Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Heat it Up!
This demonstration of solar ponds can be used in an earth, environmental, or physical science setting. Lab groups set up a solar pond and model how it is able, due to a salt concentration gradient, to maintain heat for future use.
Beyond Benign
Mole of Rice Activity
Learning about the mole using rice is pretty nice! Help your chemistry scholars visualize the concept of a mole of substance with an easy-to-perform lab. Partnered pupils find the mass of a single grain of rice and relate this...
Curated OER
The Earth's Energy Budget
Students study the Earth's energy budget. In this investigative lesson students observe a lab that shows all aspects of heat transfer and light processes.
Curated OER
Periodic Properties Lab
Students investigate the periodic properties of elements in the periodic table. In this periodic properties lesson plan, students experiment with elements from the Alkaline Earth Metals, the Halogens, the Transition Metals, and for extra...
Curated OER
Learning from Light: The Big Bang
High schoolers explore what astronomers are able to examine our galaxy and universe by examining light. They explore in this sub-unit the formation of the universe, commonly called "The Big Bang," and it follows studying from the Light:...
Curated OER
Rock Identification Lab
Eighth graders compare and contrast the three different types of rock. In this earth science instructional activity, 8th graders classify rock samples according to their correct rock type. They design their own data collection table.
Curated OER
Mineral Lab
Eighth graders examine the physical properties of different minerals. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders explain the uses of minerals in their daily lives. They complete the mineral identification table during the lesson.
Curated OER
Investigating the Climate System - Clouds
Here is a fabulous lesson plan on the Earth's radiant energy system. This amazing, 31-page document is chock-full of great activities, worksheets, lab sheets, quizzes, rubrics, and assessments. Learners model and explain cloud formation,...
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Adaptation of Species (Birds and Butterflies)
A video about the impact of climate change on butterfly populations and a PowerPoint about butterfly and bird adaptations warm science learners up for the activity to follow. Using a variety of tools that reprsent unique styles of bird...
Curated OER
Igneous Rocks
High schoolers focus on a study of igneous rocks. They see how igneous rocks are formed, and how to distinguish them from other types of rocks. A crystal-growing activity is present, and learners create drawings that show where each...
Curated OER
The Reasons for the Seasons
Young scientists use a globe and a light to simulate the rotation of the earth and sun to show the seasons. Additionally, they simulate direct sunlight and indirect sunlight showing intensity of the sun, and answer questions based...
California Academy of Science
Global Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
Ice is nice, and its condition on the planet has a significant effect. Junior geoscientists experiment with ice melting in both water and on land to discover how each affect the rising sea level. This detailed lesson plan outline even...
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Conservation: Water
Here is a fantastic experiment-based instructional activity on water conservation, waste, and filtration. The lesson plan is well-developed and provides background information, discussion leads, and six scripted lab activities anyone can...
Space Awareness
Oceans as a Heat Reservoir
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide and 80 percent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scholars learn how and why the oceans store heat more effectively than land and how they help mitigate global warming. Pupils...
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.
National Institute of Open Schooling
Air Pollution
Seventy percent of the air pollution in China is due to car exhaust. Under the umbrella of environmental chemistry, learners extensively explore air pollution. From the makeup of our atmosphere to sources of major air pollutants, classes...
Concord Consortium
Polar and Non-Polar Interface
Why is there so much frozen water at Earth's poles? Because water is a polar molecule! Young scientists observe polar molecules moving in a mixture of oil and water. They see the changes in potential energy in the hydrophilic and...
Concord Consortium
Sunlight, Infrared, CO2, and the Ground
How bright are your classes? An interactive lesson has scholars explore how light interacts with carbon dioxide in the air and the surface of the earth. They watch a temperature scale as light interacts with the environment.
Curated OER
On the Rise . . . Sea Level and Global Warming
Ninth graders conduct an experiment to determine how melting sea ice affect sea level. For this earth science lesson, 9th graders explain the environmental consequences of rising sea level. They relate this lesson to global warming.
Curated OER
Volcanoes
Students explore the formation of volcanoes. In this earth science lesson, students build their own volcanoes in the lab using different materials. They identify the different types of volcanoes.
Curated OER
Meteors
Students identify the different types of meteorite using an interactive website. In this earth science lesson plan, students simulate how meteors crash on a surface. They relate meteor size to crater size.
Curated OER
Using Newsprint as a UV Detector
Students investigate the effects of UV radiation. In this earth science lesson, students explain how the time of day relate to UV abundance on Earth. They determine if weather affects the amount of UV that Earth receives.
Curated OER
Mining and Land Reclamation - A Classroom Simulation
Students simulate mining mineral resources using cookies. In this earth science lesson, students analyze the cost and profits in mining. They write a lab report about the activity.
Curated OER
Solar System Lab
In this solar system worksheet, 8th graders make a scale model of the solar system, answer 5 questions and write a conclusion.