Curated OER
Sunlight and Warm Air
Students discuss radiant energy from the sun, performing a simple experiment with sun glasses and bright light to demonstrate the concept. Students further participate in simple in-class experiments to demonstrate: air density as it...
Curated OER
Earth's Atmosphere and Temperature
Learners explore the layers of earth's atmosphere and conduct an experiment to identify carbon dioxide. They construct models using styrofoam to represent molecules in the atmosphere's layers. To discover how sunlight efffects...
Santa Monica College
Flame Tests of Metal Cations
Scientists used flame tests to identify elements long before the invention of emission spectroscopy. Young chemists observe a flame test of five metal cations in the fourth lesson of an 11-part series. Individuals then work...
Exploratorium
Radioactive Decay Model
Toss 100 pennies (or poker chips or any other two-different-sided objects) and remove all of those displaying tails. Line them up and repeat. The lines of pennies collected get smaller each time, successfully representing half-life.
National Wildlife Federation
Conceptualizing Module II - Putting It All Together
"Creativity is just connecting things." - Steve Jobs. After weeks of researching climate change, the ninth lesson in a series of 21 combines the data and analysis to address essential questions. It covers natural phenomenon, human...
Curated OER
Planetary Diversity
Students explore the infrared radiation and the part of the spectrum that is not always visible. In this electromagnetic lesson students complete a lab activity on the different wavelengths.
Curated OER
Rhytym in Interior Design
Students demonstrate the use of rhythm in interior design. They create a sample page showing five different elements of rhythm as it is used in visual art. These elements include: repetition, gradation, transition,
opposition, and...
Curated OER
Industrialization of the American Landscape
Students explore the Chernobyl incident and the resulting environmental health impacts. They explore three different isotopes that were released into the atmosphere. Through inquiry, students determine the difference between types of...
Curated OER
Writing the Wind
Students make a windmill. In this wind lesson, students learn background information about the windmill, complete an activity where they create a windmill, discuss using wind as a natural resource and brainstorm other inventions that...
Curated OER
Solar Oven
Sixth graders design two different solar ovens to learn about heat transfer. They investigate the movement of heat between objects by conduction, convection, and radiation. They become aware of things they can't control, like the...
Curated OER
In Search of Cosmic Rays
Students compare rates to altitude. They conduct a class discussion about the results.
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Automotive Emissions and the Greenhouse Effect
It is recommended that you conduct this fabulous experiment as a whole-class demonstration. Collect air samples from the environment, human exhalation, and car exhaust, then compare them for carbon dioxide content using bromthymol blue...
Science Matters
Energy and Winds
In the study of wind energy, scholars build a small windmill and observe how it transfers wind into mechanical energy. Learners will make connections to the previous lesson with concepts such as the creation of wind through convection.
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Building a Parabolic-Trough Collector
Amateurs of alternative energy build a mini parabolic-trough solar energy collector and use it to heat water. Temperature is recorded over a three-minute period and the data is graphed and analyzed. Note that in order to paint aquarium...
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Volcanoes!
Give young geologists an up close and personal look at volcanoes with a series of hands-on earth science lessons. Whether they are investigating the properties of igneous rocks, building their own volcanoes, or making fudge to model the...
Virginia Department of Education
The Colligative Properties of Solutions
How can you relate colligative properties of solutions to everyday situations? Pupils first discuss the concepts of density, boiling and freezing points, then demonstrate how to accurately determine the boiling and freezing point of...
Teach Engineering
Thirsty for Gold
In the last portion of the six-part unit, teams perform an experiment with gold nanoparticles to determine which sport drink has the most electrolytes. The nanoparticles are used as chemical sensors and fluoresce in different wavelengths...
Messenger Education
Give Me a Boost—How Gravity Assists Aid Space Exploration
The propellant needed for space explorations runs in the thousands, while paying to get the craft into orbit costs millions! In the second installment of three, two activities explore laws of conservation of energy and momentum. Using...
Science Matters
Energy Transfer and Transformation
When you take a simple task and create an exceptionally difficult way to complete it, it is known as a Rube Goldberg machine. These machines are filled with many types of energy transfers and energy transformations. Here, pupils watch...
Curated OER
Solar Matters II
Students research solar energy. In this solar energy lesson, students construct a KWL chart and research solar energy through various websites and related readings. Students complete a science journal page as an assessment.
Curated OER
What Repair Proteins are Expressed in C-Ferns After Exposure to Varying Amounts of UV Radiation?
Students examine the life cycle of c-ferns. They complete experiments on the organisms exposing them to differnet amount of UV radiation. They collect data and analyze their results.
Curated OER
Electroscope
Students examine what an electroscope is and who invented it. In this electrical lesson plan students build their own Emergency Radiation detector Electroscope.
Curated OER
What Factors Impact a Greenhouse?
Students analyze the Greenhouse Effect and the science of greenhouses. In this global climate instructional activity, students read background information about the 'greenhouse effect' and define 'albedo.' Students examine pictures of...
Curated OER
Radioactive Samples
Students examine the different types of radioactivity. In this radioactive samples lesson students complete a lab activity on radiation and complete a handout.