Curated OER
Liquid Rainbow
Students develop their own techniques for drawing a small sample of solutions into a straw. They hypothesize ways to increase the density of water, and discuss how salt-free rainwater tends to float on top of salty seawater.
G. Turrell
Science Activity 2: Light & Sound
Little learners experiment with sunlight and map out how light travels. Using a mirror and slotted card, they find out about items that can reflect or absorb the light. They experiment with a variety of materials to find out how light...
Contemporary Arts Center
Sultan and Donovan Printmaking: The Collargraph
As part of a study of printmaking, class members study the works of Tara Donovan and Donald Sulta. They go on to build a printing plate using glue, textured paper, and found objects.
NASA
Revising an Investigation
Write, edit, and then revise! The fourth lesson in a five-part series asks peers to provide feedback on research. Individuals then use the research to edit and revise conclusions and develop their presentations.
Teach Engineering
Maximum Mentos Fountain
A messy fountain is potentially an energy experiment in disguise. Groups investigate the variables in creating a fountain from soda and Mentos. The last activity in a six-part series on energy has the class observe the fountain in terms...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Human Impacts on Biodiversity
Have you always wanted to take your science class on an amazing field trip they will never forget? Now you can! Observe the wildlife in an African savanna through trail cameras with a five-part data analysis activity. Learners analyze...
Shodor Education Foundation
Playing with Probability
Review basic probability concepts with your class using different-colored marbles in a bag. Then pair up learners and have them play a cool online interactive game in which they race miniature cars using the roll of a die or...
Curated OER
Profitable Soda Stand
Am I making any money? Help learners determine if their fictitious soda stand is turning a profit. They graph linear equations using the slope and y-intercept and identify the best price to use to sell soda. They identify the domain and...
Teach Engineering
Exploring Acceleration with an Android
Small groups use rubber bands to accelerate an Android device along a track of books. They collect the acceleration data and analyze it in order to determine the device's velocity.
Cornell University
Catapults
Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome.
Curated OER
Melted Paintings
Another in the amazing series of lesson plans which use unique mediums! Students execute artwork on a non-traditional painting surface. They theorize what happen to their artwork if it is exposed to heat, then see what happens when they...
Curated OER
Magnet Circus
Students explore the properties of magnets by designing a device that can move as far as possible using only magnets to move it, and design a machine that will stay in motion for the greatest period of time.
Curated OER
Two Rivers Ran Through It
Sixth graders discover the problems that early Mesototamian farmers faced while developing agriculture in the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. They design a working model that solves those unique challenges.
Curated OER
Free Up the Ketchup!
Students, in teams, use given materials and their knowledge of Newton's First Law to create a device that will remove a sticky ping pong ball from a 16-oz. cup (which represents ketchup stuck in a bottle.)
Curated OER
Freestanding Structures: A Tech Museum Floor Activity
Students attempt to design the tallest structure that they can with the given materials which are wooden dowels and rubber bands. They discuss the physics of their structure and how they would improve it the next time they built a...
Curated OER
Oil Spills: The Scientific Method in Action
Learners write a clear and detailed procedure and explore the complications in trying to clean the environment. They develop various ways to solve a complex problem. Students are cognizant of the effects of pollution on the environment....
Curated OER
The Parachute
Students discuss parachutes and write a procedure to determine the effect of different size parachutes and different masses on the time it takes the masses to fall. They record all their data from their experiment then write three...
Curated OER
Placing Artificial Domiciles to Attract Bumble Bees
Students investigate how to entice bumble bees to accept artificial domiciles. They conduct research about bee biology and nest architecture, plan and construct an artificial domicile to attract bumble bee queens, and monitor and record...
Curated OER
Where Do Plants Get Their Food?
Plants need food to survive, just like any other living organism. Young biologists analyze an experiment performed in 1610 by Jan van Helmont to determine if plant nutrition is obtained through the soil. First, lab groups work together...
Curated OER
Regulation of Cell Division
Cell division and all the biological aspects of activation and chemical signals are detailed here. Cyclin, G phases, cell growth, and cancer checkpoint control systems are explained and the triggers listed. The slides are very clear and...
Curated OER
Regulation of Cell Division
Supplementing the review of mitosis and meiosis, the detailed slides give information about growth factors, cell communication, and regulator genes. A fascinating topic, your class will be inspired by the applications and developments of...
Google
The Law of Large Numbers and Probability
Learners investigate why theoretical probability doesn't always match reality. The activity involves using Python 2.7 (or Sage) to set up a Bernoulli Trial. It also involves setting up a spreadsheet to simulate the Birthday Paradox....
Brookly Museum
Andy Warhol: The Last Decade
Discuss pop-art, Andy Warhol, and the concept of collaborative painting with your class. Learners won't be analyzing Warhol's work, but they will be engaging in group activities to understand the collaboration in art. They'll make a...
Illustrative Mathematics
Accuracy of Carbon 14 Dating II
The scientific issue of carbon-14 dating and exponential decay gets a statistics-based treatment in this problem. The class starts with a basic investigation of carbon content, but then branches out to questions of accuracy and...