Curated OER
Magnets: They Are Totally Attractive
Young scholars classify objects that magnets are attracted to and aren't attracted to. They also magnetize metal. They construct and use a compass. They develop a product which show they explain the properties of magnetism.
Curated OER
Volume of Gas
Eighth graders investigate the effect of temperature on the volume of a gas in a closed container. They measure the height of the water in their beaker/container, conduct their experiment, and create a graph to illustrate their data.
Curated OER
Desalination: Creating a Solar Still
To better understand how solar power can aid in creating desalinated drinking water, the class creates a model still. They will build a model of a solar still, make observations, and discuss how the process works. While the idea behind...
NOAA
The Methane Circus
Step right up! An engaging research-centered lesson, the third in a series of six, has young archaeologists study the amazing animals of the Cambrian explosion. Working in groups, they profile a breathtaking and odd creature and learn...
Curated OER
Survival Still
Students explain how to desalinate water using solar energy. In this solar lesson students complete a lab activity and explain capillary water.
Curated OER
Hot Rocks
Students demonstrate that setting of plaster and cement is a change, which involves a release of heat energy, use data collected experimentally to construct comparison graphs and analyze the graphs to make predictions about future...
Curated OER
Earth's Atmosphere and Temperature
Pupils explore the layers of earth's atmosphere and conduct an experiment to identify carbon dioxide. They construct models using styrofoam to represent molecules in the atmosphere's layers. To discover how sunlight efffects...
NOAA
Methane Hydrates – What's the Big Deal?
Have you ever tried to light ice on fire? With methane hydrate, you can do exactly that. The ice forms with methane inside so it looks like ice, but is able to burn. The lesson plan uses group research and a hands-on activity to help...
Cornell University
Energy Changes in Chemical Reactions
The heat of solution measures how much thermal energy a dissolving substance consumes or gives off. The experiment demonstrates both endothermic and exothermic reactions. Scholars dissolve several substances, measure the temperature...
Cornell University
Glued into Science—Classifying Polymers
Explore the unique characteristics of polymers. A complete lesson plan begins with a presentation introducing polymers. Following the presentation, young scientists develop a laboratory plan for creating substances using polymers....
Cornell University
Atomic Bonding
Explore the connection of surface area to bonding within atoms. Learners complete lab investigations to model changing surface area with different sizes and concentrations of atoms. A flour fireball demonstration follows the labs to...
American Chemical Society
Using Dissolving to Identify an Unknown
There is a solvent called aqua regis that can dissolve gold! After observing a solubility demonstration, groups receive four known crystals and one unknown. Based on the demo, they design an experiment to determine the identity of the...
Curated OER
The Physical Behavior of Matter
Learners distinguish between three phases of matter: solid, liquid and gas, on the molecular level. They compare and predict the relative compressibility of the three phases of matter through journal writings and drawings.
Curated OER
Exothermic Rehydration of Gypsum
Students observe exothermic reactions in the lab using plaster. In this chemistry lesson, students collect data from their experimental set up every five minutes. They explain the different stages in the hardening of plaster.
Curated OER
The Big Burp:A Bad Day in the Paleocene
Students describe the overall events that occurred during the Paleocene extinction event as well as the processes that are believed to result in global warming after group research. They infer how a global warming event could have...
Curated OER
The Big Burp: Where's the Proof.
Students explore the Cambrian explosion and Paleocene extinction events. In this climate change lesson plan, students read articles to link evidence they find to extinction and climate change. Links to the articles are included in...
Curated OER
Giants of the Protozoa
Students describe and define xenophyophores. In this protozoa lesson students divide into groups and complete a lab activity.
Curated OER
Genome: The Secret of How Life Works
Students explain how DNA directs the production of proteins.
Curated OER
Cooling With Sunshades
Learners conduct research in order to find the effects of properties exposed to heat and how they change temperature. They consider the effect of sunlight upon objects that are placed outside with the help of an experiment. They also...
Curated OER
Is There Really Life on Mars?
Students examine the work of scientists and determine how they test their theories.