Curated OER
Pollution or Prevention?
Students examine potential contamination on the environment due to products and by-products of a new industrial process. Students conduct a lab that explores the economic differences between choices of pollution cleanup and prevention.
Curated OER
The East Fork Project
Students identify possible sources of health risks, types of exposures, routes of exposure, and populations that could be affected after discussing water pollution and environmental health hazards. After discussion, students conduct a...
Curated OER
Sources of Potential Groundwater Contamination
Students construct models that demonstrate potential sources of contamination. Students select one type of contamination model (septic system, sinkhole, landfill, disposal lagoon, leaky barrels, oil spill, agricultural contamination) to...
Curated OER
Assessing Risks for Inhalation and Ingestion of Pollutants
Students use a hypothetical scenario to investigate inhalation of an airborne pollutant and ingestion of a waterborne pollutant. They work in pairs, investigating differences in overall exposure to contaminants by calculating inhalation...
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
Abracadabra
How has Magic Johnson managed to stay so healthy, despite being HIV-positive for over 20 years? If you have ever taught about HIV and AIDS, you have most likely been asked such a question. By examining a case study and role-playing as...
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
In Sickness and in Health
Based on family history, how likely is it that a couple's children will have a recessive disease? In an in-depth, but easy-to-follow case study, future geneticists learn the story of Greg and Olga, who are hoping to have children, but...
Curated OER
Lead and Mercury Ion Catalase Inhibition
Young scholars participate in a laboratory investigation in which they observe the effect of temperature and pH on enzyme activity. Students also examine exposure to heavy metal ions and the effect that may have on enzyme activity.
Curated OER
How Toxic Is It?
Students participate in an activity in which they investigate the scientific method and seed germination as well as practice graphing and metric measuring skills. Students examine toxicity by exposing Wisconsin Fast Plants seeds to toxic...
Curated OER
Weather Jeopardy
Fourth graders review weather terms by playing a game of Weather Jeopardy.
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Unit VIII: Worksheet 3 - Central Force
Beginning physicists imagine being aerospace engineers by solving seven centripetal force problems. They calculate the work, speed, time, and acceleration of objects in orbit: a satellite around Earth, and Earth around the sun. This is a...
US Department of Energy
Building the Basic PVC Wind Turbine
Here is a comprehensive and well-written lesson plan that results in learners building a standard wind turbine. Once built, teens can design a variety of experiments to test different factors. This activity is a noble undertaking that...
PHET
Band Structure
Electricity travels at the speed of light, 186,000 miles per second. Through a simulation, classes see how the structure of energy bands in crystals of atoms determines how materials conduct electricity. Participants can change the...
Curated OER
Jumanji
Third graders read the book, Jumangi. Then they divide into groups of four or five and choose a habitat - desert, wetlands, Arctic/Antarctic, etc. Then each group can research the habitat to learn what kind of animals live there.
Curated OER
A Moving Experience - Forces and Inertia
Students consider the first part of Newton's First Law of Motion, the Law of Inertia of objects at rest, which states that every object remains at rest unless acted on by a force. They perform hands-on experiments which demonstrate this...
Curated OER
Microbe Experimentation
Sixth graders formulate a question about microorganisms that can be answered with an experiment. They develop a hypothesis for a questin about microorganisms based on observations and prior knowledge. Pupils carry out an investigation on...
Curated OER
Unit II: Worksheet 1 - Velocity
Beginning physics scholars interpret two graphs depicting position versus time. For each graph, there is a series of questions to answer. The exercise is basic, but beneficial. Consider using it as an assessment of understanding after...
Curated OER
Unit II: Worksheet 2 - Velocity vs. Time Graphs
On the first of two pages, physics aces graph velocity versus time on sets of axes. On the second page, they look at graphs of position versus time and then draw velocity versus time on graphs right next to them. This is good practice in...
Curated OER
Unit II: Worksheet 5 - Velocity and Motion Maps
A chart with eight rows makes up this handout. The columns are labeled with two graphs ("x vs. t" and "v vs. t"), a written description, and a motion map. One cell in each row is filled in, leaving the rest for your class to complete....
Curated OER
Unit III: Worksheet 4 - Uniform Acceleration
Eight problems require general physics recruits to calculate acceleration or distance traveled. They read the situations involving cars and buses, running bears, downhill skiers, and a rock slide and then get to work. Provide this as a...
Curated OER
Unit V: Worksheet 2 - Constant Force
Physics learners studying force and acceleration practice solving eight problems with this assignment. They calculate acceleration and deceleration, net force, and distances required for stopping a moving object. Kinematics equations and...
Curated OER
Unit VI: Worksheet 3 - Force, Velocity, Displacement
Those who take this challenge will draw force diagrams and then calculate velocities and displacement. The problems are applicable to any general physics curriculum that covers motion. Add this to your collection of homework...
Curated OER
Unit VI: Worksheet 2 - Force, Velocity, Displacement
Future physics majors look at a diagram of a marble rolling across a railing. They sketch motion maps and force diagrams. They determine the horizontal range of the marble as it falls to the floor. Then they double the height and repeat...
Curated OER
Unit IX: Worksheet 1 - Impulsive Force
Bouncing balls and rockets taking off provide ammunition for your physics arsenal. Your class will solve mulit-step problems for velocity, momentum, and force. This is an ideal homework assignment for practice solving motion problems.
Curated OER
Unit IX: Worksheet 3 - Impulsive Force
Eight motion-related problems are contained in this physics assignment. Upcoming physicists calculate combined velocity after collisions, impulse, and momentum. They also address critical thinking situations, making this a well-rounded...