Curated OER
Modeling the Solar System
Young scholars build a scaled model of the solar system. In this space science instructional activity, students arrange them according to their distances from the sun. They analyze each planet's unique features such as density and...
National Park Service
Glaciers and Water
Explore the amazing power of glaciers with a hands-on earth science experiment! After first learning basic background information, learners go on to create their very own chunks of frozen water and gravel in order to...
Teach Engineering
Efficiency of a Water Heating System
Tired of waiting for hot water? Groups of three determine the efficiency of an electric water-heating device. They calculate the amount of energy it takes to heat the water and the theoretical amount of energy required to heat the water....
Inside Mathematics
How Old Are They?
Here is a (great) lesson on using parentheses! The task requires the expression of ages using algebraic expressions, including the distributive property. Pupils use their expressions to determine the individual ages.
Teach Engineering
The Amazing Aerogel
Introducing ... the aerogel. The first of a two-installment series teaches young engineers about the properties and uses of aerogels. A PowerPoint presentation provides information about this unique material to help solidify the concept.
Teach Engineering
Battle of the Beams
Make the strongest beam possible using taffy? Groups mold a taffy-water mixture into a beam and a reinforcing material of their choice. To finish the final installment of a two-part series, participants test its strength by adding...
Santa Monica College
Chemical Equilibrium and Le Chatelier’s Principle
Henri-Louis Le Chatelier wrote many papers throughout his 85-year life, but he is remembered for one of his earliest discoveries, now known as Le Chatelier's Principle. The final lesson plan in an 11-part series encourages young chemists...
Beyond Benign
Breaking the Tension
The tension builds as learners experiment in your classroom. The 17th installment in a 24-part series has scholars investigate the concept of surface tension. After discovering characteristics of surface tension, they add a compound...
NASA
Write the Book on Weather Metrics
It's not easy to measure the weather. Pupils learn about what all weather has in common—the atmosphere. Scholars discover how a meteorologists must be able to measure aspects of the atmosphere and decipher the data. They then create a...
Curated OER
What Is Viscosity?
Students experiment with the visocosity of corn syrup, mineral oil, vegetable oil, water, and honey. They research viscosity before beginning. Pupils draw the conclusion that the marble sinks more slowly in the liquids with greater...
Curated OER
Going to the Doctor: Social Story
A trip to the doctor can be a difficult experience for some pupils. Intended for use with Autistic children, this social story prepares them for a visit to the doctor. Each page contains an image and a different facet of what happens at...
Curated OER
Chalk Chromatography
Your chemistry class is sure to love this experiment on column chromatography, as demonstrated with chalk sticks and felt tip markers. Pupils use sidewalk chalk (another inexpensive form of chalk stick) to demonstrate adsorption and the...
Global Oneness Project
Witnessing Icebergs
Camille Seaman's photoessay, "Witnessing Icebergs" documents just a tip of the problem of climate change through images of icebergs in both the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions. After viewing the haunting images, viewers respond...
Space Awareness
The Big Meltdown
Explore the world (our world) of melting ice caps. Why are these caps melting? What is the effect of melting ice caps? Dive into the ever-present issue of global warming with a resource that has learners looking at data and participating...
Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist
Play Ball! – Or Not…Making a Decision Using Weather Data
Should the game go on or not? An engaging lesson plan asks small groups to make a decision using weather data. After analyzing a map, an updated forecast, and radar information, groups have to decide whether to cancel a baseball game....
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Nanotechnology Invention and Design: Phase Changes, Energy, and Crystals
What does it take to be considered a smart material? Learners investigate the properties of Nitinol, a smart material, through a hands-on lab activity. They examine the crystal lattice structure and the conditions required for Nitinol to...
US Geological Survey
The Water Cycle for Schools: Intermediate Ages
Water can travel from the highest mountain tops to the largest oceans. Using an interactive, young scientists trace the movement using an interactive online resource. They follow the water cycle by reading pop-up explanations on a...
Curated OER
How the Amount of Solar Energy Absorbed by the Earth is Dependent Upon the Earth's Position
Students investigate the angle of light and how it faces the earth. They conduct a series of investigations with the following two objectives. Students determine if the angle of light is a factor in the absorption of heat. They correlate...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics And Convection Currents
Learners observe the currents that occur through convection in water and relate them to the currents in molten rock in the Earth's mantle. They set up a convection current in a cake pan of water using a bag of ice on one end and an...
Curated OER
World Climates Study Guide
In this geography skills learning exercise, learners respond to 24 fill in the blank and multiple choice questions about the climate regions and characteristics of the world.
Curated OER
The Ideal Gas
In this ideal gas worksheet, students read about the conditions necessary for an ideal gas to exist. They also read about the deviations from the ideal gas situation and answer four questions about ideal gases.
Curated OER
Hot, Wet, and Cold
Students research climate data for a city in each of the 5 major geographic sections of Texas. They use data to describe the climate and what influence the geography of that section has on the weather.
Curated OER
Leveled Problem Solving Using Familiar Formulas
For this using familiar formulas practice worksheet, students sharpen their problem solving skills as they solve 6 story problems.
Curated OER
Central Tendency
Fifth graders compare and contrast different sets of data on the basis of measures of central tendency.