Curated OER
Lesson Plan: ABC's of Electricity
Students are able to identifty items that use electricity. They identify 10 household items that run on electricity. Students understand and articulate that electricity is to be respected. Electricity is helpful, but it also can cause...
Virginia Department of Education
Osmosis, Diffusion, and Active Transport
No, it really is okay to play with your food! Emerging scientists manipulate popcorn, eggs, and other household objects as they demonstrate multiple cellular processes. The activity, capable of modifications, is designed to reflect...
ARKive
Biodiversity and Evolution – Darwin’s Finches
Teens experience natural selection firsthand (or first beak) in an activity that has them act as finches foraging for food. Using different household items to act as different beak styles, your little finches will collect as much...
Virginia Department of Education
A Salt Marsh Ecosystem
What a web we weave. Pupils use yarn as the primary resource to create a web depicting the intricacies of a salt marsh ecosystem. They participate in a question and answer session, which leads to an in-depth facilitated discussion...
Teach Engineering
Household Energy Audit
Do you have an energy hog in your home? Individuals pick at least one room at home to determine the amount of energy the appliances consume. Using that information, pupils fill out a worksheet to determine the cost of running each...
Lawrence Hall of Science
DIY Sun Science
Get an up-close-and personal look at the sun from the safety of your classroom with this fun science application. Offering numerous activities, images, and videos, the resource supports children of all ages as they learn about the sun.
Florida International University
Pipeline to the Coral Reefs
Discover firsthand the effects of internal waves on coral reefs. Through a series of experiments, learners simulate internal waves and upwelling events as they make observations on the movement of water and other debris. They then...
Beyond Benign
Kitten Creation
Your pupils become geneticists as they create cat offspring. The next lesson in a series continues an exploration of genetic makeup as scholars consider parent traits to build their offspring. Using household items, they create kittens...
Serendip
Get the Lead Out!
Around 500,000 children under the age of six suffer from elevated levels of lead in their blood in the United States. Scholars apply their knowledge about lead to a fun game. As they correctly answer questions, they move their pieces...
LABScI
The Separation Lab: Candy Colors
There's no better motivator than candy! An engaging activity has pupils explore methods for separating mixtures. A two-part lab first explores methods of separation based on size and magnetism. The second activity introduces learners to...
Curated OER
Build Working Models With household Items
Students follow the illustration, and cut out foam board according to the pattern. They assemble the small parts by gluing. Once the glue is dry, students tape the end of the bottom and top clipper boards, they slide toothpicks through...
Curated OER
Sink or Float?
Have your class explore density and buoyancy using this resource. Learners read the book Who Sank the Boat, and use several items, such as rubber balls, bottle caps, wood, and other household items to conduct an experiment. Using a tub...
Curated OER
Materials We Use
How can you tell if something is made out of wood, metal, or plastic? Kids use noise and visual cues to determine what various household items are made from. They then examine their toys at home and record the materials used to make...
California Academy of Science
Fish Forms
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you can add art to any lesson! While little learners are discovering why fish have specific body parts such as, scales, fins, and gills, they start making three-dimensional fish forms. Children...
Earth Day Network
Filtering Water
See the water filtration system up close with a fun science experiment. Young scientists work for several class periods to design a water filter using household objects, and then decide which filter material would be most effective...
NOAA
It All Runs Downhill
Examine how pollution makes its way into an ocean with help from a model watershed. Scholars use household items to recreate a mini-watershed, equipped with pollutants, that when mixed with rain drain into a model's body of...
California Academy of Science
Buoyancy Bulls-Eye
Why does a seastar sink, but a jellyfish float? Through a fun investigation, learners examine the concept of buoyancy using simple household items. The challenge: create neutral buoyancy for an action figure in water. With ample...
DiscoverE
Make Your Own Glue
You won't regret being stuck with this activity. By mixing a variety of household items, pupils create their own glue. They test the tensile strength of their glue and compare it to that of other adhesives.
Curated OER
Household Tools
Learners explore parts of a system. In this simple machines lesson, students discover that simple machines are composed of two or more systems. Learners examine household tools and assess the parts of the system.
Curated OER
Heart as a Pump
Learners explore the working of the heart by making comparisons with the actions of a pump. They find examples of pumps and valves in facets, aerosol sprays, automobile fuel pumps, and many household items in daily use.
Curated OER
Art: Hot Air Balloon Replicas
Students investigate the science behind hot air balloon flight. In a lecture and demonstration, they observe how helium-filled balloons are affected by the wind. Using basic household items such as newspaper, paper cups, and balloons,...
DiscoverE
Everyday Engineering: Water Pollution Clean Up
Water, water, everywhere, but pollution is a major problem. Scholars design a filtration device or process that removes dirt and other particles from water. They use various household objects such as marbles, cotton balls, or coffee...
Smithsonian Institution
How Would You Design a Lighthouse?
Guide the way to a better understanding of lighthouses. Young scholars first read a story about lighthouse and consider the problem that lighthouses try to solve. They then identify parts of a lighthouse and draw daymark patterns. As a...
Curated OER
Household Things that Fly and Why!!!
Students examine the four forces of flight. In this flight lesson, students test to see which types of items will fly. Students make predictions on whether the item will fly or not. Students gain knowledge about lift, gravity, thrust and...