Curated OER
Scientific Method Experiment: Factors Affecting How Ice Melts
Students demonstrate the scientific method by conducting an ice cube melting experiment. They make predictions and observations, and conclude what factors make ice melt more slowly or quickly than normal.
Illinois Valley Community College
STEM Activities for Middle School Students
Use STEM activities within the class to provide connections to concepts. The resource includes activities that range from working with buoyancy to building rockets and launching them. Other activities involve the engineering design...
Curated OER
The Scientific Method Using Mystery Powders
Students use the scientific method to determine physical and chemical properties of unknown substances. In this scientific method lesson plan, students discuss chemical and physical properties of substances as a class after a...
Curated OER
Solar Cooker Challenge
Students use the scientific method to design a slow cooker. In this experimental method lesson students measure temperatures and conversions of the solar cooker that they create.
Curated OER
A Weighty Issue
Want to get your students motivated in science class? Given only a piece of aluminum foil, assign groups the task of designing a "barge" that will support the weight of a bunch of pennies. The group who is able to put the most...
Curated OER
Adhesives: Measuring Stickiness
Learners test the stickiness of natural substances. For this adhesion as a property of matter lesson, students build a tool to test the adhesion of natural "glues" such as honey, peanut butter, flour and water paste, and jelly. ...
Curated OER
Recycling!
Learners explore environmental awareness by participating in a recycling activity. In this sustainability lesson, students identify methods in which things can be reused, such as paper. Learners utilize aluminum foil, a bowl, water,...
Curated OER
WHY WE AREN'T FILTER FEEDERS
Students describe three methods of obtaining food: scavenging, filter feeding, and hunting. They describe three methods of obtaining food: scavenging, filter feeding, hunting, and list at least two reasons why humans are not considered...
Curated OER
Calorie Connection
Students calculate the calories in a Brazil nut and the calories needed for daily intake. In this calories lesson plan, students use calorimetry to measure the change in water temperature heated by the burning of a Brazil nut. They also...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle and Sources of Pollution
Students make an island that has a construction site on it. They spill siulated pollution and trash on top of the island and then water it to simulate rain. They will observe how the rain washes dirt, sand, and pollution off the island...
Virginia Department of Education
Historical Models of Atoms
What does the past have to do with today? Young scientists find that answer as they learn more about past chemists and their significant contributions to the field. Pupils use the Internet to research historical figures...
It's About Time
Properties of Matter
Never trust an atom; they make up everything! Young chemists make modeling dough and add another ingredient to change the properties. Scholars then compare the properties of emulsion to composite materials. A reading passage and analysis...
Curated OER
Water and the Water Cycle
Young scholars explore the water cycle. In this water lesson, students apply the scientific method in activities that enable them to take note of the properties of water. Young scholars record how water acts on different surfaces and...
Curated OER
An Awareness of Light Made Simply Fun
Learners with sensory perception issues discover the properties of light through a series of excellent hands on activities. They look at beams of lights in a darkened room; use a kaleidoscope and optical illusions as they experience the...
Curated OER
Making a Fossilized Egg
Students explore fossils by participating in an in class experiment. In this archaeology lesson, students utilize dough and classroom objects to create fossil imprints after hiding the toy/fossil in the dough egg. Students categorize the...
American Chemical Society
A Catalyst and the Rate of Reaction
More than 90 percent of chemical products are made using a catalyst. Lesson demonstrates the way a catalyst changes the rate of reaction without altering the chemical reaction. A catalyst doesn't appear as a reactant or a product, yet it...
Curated OER
Oil Well That Ends Well
Focusing on the effect of oil spills on the environment, learners conduct experiments to explore this issue. First, they create an ocean environment using materials provided. Then, they make a simulated crude oil substance from vegetable...
Curated OER
Understanding Waves
Students examine the physical properties of waves to explore the word crest and trough. They use toys to study waves in air, water and light.
Curated OER
How is heat transferred through conduction?
Fifth graders observe different types of conductors. They answer orally about the conduction of heat energy with 100% accuracy. Students investigate some materials that conduct heat much better than others, and poor conductors can...
Curated OER
Which Way to Grow?
Students diagram and discuss the effect of gravity on the growth of plant roots. Designed to demonstrate the role that the growth hormone auxin plays in the direction of root growth. They set up the experiment to test their hypothesis...
Curated OER
Density in Relation to Float and Sink
Students explore the concept of density. In this density lesson, students determine the density of various objects. Students use the density of the various objects to predict the density of various unknown solutions.
Curated OER
Focus on Friction
The students learn about friction and forces through direct instruction and an investigation. They use measurement skills, observation skills, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on data collected during the investigation. Students...
Curated OER
Soil Comparison and Analysis
High schoolers perform tests on different soil samples. In this earth science activity, students classify the soil into groups according to test results. They write a lab report following a certain criteria.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Boats Afloat Experiment
Estimate how many pennies a flatboat made of aluminum foil will hold, then test your hypothesis.