Curated OER
Rites of Passage
Learners explore coming of age ceremonies. In this rites of passage lesson, students research spiritual, religious, and secular child and adolescent rites of passage rituals. Learners design personal rites of passage.
Curated OER
What's the Matter? Where Did it Go?
Eighth graders analyze questions posted on a large poster in the room and work in groups to record their response to the question on paper, rotating to the next question after two minutes have passed. They review the characteristics of...
Curated OER
A Chemical Curiosity
In this chemical change worksheet, students review physical changes such as evaporation and condensation before working with chemical change. They conduct an experiment with vinegar and baking soda before recording the chemical changes...
Discovery Education
Cool It!
Adjust the melting time of ice without varying the temperature! Learners experiment with different materials to decide how the materials affect the rate an ice cube melts. They then connect their findings to the conductivity of each...
Curated OER
The Same But Different
Fourth graders identify the characteristics of a simple physical change. They describe objects by the properties of the materials from which they are made. Students discuss the different states of matter and their distinct physical...
Curated OER
11 - The Heat Is On
Students observe physical change of melting by observing substance in original state, melting substance, allowing substance to return to original temperature, determining if substance retained its original properties, and recording results.
Curated OER
Ice Cream
Open this instructional activity by giving a brief history of ice cream. Using liquid nitrogen to lower the temperature, preteens make their own confection. The accompanying activity sheet queries learners about freezing point, the...
Urbana School District
Thermodynamics
Entropy, it isn't what it used to be. Presentation includes kinetic-molecular theory, heat and internal energy, thermal equilibrium, temperature scales, laws of thermodynamics, entropy, latent heat of fusion, specific heat, calorimetry,...
Curated OER
Nothing New? A Physical Change
Fifth graders discuss the differences between chemical and physical changes.  In groups, they complete experiments and discover how a physical chnage can be reversed.  To end the lesson, they review the steps of the water cycle and...
Curated OER
Heating/Cooling Curve
In this heating and cooling curve learning exercise, students use a given graph of a substance being heated from a solid to a liquid and then a gas over time. They use the graph to answer eleven questions about the phases of the...
Curated OER
Chemistry Practice
In this chemistry practice worksheet, students select the correct response to the given questions. Students apply knowledge about the states of matter, finding vapor pressure and atmospheric pressure.
Curated OER
Permafrost: Permanently Frozen Ground
Students explore permafrost.  In this 3 states of matter lesson, students identify characteristics of solids and liquids.  Students observe water and soil melting and freezing at various temperatures.  Students make...
Curated OER
Melting and Freezing of Water
Students differentiate the three states of matter. In this chemistry lesson, students analyze graphs of heating and cooling curve of water. They complete a lab report and discuss results.
Curated OER
It's Just a Phase: Water as Solid, Liquid and Gas
Students construct models of the way water molecules arrange themselves in three physical states - solid, liquid, and gas. They explain the molecular behavior of ice, water, and water vapor.
Curated OER
Changes of State
Students examine molecules and the changes in energy of a system.  In this energy systems lesson students complete a lab activity and describe changes of state.
Curated OER
Creative Expressions: Phase Changes
Learners place themselves in the position of a water molecule, ice molecule, or steam molecule and then describe the process of changing phase.
Curated OER
Water Happenings
Fifth graders observe how water changes phase through a teacher-led demo. For this earth science lesson, 5th graders relate the demo to the water cycle. They draw and label each stage of the cycle.
NorthEast Ohio Geoscience Education Outreach
Density and Pressure of a Hot Air Balloon
Using a dry cleaner bag and a blow dryer, create a hot air balloon! The materials list suggests obtaining one dry cleaner bag per student, but since this is probably inconvenient, consider doing this as a demonstration during a lesson on...
Curated OER
Stomach Chemistry
Fifth graders compare physical and chemical changes. They perform a simulation experiment/activity that replicates what happens in the stomach as food is digested by stomach acids.
Virginia Department of Education 
Partial Pressure
At some point, everyone has been under pressure—even Dalton! Explore Dalton's law of partial pressures with young chemists as they measure the volume of air extracted from a sample compared to its original volume. Class...
Mr. E. Science
Thermal Energy and Heat
The presentation covers Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin scales for temperature as well as conduction, convection, and radiation.
Curated OER
Heat Transfer
The young scholars construct a heating curve and explain its components. They perform calculations. They review phase changes and quantify Energy differences. They review phases of matter and their energy content.
Curated OER
What Changes Occur When Ice Melts?
Students explore the physical process of melting. They observe melting ice and answer questions related to energy transfer during phase changes.
Curated OER
Which Brand of Air Freshener is Most Cost Effective?
Students use scientific method to determine cost-effectiveness of air freshener, and create PowerPoint presentations to share their results.