NASA
Measuring Dark Energy
You're only 10 minutes late? Do you know how much the universe has expanded in those 10 minutes? Scholars graph supernovae based on their redshift and see if the results verify Hubble's Law. If it does confirm it, the universe is...
Curated OER
Investigating the Probability
Students investigate probability using coins and dice. They collect data, graph, organize and interpret data. They predict, describe, compare, compute and draw conclusions based on what they observe and record.
Curated OER
Electric Circuits
Students determine the power dissipated in the combination of two resistors connected in series to a 6 volt battery. This task assesses students' abilities to develop procedures for an investigation, develop a plan for recording and...
Curated OER
Puddles and Soil
Students determine which of several soil samples (sand, soil, and slit) produces puddles, providing insight into the permeability of these different soils. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, collect,...
Curated OER
Busted Bubbles
Using the scientific method, and bubble gum, learners conduct a motivating experiment. After conducting a series of tests involving bubble gum, they graph and analyze their results. This is the type of activity everyone loves.
Curated OER
The Survey Says
Students experience the development of statistical data. In groups, they construct a survey questionnaire for a target audience. Students produce the questionnaire, distribute it, collect it, and tabulate the data. Using EXCEL, the...
Virginia Department of Education
Average Atomic Masses
Facilitate learning by using small objects to teach the principles of atomic mass in your science class. Pupils determine the average mass of varying beans as they perform a series of competitive experiments. They gather data and...
Curated OER
Creeping
Learners observe, measure, and graph a model of slow down slope movement representing soil creep. This task assesses students' abilities to collect, record, and organize data, set up graph axes, plot data points, draw line graphs, apply...
NASA
The Invisible Sun: How Hot Is It?
It's getting hot in here! The first in a series of six lessons has learners model nuclear fusion with a simple lab investigation. Groups collect data and analyze results, comparing their models to the actual process along the way.
Curated OER
Journal of the Stars
Students receive balloons representing the "Life Cycle of the Stars." As the attached script is read, students follow the directions for the color of balloon they are given. Students chart the results for their star. They plot data from...
Curated OER
Earth's Radiation Budget
Twelfth graders explore the Earth's radiation budget using Earth radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) data archived at the IRI/LDEO Climate Data Library. They use photometers and light sources to work through several hands-on activities...
Curated OER
Trouble in the Troposphere
Students Use data sets from MY NASA DATA to produce graphs comparing monthly and yearly ozone averages of several U.S. cities. They analyze and evaluate the data and predict trends based on the data. In addition, they discuss and...
Curated OER
Crustal Sinking
Students measure the rate of sinking of a test tube into a beaker of "glop", representing a model of the interaction between the Earth's crust and upper mantle. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations,...
Curated OER
Half Life Lab
Seventh graders model radioactive decay using pennies, collect data from their model, apply scientific visualization techniques to their data and create animated models explaining the concept of radioactive half-life.
Curated OER
Trends of Snow Cover and Temperature in Alaska
Students compare NASA satellite data observations with student surface measurements of snow cover and temperature. They practice data collection, data correlations, and making scientific predictions.
Curated OER
Changes in Pulse Rate
Eighth graders practice making observations and collecting data after determining a baseline pulse rate then collect data on the changes in that rate with exercise. Students must organize their data and analyze their observations.
Curated OER
Water - Planning for the Future
Middle schoolers explore and examine the increases and/or decreases for water user groups: irrigation, municipal, manufacturing, steam electric power generation cooling, livestock, and mining. They utilize percentage changes during their...
Curated OER
Rate of Solution
Eighth graders determine the amount of agitation necessary to dissolve various sized sugar particles. This task assess students' abilities to collect, organize, and interpret data, create appropriate graphs, predict future events based...
Curated OER
Seed Growth
Students develop an independent procedure to investigate the germination of two types of seeds. Students must construct data tables or charts to record observations and results, graph the data, and analyze the data.
Curated OER
Environment and the Earth
Students were involved in environmental service learning and they gathered information from academic buildings for a database. The data allowed them to use an establish baseline data on light use, recycling, and water fixtures in five...
Curated OER
Virtual Oil Well Game
Students play an online strategy game working with a limited budget. They collect and interpret seismic data to search for oil traps, file environmental impact statements before drilling and use drill logs to determine when to start...
Curated OER
Predator/Prey Relationship
Students study and analyze data collected on the relationship between the snowshoe hare and lynx in Canada over a 28 year period and create a graph. Students also write a response to a proposal to reduce the lynx population.
Curated OER
How Toxic Is It?
Learners participate in an activity in which they investigate the scientific method and seed germination as well as practice graphing and metric measuring skills. Students examine toxicity by exposing Wisconsin Fast Plants seeds to toxic...
Curated OER
Concentration and Reaction Rates
Students investigate how varying the concentrations, volumes, and other factors affects reaction rates. Students design and conduct investigations to obtain data used to create graphs of an uncatalyzed reaction vs. a catalyzed reaction....