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Activity
Curated OER

Cleaning Pennies

For Teachers K - 3rd
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cleaning of Metal

For Teachers 9th - 10th
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...
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Organizer
Curated OER

The Penny Experiment

For Students 9th - 12th
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.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Describing a Chemical Reaction: Playing with Copper

For Students 7th - 11th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polishing Pennies

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students polish pennies. In this Science instructional activity, students experiment with cleaning the oxidation off of pennies with a variety of liquids. Students record their observations.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

How Many Drops of H2o Can Fit on a Penny?

For Students 5th - 10th
In this properties of water worksheet, students explore the surface tension and cohesion properties of water compared to other liquids in a 2 part experiment.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Penny Lab

For Teachers 10th - 12th
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Looking At Acid's Effects On Metals

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers 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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Buoyancy: Who Sank the Boat?

For Teachers K
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coin Battery

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learners explore basic principles of electricity and create their own battery.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Light and Water

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders experiment with coins and water to explore light rays.  In this light and water instructional activity, 3rd graders work in pairs to observe what happens with a coin in water or how it appears based on the density of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemical Changes to Matter

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students analyze the causes of corrosion. In this chemistry lesson, students investigate what is necessary to cause chemical changes in matter. Students discover the causes of rust and tooth decay.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making "Cents" of Surface Tension

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore the unique behaviors of water. They investigate surface tension using water drops on a penny and pennies dropped in a cup.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Periodic Table of the Elements

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students experiment with transition metals.  In this transition metals lesson students find the common properties of transition metals and conduct an experiment using one of them.  Students then answer questions regarding what they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air Pressure and Wind

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders study air pressure and learn how it can change the weather. In this air pressure lesson plan, 5th graders study the given diagrams and complete the experiments to learn how air pressure can change the weather. Students read...
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Unit Plan
Illinois Valley Community College

STEM Activities for Middle School Students

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solid, Liquid or Gas?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students 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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oxidation And Corrosion

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Students investigate the concepts of oxidation and corrosion. They identify different metals and forms of corrosion.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Magnetic Discovery Bottle

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine how to conduct simple investigations and use simple equipment to gather data.  For this magnet lesson students decide what types of objects are attracted to magnets. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shopping

For Teachers K - 2nd
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shopping

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars 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.