Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sound Waves

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore sound. In this "sound" science lesson, students define sound and explain how sound travels. Students experiment with paper cups and string to conclude how sound travels. Students research a chosen aspect of sound with a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Characteristics of Energy

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders view a video and create a KWL to identify energy sources. For this energy sources lesson, 4th graders explore the meaning of energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, thermal energy, radiant energy, and electrical energy....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Egg Walk Challenge

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students design plastic shoes to walk on eggs without breaking them. In this pressure lesson, students consider all the factors needed to design shoes to walk on eggs without breaking them. Students calculate the PSI pressure, the force...
Lesson Plan
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Galileo: His Times & Beliefs

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study Galileo and his scientific discoveries. They complete a series of experiments/model constructions, using 17th century equipment and procedures, to "recreate," demonstrate and explore the various discoveries of Galileo.
Lesson Plan
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Proportionality: Modeling the Future

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore and examine how patterns, measurement, ratios and proportions are utilized in the research development and production of airplanes. They meet a pilot from the Federal Aviation Association who describes the growth of air...
Lesson Plan
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Principles of Flight: Gyrocopter and the Scientific Method

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the concept of the scientific method. In this investigative lesson, students investigate which direction the blades will spin on a gyrocopter. Student will practice using the scientific method to complete the investigation.
Lesson Plan
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Sports Science

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore athletes and how they perform. In this physics lesson, students investigate how physics is involved in sports. Students go online to interactive sites that explain physics and biomechanics. Students also research...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Phenomenon of Sound: Waves

For Teachers K - 5th
Students explore sound waves. In this sound waves lesson, students brainstorm different sounds and how sounds move or travel. Students then create a KWL chart and work through six different lab activities to examine how sound waves...
Lesson Plan
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Applied Science - Technology (2A) Post Lab

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore simple machines. In this technology lesson, 2nd graders look at pulleys and gears and what the uses are for each. They complete a worksheet comparing the two. 
Lesson Plan
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Magnets

For Teachers K - 8th
Students explore how the earth is a magnet and that magnets have two "poles".  In this magnetic instructional activity students complete an activity by designing their own compass. 
Lesson Plan
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Weather, Climate and Atmospheric Process

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students explore Earth science by completing a could identification activity. In this weather lesson, students discuss the different forms of measurement for the weather of Earth. Students discuss global warming and examine a list of...
Lesson Plan
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Building And Launching a Model Rocket

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students are introduced to the basic parts of rockets and the physical forces at work in the flight of rockets. They build and launch a model rocket and discuss the challenges of launching a real rocket.
Lesson Plan
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Newton II; Slow Down

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students, in hands-on activities, explore how a dump truck might be made to negatively accelerate or slow down. They participate in activities using friction force to modify the truck-and-ramp system. Student groups test ideas for...
Lesson Plan
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Space Ship Pilot

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars visualize the relation between acceleration and velocity in 2 dimensions. They are introduced to Newton's first law,and Newton's second law. Students work on an exploration activity where they condsider an example of a...
Lesson Plan
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Trebuchet Toss

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Young engineers work in teams to design and build their own trebuchets according to certain criteria; they must be able to launch a mini marshmallow accurately into a pie tin. Background reading material, a planning sheet for trebuchet...
Lesson Plan
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Tracking Hurricanes

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore how technology and science are used to identify, measure, and track powerful tropical storms to better warn and secure people from their impact. They research hurricanes online by tracking the storms on a hurricane website.
Lesson Plan
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Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore the physical properties of water.  In this water instructional activity, students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state. There are 2 extensions for this instructional activity that one can access...
Lesson Plan
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Newton's Third Law

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students describe an everyday situation which demonstrates Newton's Third Law. They state Newton's Third Law;"Every action has an equal and opposite re-action, or every force has an equal and opposite force" in their own words. ...
Lesson Plan
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The Law of Inertia

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars practice the 4 question strategy to form more questions and develop further experiments. The four questions are engage, explore, explain, and elaborate. They use the 4 question strategy on an investigation involving the...
Lesson Plan
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Wind Power for Educators

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students explore wind power as a renewable resource.  In this wind power instructional activity students build models of wind turbines and experiment with different changes to see if it increases efficiency. 
Lesson Plan
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Balloons

For Teachers K - 12th
Students explore the different types of balloons.  In this materials lesson students can complete several experiments including building their own hot air balloons, making balloon animals and experimenting with static...
Lesson Plan
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Magnets

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students investigate the magnetic attraction of different materials by observing a demonstration, and review the words "attraction" and "materials." Next they conduct exploration of a number of materials which have different properties...
Lesson Plan
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To See or Not to See: The Colors of Light

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders describe and conduct an experiment that identifies the physical properties of light. They explore sources of visible light and an electromagnetic spectrum. Students explain the conversion of one form of energy to another.
Lesson Plan
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Games with a Large Parachute

For Teachers K - 8th
Students control the parachutes using arm movements. They follow directions while participating in games. They explore the effects of wind on several objects and study the effects of shape, size and weight on a parachute.