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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heavy Ice: Day Five

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore physics by conducting a class experiment. In this density lesson, students examine a list of items and discuss whether they will sink or float and then determine their density. Students examine the objects over five days...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Project Geode

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners predict the appearance of a geode's internal structure based on its mass and density. They form a hypothesis based on the data they collect. They also identify common minerals found in Illinois.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Color Splash

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students investigate density. In this density lesson plan, students conduct an experiment using food coloring. Students observe the differences in mixing food coloring in water and oil.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Day Two: Generating New Questions

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students investigate buoyancy by participating in a lab experiment. In this density lesson, students utilize vinegar and alcohol in beakers and attempt to float different items in them. Students analyze which items float and do not while...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thermo and Fluid Dynamics of a Homemade "Lava Lamp"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students construct their own lava lamp using simple substances. In this physics lesson, students explain how difference in density causes convection. They solve for forces and buoyancy using mathematical equations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air Engine - Air Races

For Teachers Pre-K
Students conduct an experiment about air volume, density, and pressure. For this air lesson, students discuss air, and how it moves. They make predictions about what will happen during the balloon and string experiment. They document the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Magnetorheological Fluids

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners conduct a series of experiments on magnetorheological fluids. In this physics lesson, students explain how these fluids behave in varying magnetic field strength. They give practical applications of magnetorheological fluids.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Layering and Circulation

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Young scholars examine relationships and interactions between different types of water. They experiment with colored water of different temperature and salinity and discuss how the results relate to real ocean currents.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Project Geode

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young geologists attempt to predict the appearnace of a geode's internal structure based on how it looks from the outside, its mass, and its physical characteristics. In this geologly lesson, learners use scientific equipment to collect...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

The Thermal Layers of Oceans

For Teachers 7th - 11th Standards
How much does the sun heat up a lake or ocean? Scholars use a cup and a strong lamp to investigate the heat transfer and thermal layers in the ocean to come up with the answer. They collect data and graph it in order to better understand...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cents-ible Chemistry-Analysis of the Metal in a Penny

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students determine the base metals and surface metals in a penny. In this analysis of metals lesson plan, students determine the density of five pennies minted in different years. They use different chemicals such as hydrochloric acid,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Addition Polymerization: Preparation of Polystyrene Using Two Types of Initiators

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Advanced chemistry classes compare the polymerization of styrene using two different initators: benzoyl peroxide and aluminum chloride. Once they synthesize polystyrene, they compare the two producet for melting point and density. There...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Condensation Polymerization: Preparation of Nylon 6/6

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students participate in a lab activity in which they synthesize nylon 6/6, calculate the percent yield by mass, identify the polymer as thermoplastic or thermoset, and determine the melting point, density and end-product use of the polymer.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sea Water Freeze

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers observe how salinity affects the time it takes water to freeze. They participate in an experiment to determine that ice is essentially salt-free whether formed from fresh or salt water
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Density

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students, in groups, design a procedure to calculate the mass of gas molecules in the classroom by measuring the volume of the classroom and researching the density of air. They apply changes in air density with altitude and effects on a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eisenhower 1/26

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders identify and explain what Bernoulli's Principle is and draw diagrams to incorporate Pascal. They also perform simple calculations of density, buoyancy, and fluid pressure. Finally, 8th graders describe fluid pressure in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Condiment Diver: The World's Simplest Cartesian Diver

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explain what density is in their own words. In this physics lesson, students perform the condiment experiment and explain why some float and some sink. They share their findings in class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Can You Make A Penny Float?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the concept of density by trying to make a penny and other materials float.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Saltwater Science

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students conduct an experiment that shows them how salt water allows things to float. In this salt water lesson plan, students mix ingredients together to create salt water and observe how it makes the oceans dense. They then interpret...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Get to know H2O!

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students investigate scientific concepts and inquire about physical states of matter. The transition of water is considered and is easy to facilitate because of its abundance and often observed physical changes.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Laboratory - Density of a Material

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers conduct a lab (with water, guar gum and sodium borate) and carefully record physical and chemical properties and changes throughout the session, and experiment with weighing by difference.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Float Your Boat

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students design an experiment to find density using Archimedes' Principle. In this physics lesson, students calculate density using mass and volume. They share their findings in class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Matter: Solids Liquids and Gases

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students participate in a science experiment to understand that matter takes up space.  In this matter lesson, students experiment with solids, liquids and gases to recognize that matter is everywhere. Students make observations and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Force and Motion

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Young scholars experiment with force and motion. In this force and motion lesson, students test gravity using a variety of objects. Young scholars rotate through a series of stations which use force, motion, friction, and inclines....