Teach Engineering
Photosynthesis—Life's Primary Energy Source
Wouldn't it be great if you could produce your own food? Scholars learn about the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in plants. They consider how to use photosynthesis as a model of an efficient system and how to apply...
Curated OER
Energy Conversion
Young scholars describe how energy can be transformed from one form to another. In this physics lesson, students calculate kinetic and potential energy using mathematical equations. They give real life applications of this lesson.
Curated OER
Heat Unit
Students define thermal equilibrium. They distinguish between internal energy and heat. Students describe how the quantity of heat that enters or leaves a substance is measured.
Curated OER
Classification of Changes
In this classification of changes worksheet, students identify each example as either chemical or physical changes. Students also classify other examples as either element, compound, solution, colloid, or suspensions. In the other...
Curated OER
Thermoelectricity
Students conduct a series of experiments on thermoelectricity. For this physics lesson, students investigate how thermocouple works. They determine the voltage generated when different conductive materials are held at different...
DiscoverE
Keep-a-Cube
Waxed paper, newspaper, or aluminum foil? Keeping an ice cube from melting may require one or more of these materials. Learners design a box that will provide insulation so an ice cube stays intact for at least 90 minutes.
Curated OER
TE Activity: You're in Hot Water
Students study different ways of using solar energy. They design a solar water heater and determine how much water it can heat in a set amount of time. They examine how the heaters work by solar radiation and convection.
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
A Tale of Two Houses
Does it cost more per year to heat Bill's home in North Dakota or to cool Bubba's home in Georgia? Using heat transfer concepts, mathematical equations, and critical thinking skills, young engineers work in groups to determine who is...
Curated OER
Cooking with the Sun
Students explore using energy from the sun for heating and cooking as they build and compare the performance of four solar cooker designs. This excellent two-day lesson has groups of students build and test a variety of solar cookers....
Curated OER
Make Your Own Temperature Scale
Differentiate between temperature and thermal energy. Your class will build a thermometer using simple materials and develop their own scale for measuring temperature. Discuss with your class and consider why engineers need to understand...
Rochester Institute of Technology
Solar Energy
Warm up to the idea of solar energy. A lesson includes three activities that challenge scholars to apply knowledge in new ways. First, they learn to run an alarm clock without a battery by using solar energy. Next, they complete an...
Carnegie Mellon University
Renewables Workshop
Youngsters examine resource maps to find out which states are using solar and wind power and discuss as a class various other renewable energy sources. They use a provided data table to record pros and cons to each technology, build and...
Curated OER
Rat Round Up
Students build a device that captures and carries a pet rat safely back to its cage with out "harming" the rat or themselves. They build and experiment with wind-up or battery operated rat cat toys after predicting the outcome of their...
Curated OER
Pooper Scooper
Science Learners build a pooper scooper tool that helps them clean up after a dog without getting their hands dirty or their noses too close. They research the diseases that can be transported through animal waste and work in teams to...
Mascil Project
House Insulation
Make sure your house is warm in the winter. Pupils analyze graphs of heating costs for two similar houses and make hypotheses for why the costs differ. They then build models of houses with appropriate insulation to reduce heating costs.
Teach Engineering
Concentrate This! Sugar or Salt...
Heat up your lessons on boiling points. The resource provides a three-part activity: first, groups find the boiling point of solutions; second, they create boiling point curves for salt and sugar solutions; and third, they mix a solution...
Creative Chemistry
Fuels - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Science pupils choose from twelve questions about five different types of fuel: hydrogen, ethanol, crude oil, natural gas, and coal. They construct a table to compare them and then determine the best fuel. Your physical science class...
Curated OER
Chemistry E3 Lesson Plan
Ninth graders perform a series of experiment to investigate heat transfer and phase changes. For this physical science lesson, 9th graders identify and calculate the different subatomic particles. They explain the importance of...
Curated OER
Matter and Change
In this matter and change worksheet, students answer 24 questions on topics such as elements, compounds, mixtures and chemical reactions. Students answer questions about the properties of matter such as their physical state and shape. In...
Curated OER
The Ultimate Roller Coaster Contest
Students explain how conservation of energy applies to roller coasters. In this physics lesson, students construct their own coasters according to a specified criteria. They make modifications to their design when necessary.
Alabama Learning Exchange
This Is How We Roll!
Students research how roller coasters work. In this physics lesson, learners research the history of roller coasters and the safety factors in the design of a roller coaster on the website www.learner.org/exhibits/parkphysics. They...
Curated OER
Who Turned on the Lights?
Seventh graders discuss how energy is transformed from one form to another. In this physics lesson plan, 7th graders design and build their own hydro generator. They identify the factors that affect its energy production.
Curated OER
Biodiesel Combustion and Its Influences in NOx Emissions
Tenth graders evaluate the physical mechanisms that cause a change in NOx emissions. In this combustion lesson, 10th graders participate in a research project. Students create a presentation of their findings.
DiscoverE
My Friend Robot
Can you do better than a robot? Teams write instructions for a hypothetical robot to build a structure. They test their instructions by acting them out to see if they produce the desired structure.