Curated OER
Introducing Temperature Measurement
Students explore temperature and use Celcius thermometers to measure and graph the temperature in the classroom daily. They estimate what they think the temperature might be and then find the actual temperature in the room.
Curated OER
Interdisciplinary Task: Weather
Students design a chart to use to record the weather for five days. They then build an anemometer to record wind speed and discover why they are used for this purpose.
Curated OER
Understanding Cloud Formation
Learners view a demonstration that simulates cloud formation. They read a poem about clouds, participate in a class demonstration using warm water and ice and write a paragraph summarizing their observations.
Curated OER
No Creation-No Destruction--All in a Baggie
Students investigate the concepts of conservation of mass and simple chemical reactions. Students complete lab experiments and record all observations as well as conduct experiments on their own to determine which reactions created...
Curated OER
Floating Soap
Learners explore the density of soap. In this science instructional activity, students conduct an experiment to find which types of soap will float. Learners make a hypothesis and record their observations.
Curated OER
Transpiration
Students interactively explore the term transpiration. In this science/ecology lesson, students discuss what they would do if they were thirsty while conducting research in Brazil. Additionally, students write descriptive words to...
Curated OER
How Full is Full?
Students examine porosity and permeability and relate these concepts to groundwater flow. They use simple materials to conduct a porosity experiment and use the information to understand how environmental engineers decide on the...
Curated OER
Carbon Dioxide Exercise
Students work in groups, plotting carbon dioxide concentrations over time on overheads and estimating the rate of change over five years. Stacked together, the overheads for the whole class show an increase on carbon dioxide over five...
Curated OER
How Deep is the Ocean
Students predict and then analyze the layout of the tectonic plates that form the ocean's floor using mapping skills and Inquiry based problem solving, They compare the depth of various regions in the ocean with the geologic age to...
Curated OER
What Structures and Behaviours Can Be Observed in Vinegar Eels?
Students view vinegar eels under a microscope at different magnifications. They use a DigiScope with the camera attachment in place of the eyepiece. Students count the number of thrashing movements in 10 seconds. They repeat this three...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore the physical properties of water. For this water lesson, students explore water as it changes states. They observe, measure and use communication skills to describe change.
Curated OER
Making Good Investments
Students compare different aspects of investing money from traditional savings accounts to money market accounts. They research investment accounts at local banks and compare them.
Curated OER
Heredity, Genetics, Traits
Eighth graders study how an embryo develops into a fetus by undergoing many physical changes which they observe on a poster. They examine the metamorphosis of fruit flies as they develop through a series of changes. They record the...
Curated OER
A Cut Above the Rest Administration Procedures
Students analyze how the Law of Conservation of Energy applies to the design and use of scissors. Working in groups, they determine the output work for a standard pair of scissors.
Curated OER
Root, Root, Root for the Nutrients
Students observe the growth of a seed, predict what will happen when seeds are planted without soil, and conduct an experiment using a hydroponics system.
Curated OER
Race and Genetics: An Integrated Approach
Students analyze racial issues related to the Human Genome Project. They participate in a mock symposium and write a reflection/position paper based on specific ethical principals.
Curated OER
Meteorology
Fourth graders study how atmospheric conditions change while naming the things that make the weather change. They investigate the affects of air masses, weather fronts and high/low pressure by looking at weather maps from newspapers.
Curated OER
Molar Mass
Students apply the ideal gas law and Dalton's Law of Partial Pressure to develop an experiment which determine the molar mass of butane from disposable lighters. In small groups, they develop a procedure and have it approved before...
Curated OER
Packing Materials
Students observe the effects of water on four different packing materials to determine which ones are more soluble. They then decide which material would be a good packing material to use for the environment and which may be a bad...
Curated OER
Swinging
Pupils examine and modify a swinging apparatus. They describe the motion of an object by its position, direction of motion, and speed. Students measure motion using a graph.
Curated OER
Suburban Ecosystems
High schoolers conduct simple sampling of plant and insect biodiversity at ground level in two contrasting environments of their own choosing. They recognize and record different species then compare and contrast species numbers in the...
Curated OER
Waterworks
Students investigate the water quality of a river. In this water quality lesson plan, students use microscopes, probing devices, and global positioning systems to determine water quality and create presentations on it.
Curated OER
RADIATION PROTECTION: HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
Students study the effects of shielding on the amount of detectable radioactivity from a gamma source. They investigate the shielding of one type of metal, then design their own experiments to answer questions raised during the...
Curated OER
Teaching About Magnets in Kindergarten
Students explore magnets through the five lessons of this unit. The everyday uses of magnets and an awareness of magnetic attraction form the basis of the skills presented in these lessons.