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What Role Does Light Play Within the Vision Process?
Pupils are introduced to the relationship between light and vision. In groups, they participate in experiments to discover how different wavelengths are divided in the visible spectrum. They record their answers and discuss their...
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Energy: Light -- Spinning Color Wheel
Second graders make spinning color wheels to determine how energy effects what colors look like. They paint or color a color wheel with the seven colors of the spectrum. Next, the spin the wheel to determine what happens. In order to...
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Sound
Second graders study how sound is produced by vibrations and is transmitted through matter in all directions. They observe how sounds are produced and identify the ways in which sound travels.
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Making Waves, Making Music, Making Noise
Students construct "talking cans" and instruments to explain how vibration of objects produces various sounds.
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Energy for You
Students investigate the energy sources used in student's communities. They explore where the energy comes from, how it is transported, and the uses to which it is put. They review the meanings of vocabulary renewable and newable resources.
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The Solar System: Go Green with the Sun!
Third graders learn how to use solar power. In this sun, technology and energy lesson, 3rd graders learn how the solar power from the sun can give off energy, learn about solar panels, discuss their uses and benefits, and design a...
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Exploring Electricity - Four Activities
These are four classic activities used for instructing upper elementary electricians. The first involves experimenting with the Van de Graaff generator. The second is a series of hands-on experiences with static. In the third activity,...
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Let There Be Light
Fifth graders explore electricity. In this electricity instructional activity, 5th graders experiment with open and closed circuits. Students determine how to properly connect a battery and bulb to illuminate the bulb.
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Harnessing Solar Energy
Learners identify the properties of light from the sun. In groups, they participate in experiments with solar collectors, cookers and calculators to determine which one harnesses the most energy. They record their observations and...
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Applied Science -Physics (2B) Pre Lab
Second graders look at different types of energy. In this energy lesson, 2nd graders define energy and the difference between kinetic and potential energy. They see examples with falling books and a slinky.
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Energy Defined
Fourth graders complete activities to study the sources of energy and forms. In this energy lesson, 4th graders discuss the origin of energy and define it. Students participate in several experiments to further study energy including a...
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Light And Sound To the Rescue
Fourth graders use the design process to construct devices that send distress signals through air and water for purposes of rescue. They construct devices that use light and sound to assist in nautical rescues and use the knowledge...
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Energy Source
Sixth graders work in groups. They are given one type of energy to research. Students look through the different magazines or newspapers to identify pictures that show their type of energy. Students glue their pictures to the...
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Energy Transfer
Students investigate the properties of heated air. They make predictions about what they think makes the wind blow on a worksheet, and conduct two experiments to demonstrate the properties of heated air. Students heat a bottle until a...
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Energy Works!
In this energy learning exercise, students review the different types of energy and determine what form of work that energy provides. Then students give examples of how energy is related to work. This learning exercise has 1 graphic...
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Heat Energy- Temperature
Second graders investigate the meaning of temperature. They determine what happens to a thermometer when the temperature rises or falls. They place thermometers in different classroom locations in order to compare the temperature in a...
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Investigating and Using Biomass Gases
Students examine the definitions of biomas gasification and generate their own biomass gas. In this renewable energy lesson students collect gases and roast a marshmallow.
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Conserving Energy Resources
Seventh graders research on energy conversion. After they have researched several types of energy resources, teams of two to four create posters which depict how these resources can be conserved.
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Motion Commotion!
Students explore the drawings of Rube Goldberg to design and construct a simple machine. They discuss simple machines, and using various materials and toy parts, design and construct a "Rube Goldberg" style machine to ring a bell.
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Sound Box
Students make simple observations and identify relevant variables, such as frequency and diameter. They then discuss the relationship between variables. The task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations and make...
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What’s That, I Can’t Hear You?
Students investigate forms of energy as well as light and sound. In this science instructional activity, students participate in hands-on activities that require them to evaluate how sound affects astronauts in flight. A video of this...
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Vibration and Pitch
Fifth graders investigate the relation between vibrations and pitch. They observe and discuss an experiment involving a bicycle and a piece of cardboard in the spokes, listen to a comb with cardboard, and listen to various sounds and...
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Latent Heat and Clouds
Students explore latent heat and how it relates to clouds in the atmosphere. For this earth science lesson students investigate how clouds are formed. Students examine clouds and the water cycle.
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Let the Sunshine in
Students collect and analyze data to study wavelengths of visible light. They cover Styrofoam cups with three different colors of sun filtering products and shine a lamp directly on the cups. They determine the most effective filtering...