Science Friday
Pinhole Viewer
Take a peep into optics. Pupils watch a video about a large Polaroid camera before building pinhole viewers. The scholars then create different types of viewers and compare them to determine which provides the best image.
Curated OER
Oil Spill
Students use one of four absorbent products to separate as much of the oil and water mixture they are able to do. The purpose of this task is for students to collect and analyze data for the purpose of determining which absorbent is...
Curated OER
Natural Refrigeration
Students build a refrigerator that does not require electricity. In this environmental science instructional activity, student consider desert dwellers of Africa who have no access to electricity. Students use flower pots, sand and water...
Curated OER
Balls and Ramp
Students role several balls of different weights down a ramp and into a paper cup and record how far each ball made the paper cup move. They then answer questions that help them analyze their results and reinforce the idea that energy...
Rainforest Alliance
Trees and Carbon
You'll find everything but the kitchen sink here ... or just a carbon sink. In the activity, pairs or groups of middle school learners go outside and measure a tree's circumference and height to estimate its carbon storage potential and...
Curated OER
Prairie Populations
Eleventh graders practice the Quadrat Survey Technique to analyze the biodiversity of a local plant community. They compare its biodiversity with the documented changes in biodiversity of the tallgrass prairie over time.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Reflecting on What I Learned About Climate Change
After three eye-opening lessons about our environment, scholars revisit a 10-question survey, reflect on their new-found knowledge, and take action by writing to a representative or creating a public service announcement about climate...
Curated OER
The Effect of Math Anxiety on Cardiovascular Homeostasis
Using a pulse monitor, learners will measure a resting pulse, take a math test, and then measure the pulse again. They analyze the change in pulse and compare it to performance on the test. This multi-purpose lesson can be used in a...
Curated OER
Middle Ages Cross Curriculum Project
Middle schoolers complete several projects on the Middle Ages. In this world history lesson, students complete language arts, social studies, math, and science projects. Some of these include: comparing a teenager's life now to that in...
Curated OER
The Slant on Slides Lab
In this inclined planes worksheet, students investigate the effort force needed to move a 1 kg weight up a ramp to different distances on the ramp. Students calculate the work input and output for each trial as well as the efficiency of...
Curated OER
Mission to Mars
Students consider the affects of space travel on the human body. In this human physiology lesson plan, students compare how the 5 different body systems work on Earth and in Space. Students then design a product that an astronaut could...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Insulation
Youngsters compare the heat-holding abilities of three different cans by insulating two with different materials and measuring the temperature change of hot water over a 20-minute period.
Curated OER
The Chemical Building Blocks of Life
Amateur biologists examine the macromolecules that are foundational to life: proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. This worksheet is composed of five pages of questions and plenty of space to write answers. Learners will explore such...
Curated OER
Unit VII: Energy: Worksheet 2 Hooke's Law
Physic starters spring into energy with a problem-solving instructional activity. They work with graphs, apply Hooke's law, draw force diagrams, and solve for distance, force, or mass in spring systems. There are seven problems in all.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Looking to the Future
New Horizons set forth on a mission to Pluto in 2006. Ten years later, the spacecraft is still on its way. Here, enthusiastic scholars predict what they will be like—likes, dislikes, hobbies, etc.—when New Horizons arrives at its...
Curated OER
How do Hypotonic, Hypertonic, and Isotonic Solutions Affect the Water Movement of a Cell?
After removing the shell from a raw egg, cell biologists soak the egg in either a hypotonic, hypertonic, or isotonic corn syrup solution. They calculate the percent change in mass and compare it to the strength of the solution in a...
LABScI
Stoichiometry: Baking Soda and Vinegar Reactions
Examine the concept of stoichiometry using common household products. Scholars perform chemical reactions and measure the reactants and products. They compare their measurements to predictions made from the chemical equations.
Curated OER
Thirsty Rocks: Please "Porous" a Drink!
A simple activity goes a long way in demonstrating the property of porosity to your rock hounds. They will mass a specimen of dry sandstone and then soak it in a pre-measured amount of water. After seven minutes, they once again measure...
Curated OER
Adaptation Investigation - Extreme Beaks
Find photos of bird beaks or show a prepared four slide PowerPoint, "Extreme Beaks" to introduce your class to this special animal adaptation. Provide them with a data table and supplies to try gathering food with tools that each...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Polar Vortex Interactive
An interactive lesson places pupils as scientists who must learn why the ozone layer is being destroyed by analyzing the data from multiple satellites. The first analysis shows how UV is related to the ozone cycle. The second...
Curated OER
Comparing Deciduous and Evergreen Trees
Students investigate nature by identifying different plants and trees. In this environmental field trip, students participate in a British Columbia expedition in which they identify cedar, pine, hemlock and Douglas fir trees. Students...
Curated OER
Locating the Salt Front - Section 1
In this salt front of the Hudson River instructional activity, 7th graders first read an excerpt about the lower portion of the Hudson River that is an estuary. Then they use a colored pencil to plot salinity data from the table shown on...
Curated OER
Sorting Gourds
Students discover different types of gourds. In this plant comparison lesson, students compare and contrast several types of gourds based on shape, color and texture. Students observe a video clip based on sorting gourds.
Curated OER
Population Biology
For this population worksheet, students will compare two graphs; one graph representing steady rate of growth and the other one showing exponential growth. Students will use these graphs to complete 3 short answer questions.