It's a win-win situation: learn about enzymes and get clean clothes, too. Young scientists add enzymes to a dilution of laundry detergent. They apply them to stained fabrics to determine the effectiveness of the enzyme-filled detergents.

Meant to be a pre-field trip lesson, this can also serve as a cute and simple activity to use when your little ones are learning about evaporation or surface area. The children cut tiny t-shirts out of paper towel material, wet them, and...

Lunar explorers perform an experiment to understand the size of the craters on the surface of the moon. They layer flour, laundry detergent, and cocoa powder in a pan to model the lunar surface. They drop marbles from different heights...

Examine the chemistry of the laundry room! A thorough video explains the polarity and non-polarity properties of soap. The tutorial continues to explain the advantage of these properties in stain removal by showing the...

High schoolers analyze and compare laundry bleaches by testing their oxidizing powers. They conduct their lab experiment, compare/contrast their results with other students' work, and complete a worksheet.

By both demonstration and hands-on investigation, physical science fanatics come to know that some materials react when they come together. Adding vinegar to both baking soda and to baking powder, the difference between the two is clear....

An engaging activity enlightens young chemists in this lesson on atomic structure. They play musical chairs through a series of concentric circles that represent electon orbitals. A laundry basket in the middle holds the protons and...

Now that your science class has experimented with pH indicator and identified acids and bases, they attempt to get the cabbage juice indicator back to its original color. This is done through neutralization of the acids and bases that...

Students complete activities where they observe the amount of freshwater in the world as a fraction of the actual amount of water using different mixtures. In this freshwater lesson plan, students brainstorm on how to preserve...

The introduction to the lesson mentions a sailor's limited capacity to store drinking water on his ship. Pupils then set up an overnight experiment to remove freshwater from salt water by distillation. There is a math and map activity to...

Students consider the source of disease and parasites in West Africa. In this environmental issues lesson, students read "Working with Environmental Issues," by Fred Koehler. Students participate in an activity that requires students to...

Students explore the meaning of what makes life pleasurable.  In this social awareness lesson, students read an article that states things that people might enjoy doing for pleasure, then complete numerous activities to reinforce...

Fourth graders examine and identify chemical and physical changes in a variety of substances. They observe a vinegar and baking soda demonstration, and a water, laundry detergent, and Epsom salt mixture demonstration. They discuss the...

Let's make coal flowers! With this fun activity, young learners watch and learn as they grow crystals! With simple household materials and the instructions included in this lesson plan, your class can grow their own crystals. Learners...

It's okay to play with your food—just this once! Scholars design and create meshes and chutes to sort pasta by size and shape. They test their designs and make improvements as necessary.

Students conduct an experiment. In this environmental protection lesson, students explore how oil spills affect living organisms in an ecosystem. Students work in groups to complete a lab activity and then discuss their findings.

Students observe the effectiveness of detergents on breaking down proteins.  In this investigative lesson students participate in an activity that shows how proteins are broken down in gelatin and fill out a worksheet. 

Eighth graders examine different solutions.  In this solution material lesson students complete a lab activity and several worksheets. 

Learners observe the effect of various chemicals on coal. Using coal, laundry bluing, water, salt, and ammonia, they observe crystal formations after a period of a few hours, and discuss their observations.

Sixth graders use teacher prepared samples of substances. They perform the same observations and complete charts for each substance. After recording and analyzing their results, 6th graders make changes in the recipes to create a better...

Students engage in three short, hands-on, in-class demos which expand students' understand of energy. First, using peanuts and heat, students see how the human body burns food to make energy. Then, they create paper snake mobiles to...

Eighth graders discuss uses and disposal of common household chemicals. They select a household chemical to test for impact on plant germination. Students decide how they want to set up a seed germination project. They design their plan,...

Upcoming chemists use chemical reactions to determine relative pH in two different acids. This is a terrific lesson plan for middle schoolers that can stand alone as a practice in precision and lab skills, or as part of the unit on...

In groups, young environmentalists investigate water samples that are contaminated with different types of pollutants. Each group presents their findings to the class and fills out the "Types of Pollutants Chart." This lesson is meant...