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.
Cornell University
Bridge Building
Bridge the gaps in your knowledge of bridges. Individuals learn about bridge types by building models. The activity introduces beam bridges, arch bridges, truss bridges, and suspension bridges.
Curated OER
Force Counterforce
Middle schoolers hypothesize what forces affect the motion of a falling body. In this physical science lesson, students create diagrams and illustrations to support their hypothesis. They perform the experiment and record observations.
Education Outside
Life Cycle of a Sunflower
From a tiny seed needing water and warmth to the bud that will blossom into a flower, elementary pupils illustrate the stages of the sunflower life cycle through dance and drawing.
National Park Service
Who Grows There?
More than 127 non-native species live in Glacier National Park in Montana and their infestations are growing! Pupils read about and gather samples of exotic plants. Participants create a master book of pressed plants and complete a...
Chymist
Pressure-Volume Relationships: Experiments with 140-mL Syringe
Learners examine Boyle's Law by analyzing experimental results with a hands-on lesson that provides a set of four experiments that illustrate the relationship between pressure and volume of gases. Groups analyze results using...
Curated OER
Taking Care of Me
Students brainstorm on the effects of stress on the body. In this health science lesson, students write journals three times a week about how they feel. They determine strategies to cope with stress.
Curated OER
A Metric World
Students convert English to metric units. In this math lesson, students give examples of measurements they encounter in their daily lives. The share their answers in class.
Curated OER
Lion Quiz
In this lions quiz activity, students answer a set of 12 questions about size, lifestyle, diet and characteristics of lions. An answer key is included on page 2.
Curated OER
Stream Quality Assessment
Students investigate many of the factors that affect water quality. They take measurements and water samples at a local stream and evaluate the health of their community's watershed. They write a report detailing their findings.
Curated OER
Should Soil Be Sterile?
Students determine if the sterilization of topsoil is beneficial to seed germination and plant growth. They grow plants alongside control groups, make and record observations of plant growth and measure plant biomass.
Curated OER
Sports Helmets and Impact Testing of Polymers
Students examine the importance of good quality safety gear. In this investigative instructional activity, students will tests various polymers, collect data, and analyze the data to determine which polymer is best for safety helmets....
Curated OER
Truss Strength
Learners 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.
Curated OER
Universal Gravitation Worksheet
In this universal gravitation worksheet, learners answer thirteen questions using the equation for universal gravitation, and force equals mass times acceleration.
Curated OER
Honey, I Shrunk the Lids!
Students discover the lightweighting concept used by manufacturers. In this environmental education lesson, students research the reduction of the amount of aluminum used in cans. Students wrap the lesson up by writing a newspaper...
Curated OER
Generating Power
Learners construct a working model of a turbine and explain how water generates power. By the end of the lesson, they list the effects of Kingsley Dam on people, plans, and animals -- both positive and negative.
Curated OER
Water Words
Students define words relating to water and its use in Nebraska. They listen to the story, Snail Girl Brings Water, list the water words from the story, and create a class dictionary.
Curated OER
Spies That Fly
Students view a video clip about spy planes. They identify the challenges engineers face in building small aircraft. They complete a worksheet to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Terror in Space
Students view a video clip about the role of satellites in space. They examine the concept of center of mass. They participate in an experiment showing how altering the location of an object's center of mass can change its motion.
Curated OER
Skeletal System
Seventh graders identify and label twenty-five bones of the skeletal system. In small groups they glue various types of dried pasta to a large human body outline. They attach the pasta to the outline and label the pasta bones.
Curated OER
Wonderful World of Bats
Students create a book about bats. They write a letter to a scientist containing questions about bats. They compare the socialization of bats to humans; compare the needs of bats to humans and other animals.
Curated OER
Weather
Fifth graders study the water cycle. In this science lesson plan, 5th graders distinguish among evaporation, condensation, and precipitation phases of the water cycle.
Curated OER
Gravitational Acceleration
High schoolers investigate the interdependence of mass and gravitational acceleration using computer simulation. In this physics lesson, students derive the formula for acceleration due to gravity. They calculate air resistance on...
Curated OER
Surface Friction and Wear Characteristics of Common Materials
Students identify the factors affecting friction. In this physics instructional activity, students construct their own rocket car and race them. They graph the average speeds and discuss how lubricants affect friction between rubbing...