Curated OER
What's in Soil?
Students examine soil samples and make observations. In this soil lesson plan, students participate in experiments to determine the components (mineral matter, organic matter, water air) in the soil. Students analyze a pie graph on the...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore what happens to water as it goes from solid to liquid and back. In this state of matter lesson, students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state.
Curated OER
Teaching Matter with The Wild Christmas Reindeer
Second graders learn the proper way to take measurements, explore the properties of objects and expand their vocabulary.
Curated OER
How Much Carbon is Held by the World's Forests?
Seventh graders identify how much carbon is held by the world's forests. For this forestry activity, 7th graders study the carbon cycle and discuss what role humans have had on climate change. Students write a one page paper on how...
Curated OER
Matter Matters
Second graders listen to a teacher read aloud introducing a unit about how water changes state. They investigate the state of water as it changes from a solid, to a liquid to a gas.
Curated OER
Melting and Freezing of Water
Students differentiate the three states of matter. In this chemistry instructional activity, students analyze graphs of heating and cooling curve of water. They complete a lab report and discuss results.
Curated OER
What's the Matter with My Orange?
Students use oranges to informally explore decomposition, dehydration, fermentation, the water cycle, bacteria, yeast, food webs, the needs of living things, and physical vs. chemical change over a period of three or more months.
Curated OER
What's the Matter with My Jell-o?
Students work in teams of four as they conduct four controlled Jell-O experiments over a two-day period. The Family Page extends this learning to the community by providing families with challenges to explore at home.
Curated OER
States of Matter
First graders break into groups of five students and are given 15 different objects and 3 posters. They group the objects into 3 different families with all the objects in each category placed on one of the posters. They choose whatever...
Science Matters
That’s An Otter Story
Young scientists discover how sea otters' habitats have changed due to human impact. Through conversation, video observation, and story reading, scholars identify how human interactions change a specific ecosystem in both positive and...
Virginia Department of Education
Vapor Pressure and Colligative Properties
Hate to vacuum, but enjoy using a vacuum pump? Explore a instructional activity that starts with a demonstration of boiling water at various temperatures by using a vacuum pump. Then scholars design their own experiments to measure vapor...
Virginia Department of Education
Aspirin Analysis
Laughter may be the best medicine, but aspirin is also important. Young chemists analyze aspirin tablets using titration in this lab experiment. They then repeat the entire experiment using a different aspirin brand.
Chymist
Landfills and Recycling
Examine the nature of landfills through experimentation. Scholars build miniature landfills and monitor changes over a six-week period. Observations allow individuals to draw conclusions about the different types of trash and their...
Curated OER
Water 3: Melting and Freezing
Students understand that most substances may exist as solids, liquids, or gases depending on the temperature, pressure, and nature of that substance. This knowledge is critical to understanding that water in our world is constantly...
Curated OER
Matter and Energy
Learners investigate the effects of air pressure on humans by utilizing the Internet. In this physical science lesson, students research the Internet to discover altitude sickness and air pressure. Learners prepare against...
Curated OER
Heat And Heat Transfer
Students role play molecules in a container as the container is heated to develop a definition of heat and temperature. They also observe demonstrations of conduction, convection, radiation, and phase transfer. Using these observations...
Curated OER
Investigating Earth's Materials
First graders compare and contrast water from different sources. After collecting water from various sources, 1st graders create a list of observable properties of the water. Students then pour the water into a filter and observe the...
Curated OER
Up, Up, and Away
Second graders observe the changes that water has when there is a change in a state of matter. In this lesson they observe the results of applying heat to water with the end result of conversion to a gas.
Curated OER
Solutions and Suspensions
Students explore matter by conducting an in class demonstration. In this liquid mixture lesson, students identify the difference between a solution in which a solid dissolves into liquid, and a suspension where the solid doesn't dissolve...
Curated OER
Solids, Liquids and Gases - Part 2
Students experiment with balloons, soda water and raisins to find out about the states of matter. In this solids, liquids and gases lesson, students complete a group activity with balloons to recognize the state of matter in it....
Curated OER
What Influences Reaction Rate?
Learners study reaction rates, what determines how fast a reaction happens and how the chemical changes occur. In this reactions lesson students complete a lab where they use Alka-Seltzer to observe reaction rate and create a graph...
Curated OER
Creative Expressions: Phase Changes
Students place themselves in the position of a water molecule, ice molecule, or steam molecule and then describe the process of changing phase.
Curated OER
Paper Chromatography
Students use this design the illustrate how ink can be separated into its component chemicals using paper chromatography. They use five unknown samples of ink on pre-labeled chromatography strips are provided to students. Students use...
Curated OER
Icebergs Ahead!
Students examine icebergs and how they are suspended in water, why ice floats, the melting process of an iceberg, and the floating behavior of ice compared to that of a cork through a lab activity.