Curated OER
Energy and Matter
A review of a full unit on energy and matter, this slide show starts with basic definitions of states of matter and their mass. It then develops the ideas of the forces that that matter can exert. Details about bonding within matter and...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Carbon, Greenhouse Gases, and Climate
Climate models mathematically represent the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, land, sun, surface, and ice. Part two in the series of four lessons looks at the role greenhouse gases play in keeping Earth warm and has participants...
Curated OER
Matter: All That "Stuff"
In this chemistry learning exercise, students learn about matter, including atoms, electrons, protons, neutrons, compounds and chemical properties. They use this information to answer the 10 questions on the learning exercise. The...
Curated OER
Matter
In this matter activity, students are given 10 sentences with italicized terms that are wrong. Students correct the terms to appropriately fit the sentences. Topics are related to matter such as physical and chemical properties, solids,...
Curated OER
What's in the Water? - Stream Side Science
Here is a complete activity in which young biologists or ecologists test the pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and temperature of stream water. The class visits an actual stream and makes observations of the site. They use scientific...
Curated OER
Emulsion_ Compulsion
Students experiment with common household products to determine the properties of emulsions and how they fit into the classifications of matter through this series of lessons.
Curated OER
What's the Matter? (Experiments)
Students observe a scientific discrepant event, and are then challenged to create experiments to solve the dilemma.
Curated OER
Science:Effects of Weathering
Seventh graders take an outdoor observation walk around the campus and take soil samples. Working in groups , they conduct experiments with rocks and soil that demonstrate the effects of different types of erosion.
Curated OER
Let's Take a Rock Apart
Young scholars take a crushed rock and sort the remains of the rock minerals into different categories based on the different properties. In this sorting lesson plan, students learn what makes up a rock and how to sort something into...
Curated OER
Where's the Evidence?
Eighth graders observe evidence of chemical reactions. In this chemical reactions lesson students study chemical processes and complete a lab activity.
Curated OER
Name That Gas!
Young scientists discover that air is a mixture of different gases - mainly nitrogen and oxygen. The properties of some of the other gases found in oxygen are listed in a table, then learners must decide which one of those gases is...
Curated OER
Science: The States of Matter
Third graders conduct experiments in matter to create chemical changes resulting in gases. By mixing solids and liquids, they create a chemical reaction and capture the gas in balloons. After observing the balloons fill with carbon...
Cornell University
Glued into Science—Classifying Polymers
Explore the unique characteristics of polymers. A complete lesson begins with a presentation introducing polymers. Following the presentation, young scientists develop a laboratory plan for creating substances using polymers. They...
Curated OER
All About Matter
Twenty-four questions about matter, the states of matter and the properties of matter make up this interactive online worksheet. Your class will determine the volume of water, the shape of water and the shapes of matter.
Curated OER
Stream Scanners
Learners investigate quality of water in a stream, lake, or pond by examining chemical, physical, and biological characteristics.
Curated OER
Weathering and Soil Formation
A set of 27 slides systematically shows how weathering, erosion, and deposition contribute to soil formation. Both chemical and mechanical weathering are described, as are resulting soil layers and properties. There is no longer any need...
NOAA
Please Pass the Salt
Salinity is the focus of two experimenters that work to answer the question, How does salt change the physical properties of water? Super scientists compare the freezing rate of salt and fresh water, combine the two waters to...
Curated OER
Towers of the Lost City
Middle school marine scientists compare the pH change in distilled and saltwater as acetic acid is added one drop at a time. Then they compare the pH change in both when sodium hydroxide is added. This experiment demonstrates the...
Curated OER
Making Oxygen
Use demonstrations to enlighten learners on oxygen's role in combustion. Use potatoes and hydrogen peroxide to increase oxygen concentration in a jar, then stick a glowing splint and a burning wad of steel wool into the newly formed...
American Chemical Society
Crushing Test
Solidify understanding of the properties of crystals by crushing them to compare hardness. After some class discussion, a procedure is planned, and then small groups go about making observations as they crush five different crystal...
Creative Chemistry
Oxidation of Ethanol to Ethanal
Here is a laboratory exercise in which chemistry masters conduct an oxidation reaction to change ethanol into ethanal. They compare the original alcohol to the resulting aldehyde by forming a precipitate. This activity is aimed at...
Curated OER
Ice Cream Science
Students review properties of matter and discuss how materials change when things are done to them. They observe how materials change as a reaction to temperature by following the procedure to make ice cream and recording the temperature...
Curated OER
pH Potential
Students experiment to determine the positive and negative impacts of human activities on environmental change. They examine how physical and biological processes such as decomposition affect soil characteristics while looking at the pH...
Curated OER
Weathering Experiments: sugar cubes, steel wool and gravel!!
Students study the chemical and physical weathering of "rocks". In this weathering experiments activity students complete a lab that demonstrates how rocks weather.