American Chemical Society
Condensation
It's time to break the ice! If you are doing all of the lessons in the unit, children have already seen that increasing heat increases the rate of evaporation, but is the opposite true? Does decreasing temperature cause more condensation...
Smarter Balanced
Effects of Water
To prepare for a performance task assessment, class members review the stages of the water cycle and then individuals assume the roles of drops of water for a Reader's Theater exercise. The script, a graphic depicting the water cycle,...
Curated OER
"Lettuce" Learn About the Water Cycle
Young scientists investigate the water cycle through a lettuce seed experiment. For this experiment, learners plant lettuce seeds inside of a ziplock bag in order to create a small greenhouse. They observe condensation and precipitation,...
Teach Engineering
Exploring the Lotus Effect
The Lotus Effect ... is it not some kind of yoga pose. In the last installment of a nine-part series, young scientists observe the Lotus Effect on lotus leaves and water-repellent cloths. They observe how motion and damage affect the...
Curated OER
Exploring the Water Cycle
The water cycle is one of earth's most easily observable processes, but demonstrating each step within classroom walls can be a challenge. Through a series of videos and quick demonstrations, cover each aspect of the hydrologic cycle in...
Teach Engineering
Superhydrophobicity – The Lotus Effect
Discover and demonstrate the Lotus Effect and superhydrophobic surfaces with the eighth installment of a nine-part series that teaches scholars about surfaces that exhibit superhydrophobicity. The lesson continues also describes...
It's About Time
The Water Cycle
Explore the water cycle with a hands-on earth science activity that prompts pupils to measure the amount of water normally transpired by plants. After they describe the flow of the water cycle and provide examples of how human activities...
Curated OER
Water Cycle
Third graders define and discuss evaporation, precipitation, condensation, and collection, color web pages to illustrate Water Cycle book, listen to stories about Water Cycle, play trivia game to demonstrate knowledge of what they...
Curated OER
Greenhouse in a Bottle
Students create models of the greenhouse effect using recycled 2-liter bottles. They discuss how their models compares to the real greenhouse effect the earth experiences.
Curated OER
Why Does a Puddle Shrink?
Fourth graders describe the relationship between heat energy, evaporation and condensation of water on Earth. They compare evaporation rates when the back of the hand and an equal area of a paper towel are moistened with the wet swab.
Curated OER
States of Water
Students investigate the 3 states of matter. In this physical science "matter" instructional activity, students observe and participate in a number of demonstrations involving melting and freezing water. Students observe the effect heat...
Curated OER
The Wonderful world of Water
First graders examine the water cycle through readings and experiments. In groups, they conduct interviews with others and use the information to create a chart displaying the various uses of water. After brainstorming lists of ways to...
Discovery Education
Smoke on the Water
How do clouds form? Learners demonstrate the formation of clouds and the water cycle by testing four different setups in a plastic bottle. They identify the key components of a cloud to help them understand the process of cloud...
Colorado State University
Do Cities Affect the Weather? (Making a Cloud in a Bottle)
The dynamics of a city can have a drastic effect on the weather. A hands-on lesson asks learners to build a model to illustrate how city pollution provides a nucleus for condensation. The greater the pollution, the greater chance for...
Curated OER
Cloud in a Jug Worksheet
In this pressure worksheet, students create an environment in a bottle to produce a cloud using a lit match and water. They study the effects of changing the pressure inside the bottle on the environment within the jug.
Curated OER
Weather or Not (Cloud Formation/Condensation)
Students investigate the formation of clouds and rain in this experiment. They decide how dust in the air helps to make clouds form and how dust helps meteorologists make forecasts.
Curated OER
Evaporation and Condensation
Students explore how temperature effects the processes of evaporation and condensation and how the air may be polluted by the evaporation of certain compounds. In this temperature lesson students complete a lab and a worksheet.
Curated OER
Here it Comes Again
Second graders work in small groups with on cup each of warm and ice water. They observe the outsides of the cups. They exhale onto a small piece of mylar or mirrors and discuss the change in appearance. Students discuss where the foggy...
Curated OER
Acid Rain
Simulated acid rain, a dilute sulfuric acid solution, needs to be prepared for this demonstration. After a condensed lecture on acid rain, you will apply the solution to a sample of granite and a sample of limestone. Your young...
Curated OER
ChalkBoard Challenge
This is a nicely designed jeopardy game with the categories animals, space, rocks, simple machines, and weather available for 5 values. There are some non-essential sound effects included. The links work and you can return to the main...
Science Geek
Phase Changes
Examine the energy transfer of phase changes through diagrams. The second slide show in a series of seven presents the information related to energy and phase changes. It includes the effect of pressure on phase changes.
Cornell University
The Science of Snowflakes
Who can grow the best crystals? Challenge class members to develop strategies for enhancing growth in the crystals. Through a lab investigation, learners study the properties of crystals and test the effectiveness of different growth...
Curated OER
Stronger Hurricanes
Students explore hurricanes, the factors that contribute to them, and the role warmer sea surface temperatures may have on them. They perform experiments to observe energy transfer. Students explore the possible causes and effects of...
Curated OER
The Effects of Temperature on Solids
Learners explore the effects that extreme temperatures have on the material properties of solids. They investigate the properties of a material whose state depends on extreme temperatures and witness how it interacts with room...