Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Learners identify that most of mountain ranges found on all major land masses and in the oceans are external reflections of tectonic movements within the earth. They identify that earthquakes and related phenomena are caused by the...
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Magnets
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...
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Simple Machines In Complex Machines
Pupils brainstorm the concept of a machine. They make lists of the characteristics that all machines share. The teacher uses questioning in order to get students to think more deeply about the subject. They create a lab to demonstrate...
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School House Rock! Science Rock
Students use common household and classroom objects to generate static electricity and study its effects. They discuss the video Science Rock CD called Electricity, Electricity. The video explains many things about electricity.
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To See or Not to See: The Colors of Light
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.
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Snow Day
Eighth graders work in small groups to design and build a snow remover while looking at a snow design brief. They combine 2 or more simple machines to form a compound machine following the design brief in order to meet the required...
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How Do The Colors of Light Mix?
Students investigate the mixing of light. They form a hypotheses to reason why color changes occur and they write conclusions and ask new questions arising from the investigation. Students identify the primary and complementary colors of...
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Reflections
Students are given materials with various textures and light sources to investigate specular reflection, diffuse, reflection, angle of incidence, and angle of reflection. Students draw and label an everyday scenario showing specular and...
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Games with a Large Parachute
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.
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Parachutes
Students control the parachutes using arm movements. They follow directions while participating in games. Students explore the effects of wind on several objects. They study the effects of shape, size and weight on a parachute.
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The Egg "Airbag" Lab
Students use what they know about momentum and impulse to construct an effective "air bag" to protect an egg dropped from the top of the football stadium or other tall structure. They complete a final written report of their findings.
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Phases of Matter
Students are introduced to the basic states of matter: solids, liquids and gases. Through experimentation, students determine that liquids and solids have definite volume, that gases do not have definite volume, and that solids have a...
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Friction In Our Lives
Fourth graders explore friction. They examine the effects of friction in the movement of objects. Students discover how friction helps and hinders us in our daily lives. They answer questions and participate in activities to demonstrate...
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Vectors
High schoolers listen to a lecture and complete a number of problems as they go. There are a variety of examples given and they are guided through the problem solving steps for each of the real-world scenarios regarding the purpose of...
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Exploring Ecosystems
Students examine the relationships between plants, animals, and the environment in ecosystems. They sort animal cards, collect natural materials from the schoolyard, and record an ecosystem web in the form of a poster.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Energy and Work Amusement Park Style
Students distinguish between kinetic and potential energy. They recognize that energy can change from one form to other forms. They identify and describe several forms of energy.
Curated OER
Friction Flyers
Young scholars explore the principles of magnetism and friction. They complete an interactive puzzle on the Gizmos and Gadgets computer software, construct a vehicle, build and modify ramps and vehicles to produce various outcomes, and...
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Leaving on A Jet Plane
Students create an airplane by listening to directions. They also to measure the pieces for the airplane and compare and contrast their test flights.
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Electricity and Magnets
Fifth graders find examples of magnets in or around their homes and make a list. They discover that some motors use magnets and make a simple motor using magnets, a battery and copper wire. They add to their magnet list.
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Rising Water!
Students observe water change from a liquid to a gas state when heated and then return to its liquid stage when cooled. They learn that gas molecules move faster than liquid molecules. They discover physical properties that describe how...
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Farming in the 1930's
Students research and conduct experiments with several types of simple machines. They examine levers, pulleys, inclined planes, wheels, axles, wedges and screws and then consider the physics behind "Green Eggs and Ham".
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Virus and Bacteriophage
Students examine the differences between a virus and a bacteriophage. They explore various websites, identify the parts of a virus and a bacteriophage, and construct a model of a virus or bacteriophage.
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Let's Take a Rock Apart!
Students examine a crushed rock and sort the minerals they find in that rock by color and other properties.
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Truss Strength
Students are introduced to the design of Old Faithful Lodge at Yellowstone Park including its use of trusses. They work in groups and use straws and modeling clay to design and test a variety of building supports.