American Chemical Society
Changing State: Evaporation
Why do experiments require a control? Guide scholars through designing an experiment to see what they can do to evaporate water faster with a lesson plan that stresses the importance of controlling all variables. The second activity...
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Sensing the Invisible: The Herschel Experiment
Learners of light will construct a contraption in which light is passed through a prism and shone into a box. The temperatures at different points along the path and outside of the path of light. The intent is to imitate William...
Curated OER
Conductivity Lessons
"Conduct" some simple experiments with these great lesson plans on conductors and insulators!
Discovery Education
It's Melting!
It's a race to the finish! Which ice cube will melt the fastest? Scholars discover the effect thermal energy has on melting ice. They experiment with melting ice cubes on different materials and learn that even at a consistent...
Curated OER
Cool and Not-So-Cool Materials
Why do some materials feel cool to the touch, but not others? Learn about thermal conductors and thermal insulators with a fun science experiment. First, kids read the results of an experiment with spoons and hot water. They then try...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Float or Sink?
Experiment with mass and density as scholars figure out what makes things float or sink. First, they watch a podcast introducing these concepts. Be sure to use the comprehension question to test their understanding. Young scientists...
Chemistry Teacher
Metals, Nonmetals, and Metalloids Lab
What an exciting way to introduce your blossoming chemists to the world of metals, nonmetals, metalloids, and polymers! Here is a lab activity that is designed to allow pupils the opportunity to visualize the reaction of metals,...
Curated OER
The Miracle Fish: Learning to Design an Experiment
Learners develop procedures to explore the behavior of fish. For this scientific experiment lesson students from a hypothesis, write a question, identify different variables and controls in their experiment.
Curated OER
Heat Waves
Students explore weather patterns by conducting an experiment in class. In this heatwaves lesson, students identify how weather raises to an unhealthy degree and the effect it can have on people and their environment. Students utilize a...
Curated OER
"Heat Transfer and Ice Cream!"
Students analyze earth science by creating a frozen treat in class. In this heat transfer lesson plan, students discuss how matter is transformed from solid to liquid and liquid to gas when energy is removed from the equation. Students...
Curated OER
Thermoelectricity
Students conduct a series of experiments on thermoelectricity. In this physics lesson, students investigate how thermocouple works. They determine the voltage generated when different conductive materials are held at different temperatures.
Curated OER
Radiation and Color
Tenth graders explore the relationship between color and heat absorption by measuring the temperature change of water in differently colored test tubes as they are exposed to a heat lamp. They work in small groups to collect data and...
Curated OER
Warming by Freezing
Ninth graders discover the reasoning behind spraying water on fruit and seedlings in preparation for hard freezes. In this conceptual physics lesson, 9th graders conduct an experiment to measure the heat released when water goes from a...
Curated OER
Cooler in the Shadows
Learners explore how the amount of sunlight and heat change in areas that are shaded.
Curated OER
Why is it so hot when I sit next to the window?
Students investigate how energy travels through glass. In this energy usage lesson, students conduct an experiment in which they decide if window film affects how much energy travels through the glass. Students use a journal to make...
Curated OER
Heating
Students develop the idea that heat is a form of energy which moves from hot objects to cold ones.
It's About Time
Exploring Energy Resource Concepts
Please turn off the lights to conserve energy. Or not, after all energy is always conserved. This first lesson in an eight-part series includes three parts. Part A contains one hands-on activity and two inquiry-based experiments on heat...
Curated OER
Compact Fluorescent Lamp Experiments
Students conduct a series of experiment on incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. In this physics instructional activity, students explain how they operate. They compare the efficiency and power rating of both bulbs.
Curated OER
Will It Grow?
Fifth graders conduct experiments involving plants. In this science lesson, 5th graders design an experiment involving plants. Students use the scientific method to design their experiments.
Curated OER
Comparing Volumes
Learners conduct experiments to discover the various ratios of oil to popcorn kernels. They determine which amount of oil produced the most popped kernels.
Curated OER
Liquid Logic: Experiments in Viscosity
Students examine specific characteristics of liquids through a hands-on lab activity. An experiment with teacher prepared viscosity tubes is conducted in which liquid identities are predicted based on data. A hypothesis is written to...
American Museum of Natural History
Rubber Blubber Gloves
Using gloves, shortening, tape, and a lot of ice, participants experience the feeling of having blubber. The experiment's eight steps follow an informative page about blubber and animals that have it.
It's About Time
Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Emerging biochemists more fully understand the flow of energy in ecosystems as they explore the laws of thermodynamics and relate them to energy transfer in food chains. They also investigate heat loss from the human body and how...
Discovery Education
Cushion It!
Sugar cubes, collide! Groups design protection systems using bubble wrap to protect sugar cubes from being destroyed by falling batteries in the STEM lesson. They consider how the experiment relates to collisions in real-world...