Curated OER
Cleaning Pennies
Students observe changes in a penny when it is cleaned. In this scientific inquiry lesson, students use a dixie cup filled with vinegar and salt, and drop the penny into the water. Students observe the changes.
Curated OER
Cleaning of Metal
Students clean pennies and determine why one substance cleans better. In this lesson about acids and bases, students experiment how to clean a penny. Students use four different solutions to clean their pennies. Students will also test...
Curated OER
The Penny Experiment
In this science worksheet, students conduct an experiment with a penny and determine the amount of drops of water that can stick to a penny.
Curated OER
Describing a Chemical Reaction: Playing with Copper
Three experiments involving pennies help young chemists see the chemical reactions between copper and other elements. The first experiment is rhetorical (it prompts students to leave a bright penny out for a year) but the second two...
Curated OER
Polishing Pennies
Young scholars polish pennies. In this Science lesson, students experiment with cleaning the oxidation off of pennies with a variety of liquids. Young scholars record their observations.
Curated OER
How Many Drops of H2o Can Fit on a Penny?
In this properties of water instructional activity, students explore the surface tension and cohesion properties of water compared to other liquids in a 2 part experiment.
Curated OER
Penny Lab
In this percent composition worksheet, students carry out an experiment to determine the percent of zinc in a penny. They write a balanced equation for the chemical reaction they performed with the penny and hydrochloric acid.
Curated OER
Looking At Acid's Effects On Metals
Students perform an experiment that demonstrates acid rain. The chemical effect of acids on metals may take at least five days for the human eye to see, even though the reaction starts as soon as the acid contacts the metal.
Curated OER
Buoyancy: Who Sank the Boat?
Students examine whether objects will sink or float. In this buoyancy lesson students bring in objects and experiment to see if they sink or float.
Curated OER
Coin Battery
Learners explore basic principles of electricity and create their own battery.
Curated OER
Light and Water
Third graders experiment with coins and water to explore light rays. In this light and water lesson, 3rd graders work in pairs to observe what happens with a coin in water or how it appears based on the density of the water....
Curated OER
Chemical Changes to Matter
Learners analyze the causes of corrosion. In this chemistry lesson, students investigate what is necessary to cause chemical changes in matter. Learners discover the causes of rust and tooth decay.
Curated OER
Making "Cents" of Surface Tension
Students explore the unique behaviors of water. They investigate surface tension using water drops on a penny and pennies dropped in a cup.
Curated OER
Periodic Table of the Elements
Middle schoolers experiment with transition metals. For this transition metals lesson students find the common properties of transition metals and conduct an experiment using one of them. Middle schoolers then answer...
Curated OER
Air Pressure and Wind
Fifth graders study air pressure and learn how it can change the weather. In this air pressure lesson, 5th graders study the given diagrams and complete the experiments to learn how air pressure can change the weather. Students read...
Illinois Valley Community College
STEM Activities for Middle School Students
Use STEM activities within the class to provide connections to concepts. The resource includes activities that range from working with buoyancy to building rockets and launching them. Other activities involve the engineering design...
Curated OER
Solid, Liquid or Gas?
Learners explore solid, liquids, and gases. In this science lesson plan, students distinguish similarities and differences of matter and recognize that different states of matter may appear in one substance.
Curated OER
Oxidation And Corrosion
Students investigate the concepts of oxidation and corrosion. They identify different metals and forms of corrosion.
Curated OER
Magnetic Discovery Bottle
Pupils examine how to conduct simple investigations and use simple equipment to gather data. In this magnet lesson plan students decide what types of objects are attracted to magnets.
Curated OER
Shopping
Students do a shopping simulation in order to have a chance to apply their math skills in a real life fashion. They decide how much money they have, what they want to buy, if they have enough money and how much change they should get back.
Curated OER
Shopping
Students determine how much money they have in hand, find and read the price of a product, determine which product to buy, determine if they have enough money, and count out exact change or determine how much change is due.
Science Bob Pflugfelder
Science Bob: Clean Pennies With Vinegar
Science Bob presents instructions for a science demonstration of how to clean pennies with vinegar using common supplies with information on how it works.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Does Salt & Vinegar Have an Effect on Pennies?
During this lab students will experiment to see whether a salt and vinegar solution can clean a tarnished penny. Included on site is lesson plan and student worksheet.