Students analyze the energy consumption of a household to see the amount of carbon dioxide they add to the atmosphere each year.  For this energy consumption lesson students calculate carbon emissions and discuss sources of carbon...

Students demonstrate how the color of materials on Earth affect the amount of solar energy that is absorbed.  In this solar energy lesson students complete a lab to explore how the color of materials on the Earth's surface impacts...

Ninth graders complete a unit of lessons on ecosystems, organism interactions, and energy flow. They create a key for known species of fish, diagram the movement of energy through an ecosystem, and create and present food chains and food...

Learners work in small groups to create a poster illustrating the flow of energy through a typical ecosystem, then present their posters to the class.

First graders discuss work, force, and energy. They study how work is done. Students discuss various types of work that are done. They act out how work is done. Student draw pictures of types of work they have done.

Learners studykinetic energy, friction, drag and acceleration by relating it to the Winter Olympics.  In this physical properties lesson plan students create tracks and determine how the course conditions affect bobsled, luge...

Young scholars design and build a model solar energy home. In this technology lesson, students test the efficiency of their model houses by measuring temperature at regular intervals. They analyze data and share results with the class.

Students work in teams to create electrical resistance when studying heat and thermal energy.

Students role several balls of different weights down a ramp and into a paper cup and record how far each ball made the paper cup move. They then answer questions that help them analyze their results and reinforce the idea that energy...

Ninth graders experiment with bouncing balls to investigate the elasticity coefficient of different sizes and types of balls. In this superball physics lesson, 9th graders bounce various types of balls from differing heights. They...

Pupils observe the affects of a substance's composition and structure have on its solubility.  In this cellulose activity students compare the amount of energy required to dissolve mono-saccharides with that required to dissolve...

Students examine energy use and the different construction materials used in their home.  In this sustainable choices lesson students study different materials and what a sound environmental choice would be. 

Students examine the electromagnetic spectrum and demonstrate the elements within.  In this investigative lesson students complete a demonstration and calculate the energy of a photon. 

Middle schoolers explore how the angle of sunlight affects the Earth's temperature and seasons and then apply this understanding to their local situation.

Students 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...

Students discover electrical resistance and how it is directly related to thermal energy through a hands-on activity. Working in groups, they wrap a wire around a thermometer and the positive and negative poles of a D cell battery and...

Students make bread and understand that bread gives us energy. In this bread lesson plan, students read the story A Trip to the Market, and learn about the importance of bread. Then they make the bread!

Students identify different types of nutritional relationships in a coral reef system and trace the energy flow.  In this marine biology instructional activity students create a simulation of acidification of the coral reef. 

Students will build a solar panel. In this physics lesson plan, students will begin with a lecture on energy and proceed into research for their solar panel. The solar panels will be field tested and problems and solutions will be shared...

Fourth graders define the differences between static and current electricity by participating in an investigation.  In this energy lesson, 4th graders utilize electrical supplies to demonstrate the differences between static and...

Students identify how waves transfer energy without transferring matter. They contrast transverse and compressional waves and relate wave speed, wavelength, amplitude and frequency. Lesson includes PowerPoint presentation.

Students explore the concept of mass balance, flow rates, and equilibrium using a simple water bucket model. For this JAVA based online interactive modeling activity, they vary flow rate into the bucket, initial water level in the...

In this periods, groups, valence electrons and masses instructional activity, students are given information about all these components of the periodic table. Students identify 4 elements in specific periods and groups, they find the...

The fifth lesson plan of seven in the series outlines an in-depth analysis of the periodic table. After direct instruction, pupils take turns practicing in the group before beginning independent study. The assessments...