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...

The radical reactions of polymers seems abstract to many pupils, but this lesson plan turns them into a fun building game. Scholars use dice and building pieces to build polymers. Then, they determine the theoretical and experimental...

Students explore the drawings of Rube Goldberg to design and construct a simple machine. They discuss simple machines, and using various materials and toy parts, design and construct a "Rube Goldberg" style machine to ring a bell.

If you can find Tinker Toys™, then this may be a fun assignment for your physical science class. Using the construction set and a few other toys, they examine the forces involved when it they are being played with. For each, they...

In a previous instructional activity, learners build an ammeter. That ammeter, or a pre-made one, is required in order to carry out this instructional activity. The objective is for lab groups to design a way to connect solar cells that...

Students explore architectural styles and define architectural terms. They construct a building using various architectural elements, and display their buildings, identifying each of the architectural components they used.

Students explore the states of water. In this science lesson, students use observation, measurement, and communication skills to describe water as it changes from a solid to a liquid.

Blow away the competition with a lesson about wind power and turbines. Groups build windmills to test how the size of blades affect the amount of work done. The scholars build a variety of blades and collect data on how each type...

Never trust an atom; they make up everything! Young chemists make modeling dough and add another ingredient to change the properties. Scholars then compare the properties of emulsion to composite materials. A reading passage and analysis...

Students investigate and design various models of size and distance related to the solar system. They work together to build a solar system model. The models should focus on distance and scale. They don't include moons or satellites in...

Build a bridge to learning in a STEM-aligned unit about urban infrastructure. Young engineers explore the many aspects of civil planning and design in a five-day unit. Content includes the challenging aspects of balancing building with...

Students build models of the three major types of volcanoes and see how a volcano's shape is related to the type of material it erupts. As a class, they observe a demonstration that simulates the nature of two volcanic materials: lava...

A few class periods will be required to complete this physics investigation with your high schoolers. There is an unavailable video written into the lesson plan, but there is plenty of material here to bridge the gap. Two terrific...

First graders explore natural resources and search outdoors to find materials to create a bird's nest. In this bird's natural resources lesson plan, 1st graders listen to a book about birds and reflect on the various things birds use to...

Very simply, pairs of learners construct a model of the tetrahedral silica structure using raisins and toothpicks. They dip it into a soapy solution and then blow a bubble "atom" into its center. The lesson plan gives instructions that...

Environmentalists turn into engineers! Your class explores the perspectives of an engineer and water keeper, including the necessary steps that are taken in order to build a water treatment facility.

My friend told me how electricity is measured and I was like Watt! In the hands-on activity, learners explore electricity by building circuits, both parallel and series. They also determine how increasing the number of light bulbs and...

Researchers use scientific data to understand what is inside each of the planets. The first in a series of six, this lesson builds off of that concept by having pupils use a data table to create their own scale models of the interiors of...

Investigate deep sea discovery through the emerging technology being built.  In this physical science lesson, students analyze the different types of motion available in the human arm.  Students research educational websites...

Tree rings are slightly thicker on the south side of the tree because it receives more sunlight. Part two in a series of five lessons helps learners analyze tree rings to determine the environmental conditions that caused size...

How much does your class know about the relationship between climate change and carbon dioxide? Science scholars explore the nature of greenhouse gases and rising ocean temperature through demonstrations, research, and experiments. The...

Young meteorologists explore different aspects of the weather while learning about measurement devices. They build instruments and then set up a weather station outside and measure temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind speed, and...

Students research energy conservation devices. They also create their own light efficiency project and presents their findings on science fair night.

Learners use materials found at a resource table to design simple devices that will house instruments to take water samples from a tub of water. They design 3 instruments, each varying in density so that one will float, one will hover...