Curated OER
The Prairie Climate
Ninth graders research the average temperature and precipitation of a prairie region to determine the type of climate it is, and how it differs from other biomes. They examine the types of adaptions animals have made to live in the...
NOAA
A Matter of Density
Larvae transportation on the New England seamounts is based on the density of the water. Scholars calculate density and graph salinity versus temperature to better understand the distribution of organisms in a water column....
Curated OER
Warm and Cold Air
Students conduct an experiment to discover what happens to air when it is heated or cooled, discover that wind moves from a high-pressure area (an area of sinking air) to a low pressure area (an area of rising air).
Colorado State University
What Causes Pressure?
Are you feeling the pressure? Let loose a little with a kinesthetic activity that models molecular motion in a closed space! The activity varies conditions such as volume and temperature and examines the effects on molecules.
Curated OER
Graphing the Forecast - Line Graph or Bar Graph?
Sixth graders compare and contrast bar and line graphs. Using a weather forecast of the area, 6th graders record the high and low temperatures in a table. Students determine and justify the most appropriate graph to display a given set...
Curated OER
Heat and Thermodynamics
This is actually a 10-day mini unit on thermal energy for your high school chemists. Every avenue is taken to get learners absorbed in heat: a pretest, a PowerPoint presentation, Internet exploration, demonstrations, lab activities, and...
Nuffield Foundation
Measuring the Rate of Metabolism
Plant respiration can be a difficult concept for young biologists to grasp; with a hands-on lab, learners can collect and graph data, then calculate the metabolism rate for the plants they studied. If you do not have a respirometer,...
NOAA
Climate, Corals and Change
Global warming isn't just an issue on land; deep ocean waters are also showing troubling signs. Young scientists learn more about deep water corals and the many recent discoveries researchers have made. Then they examine data related to...
Curated OER
Heating Curve
Wow! This is a nifty presentation for teaching high school chemists about the heating curve. It displays a graph for temperature vs. heat added, then enters the curve itself. The final slide identifies each part of the curve. Notes are...
Curated OER
Conductivity - Pass the Buoy and Pepper, Please
Buoys around our coastlines are equipped with sensory devices which monitor temperature, salinity, and water pressure. Emerging earth scientists examine some of this data and relate salinity to the electrical conductivity of the surface...
Balanced Assessment
Pizza Toppings
Pupils work with a pizza shop's menu to determine the total number of pizzas possible from their ingredient list, how much the pizzas would cost, and how long it would take to eat all of them. The assessment concludes by having scholars...
Kenan Fellows
Saving Those Who Save Us: Exploring the Use of Sensors with Data Visualization
Sensor technology is amazingly accurate and useful. Combining the sensor technology and mathematical knowledge, scholars design experiments to answer a question they have developed. Questions may focus on light sensing, temperature...
Curated OER
How Weather Affects Our Lives
English learners practice basic weather terms from listening to two books. They keep a daily weather record for two weeks to record the type of weather, as well as the high and low temperatures for each day. Next, they complete a simple...
Curated OER
Metals and Non-Metals
A table of the physical properties of metals and non-metals opens this high-school chemistry handout. Also covered are the chemical properties of metals and non-metals, reactivity, and fossil fuels. There are no specific questions to...
Science 4 Inquiry
The Yin and Yang of Photosynthesis: Day vs. Night
Floating fragments of elodea can grow even without roots. Young scientists use eldoea plants to observe the oxygen production from photosynthesis. They study the difference between having access to high amounts of light and low amounts...
Curated OER
Applications of the Pythagorean Theorem - Magnetism
Middle and high schoolers use the Pythagorean Theorem to complete a table showing with the magnetic field strengths in given cities. They find the average value of the Earth's magnetic field and plot one of the three-dimensional values...
Curated OER
Growing from Seed
High school or college horticulturists will appreciate this PowerPoint on seed-propagation. It walks them through the science behind seed production and germination as well as the requirements for growing plants from this stage....
Forest Foundation
Fire Investigation and Experimentation
Assess the probability of a wildfire with several lessons about fire danger ratings and risk factors. After experimenting with fuel moisture, learners explore the various elements that could contribute to a wildfire, such as wind...
Curated OER
Glacier Bay Seabirds
A gorgeous collection of photographs take viewers on a virtual tour or Glacier Bay National Park with a focus on the seabirds living in the area. Adaptations to the polar climate are highlighted, different species of birds are displayed,...
Virginia Department of Education
Equilibrium and Le Chatelier’s Principle
The best part of learning about equilibrium is that nothing changes. Young chemists observe four demonstrations during this lesson: equilibrium in a saturated solution, equilibrium with an acid-base indicator, equilibrium with cobalt...
Polar Trec
Frozen Fish? Unique Adaptations of Antarctic Fish
Some fish contain proteins that act like antifreeze in order for them to live in the frigid waters of Antarctica! High schoolers determine how much antifreeze a fish needs to lower its body temp to -2.5 degrees. Teachers act as a...
NASA
Supernova Chemistry
By measuring the wavelength, frequency, and intensity of electromagnetic radiation, scientists determine the temperature, density, and composition of far away items. Scholars rotate through ten lab stations using a spectroscope at each...
Curated OER
Weather Plots
Students investigate the relationship between temperature and humidity. The graphs of weather data gathered and plotted for for an assigned period of time are analyzed and the interpretations shared with the class.
Curated OER
A Real Difference
Fifth graders use the Celsius and Fahrenheit thermometers to compare temperature readings. They use the Internet to find the temperatures of selected cities. After data is collected for five days, 5th graders graph the temperatures.