Curated OER
What is the Best Insulator: Air, Styrofoam, Foil, or Cotton?
Students investigate the properties of insulators by attempting to keep a cup of water from freezing, and once it is frozen, to keep it from melting. They conduct the experiment, record and analyze the results, and answer discussion...
Curated OER
Wind Energy
Students explore wind energy by making a pinwheel to model a wind turbine. They experiment with their turbine by placing it in different locations for optimal energy.
Curated OER
Solid Waste Takes Over
Learners explore solid waste and its effects on the environment. They explain some of the major problems caused by waste disposal and the use of landfills. They suggest ways to reduce the amount of solid waste going into a landfill.
Curated OER
Is That Natural?
Students examine how they use and waste natural resources. They participate in a class discussion about natural resources, in small groups complete a worksheet identifying ways students misuse natural resources, and create an...
Curated OER
Stop Heat from Escaping
Students explore the uses of insulation and describe how insulation helps to conserve energy. They work in groups and use plastic, wool, paper and aluminum to experiment with the heat-retaining properties of various materials.
Curated OER
Environment: Wild Wind Direction
Students examine the different types of wind patterns. Using common materials, they construct weather vanes to measure and record wind direction over a two-week period. After analyzing the data, they draw conclusions about the...
Curated OER
Let the Sun Shine!
Learners investigate how the sun can be used for energy. They read a handout, discuss the pros and cons of passive solar building design, develop flashcard questions, and identify jobs that can be helped by solar energy.
Curated OER
Riding the Radio Waves
Students examine the basic concepts of radio waves and magnetic fields. They study how the AM radios are built and demonstrate the concepts of amplitude and frequency.
Curated OER
Spin Me a Story
Students examine the motif of spinning and weaving in myths and folktales. They read various myths, complete a WebQuest, develop a mind map of story elements, and write an original "spider" story.
Curated OER
What Is Energy? Short Demos
Young scholars engage in three short, hands-on, in-class demos which expand students' understand of energy. First, using peanuts and heat, young scholars see how the human body burns food to make energy. Then, they create paper snake...
Curated OER
DC Metrology
In this physics worksheet, learners complete 11 short answer questions related to general metrology. They define basic metrological terms.
Curated OER
Peak, Average, and RMS Measurements
In this voltage worksheet, students answer ten questions about RMS amplitude, DC power sources, AC alternators and the measurements used for voltage in power lines.
Curated OER
Electromagnetic Pick-up
Students investigate electromagnetic energy. In this magnetism instructional activity, students will create an electromagnet and test changes with increased energy. They will compete by building the strongest electromagnet.
Curated OER
Automobile Vocabulary
In this interactive vocabulary worksheet, students answer 10 multiple choice questions based on their knowledge of car parts and their definitions.
Curated OER
Steamship Portland: Where's the Energy?
Young scholars examine how steamships operate. They describe the necessary energy conversions. They construct a model paddlewheel ship. They use rubber bands as examples of potential and kinetic energy as they unwind and set the models...
Curated OER
Invention: Computer Technology
Middle schoolers comprehend that inventions can change the way we live. They comprehend that many inventions start out with design flaws and are refined later by subsequent inventors and designers. Students are explained that the...
Curated OER
Batteries
In this battery learning exercise, students answer 14 questions about primary cell batteries, secondary cell batteries, and how batteries are charged. They calculate the rates of discharge for given batteries.
Curated OER
Series and Parallel AC circuits
In this AC circuits worksheet, students answer 75 questions about series and parallel circuits including building and analyzing their own circuit mathematically, interpreting schematics of AC circuits and finding total impedance of...
Curated OER
Passive Integrator and Differentiator Circuits
In this circuits worksheet, students answer 25 questions about passive integrator circuits and passive differentiator circuits given schematics showing voltage. Students use calculus to solve the problems.
Curated OER
Advanced Electromagnetism and Electromagnetic Induction
For this electromagnetism and electromagnetic induction worksheet, students answer 11 questions using calculus to determine things such as magnetic flux and wave output.
Curated OER
A Day In My Life
Students brainstorm how they can conserve energy in their daily lives. For this energy lesson plan, students discuss how they use energy and ways to conserve it.
Curated OER
Waste Aggregates and Material Properties
Young scholars define specific waste materials that could be used as aggregate in concrete. In this aggregate and waste lesson plan, students brainstorm on how to incorporate waste in construction and define different aggregate materials.
Curated OER
Alternative Power Project
Tenth graders identify existing forms of energy and create possible solutions to resource limitations.
Curated OER
Blackout!
Students read news reports and first-person accounts of a blackout in a large city and keep weblogs or journals. They take on different roles of people who live in the city or commute there to work and then use their journal accounts to...