the responsibilities of businesses to protect local wetlands. In groups, they participate in numerous activities and create a model of a wetland to discover how it functions. They are given a quiz to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Introducing Models to Elementary School Students
Students explore the concept of models. In this model activity, students examine 3-dimensional models of various objects and body parts to better understand the natural world.
Curated OER
What Role Does Light Play Within the Vision Process?
Students are introduced to the relationship between light and vision. In groups, they participate in experiments to discover how different wavelengths are divided in the visible spectrum. They record their answers and discuss their...
Curated OER
Your Day as a Cycle
Fourth graders examine a variety of cycles. They take a look at life cycles of plants and animals, the cycle of the moon and tides, and other sequences of events in their daily lives. An interesting part of the lesson is how kids keep...
Curated OER
Leach Out and Touch Someone
Students discuss how groundwater becomes polluted. In groups, they design and create models of groundwater pollution sources. They demonstrate to the class how the water may become contaminated from local and nonlocal pollution sources.
Curated OER
What Floats Your Boat?
This open-ended boat building exercise is meant to be part of a three-lesson series on ships. Links to the other two lessons are included. This particular part is mostly a group lab activity in which they build a boat, find its load line...
Curated OER
Using Compare and Contrast to Write in Science
Fifth graders investigate and compare the behavior of magnetism using magnets. In this physics instructional activity, 5th graders write about the similarities and differences of a variety of magnet types.
Curated OER
Landscaping and Urban Forestry - Lesson 4 (Grades 5-6)
Learners discuss reasons to plant trees and the best locations for cooling. They analyze two homes identifying types and locations of trees, and location of the central air conditioners. The benefits of shade, the process of...
Curated OER
Introducing Models to Elementary School Students
Students explore the concept of creating models. In this model representation instructional activity, students are introduced to the idea of a model and discuss the differences between models and the actual object.
Curated OER
Erosion and Deposition
Fifth graders study the processes of erosion, transportation, and deposition in soil. They walk outside the school to see examples and then accurately create a physical model which shows each type of soil movement and allows them to...
Curated OER
Layering the Soil
Learners study and classify soil. In this soil science lesson plan, students classify soil by texture and size and study soil horizons. Learners label the soil types with their specific soil horizon and learn about permafrost. Students...
Curated OER
Getting to Know Some of Pennsylvania's Fishes
Students research and identify the fish of Pennsylvania. In this earth science lesson, students view ten photos of fish and identify the characteristics of each fish. Students record observations and practice naming the fish using their...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Campaign
The I-STOP law was designed to regulate the distribution and tracking of prescription drugs. After reading an article about its signing and implementation, middle and high schoolers work together to come up with their own ideas for an...
Virginia Department of Education
Thermochemistry: Heat and Chemical Changes
What makes particles attract? Here, learners engage in multiple activities that fully describe colligative properties and allow the ability to critically assess the importance of these properties in daily life. Young chemists...
Curated OER
Science: Wind Power
Students build models of wind turbines and experiment with different designs that will improve efficiency. Students will understand the use of wind power as a renewable resource.
Curated OER
Blast Off with Model Rockets
Students investigate science and math by building a rocket. In this geometry lesson plan, students build a rocket using paper towel tubes while investigating questions about launching a rocket. They discuss balance and unique structure...
Curated OER
Up, Up and Away
Fourth graders design and launch rockets. In this rocket lesson, 4th graders observe the changes in outcome caused by size and fuel variables. Students navigate the NASA website to learn the parts of a rocket. Students load the...
Community Resources for Science
A Whole New World of DNA and Proteins
Lead your young scientists into an exciting world as they participate in a role play and experiment focused on proteins and DNA. After researching the Central Dogma of Biology, individuals or groups participate in a classroom...
Curated OER
Stanley Park and Aquarium Field Trip
Students explore the beauty of British Columbia by participating in a class field trip. In this ecosystem observation lesson, students investigate the Vancouver Aquarium and Stanley Park, one of the largest parks in North America....
Curated OER
Plants 'n' Bugs
Second graders experiment to find if pollinators have color preferences. In this plant and bug lesson, 2nd graders gather information about how flowers pollinate. Students participate in a pollination experiment using the...
Curated OER
Scale Model of Our Nearest Stars
Sixth graders calculate a light day, light hour, and light minute from the standard of a light year. After establishing the distances, a one meter scale is created to demonstrate the distance between the sun and the planets of our solar...
American Chemical Society
Represent Bonding with Lewis Dot Diagrams
Lewis dot diagrams, Lewis dot structures, and electron dot diagrams are all the same thing. Young scientists learn how to draw Lewis dot diagrams and come to understand how dots and dashes represent valence electrons and ionic or...