Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Principles of Physics: A Real Scream!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars apply their knowledge of the physics principles of force, energy and motion to researching the physics behind amusement park rides.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Experimenting with Sound

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore physical science by completing a worksheet. In this sound perception lesson, students collaborate in small groups to research sound properties on the Internet and in libraries. Students conduct a listening experiment by...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Lesson Plan

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners discuss the importance of water in our daily lives. In this physics lesson, students calculate the pressure of water tower systems. They investigate the effect of certain variables using a computer simulation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Science of Tsunamis: Seeking Understanding in the Wake of Tragedy

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars use Internet research, articles, discussion and models to explore the dynamics of a tsunami. They focus on the 2004 Asian Tsunami and create posters illustrating their understanding of this phenomenon.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Gulf: Coastlines in Danger

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the Mississippi Rover and how it has changed over time.  In this environment lesson students research and summarize things about the ecosystem of the river. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Invisible Rays

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore physical science by completing a lab assignment. In this sunlight instructional activity, students define a list of scientific vocabulary terms and complete fill in the blank questions. Students conduct a photographic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science Trail

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore the solar system by conducting Earth science experiments. In this Sun instructional activity, students identify the different seasons on Earth and discuss their purpose and cause. Learners create a sundial and observe...
Lesson Plan
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BioEd Online

Gravity and Buoyancy

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Would a baggie filled with water have the same shape sitting on a table as it would in a bucket of water? Why not? Allow learners to find out first-hand the effects of gravity acting alone on the baggie, as well as when gravity is...
Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Changing Fields

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Eddy currents, Faraday's Law and Lenz's Law provide the connection between train brakes and and MRI machines in a lesson that asks teachers to provided the material needed so the pupils can understand the properties of changing magnetic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Putting On Armor

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders are read the story "EMS Code Blue" and asked to share what they would do in the different situations. As a class, they discuss the importance of getting help for mental or social problems and are given a list of resources...
Lesson Plan
Baylor College

Servings and Choices

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
An important part of balancing caloric intake to energy expenditure is knowing how many Calories you are consuming. In the fifth of a seven-lesson series on food and energy, learners estimate their daily caloric intake, then use a...
Lesson Plan
Tech Museum of Innovation

Balloon Astronaut

For Teachers 2nd - 8th Standards
Design protection from high-speed particles. The STEM lesson plan highlights why astronauts need protection from space debris. Pupils use the design process to design, build, and test a spacesuit that will protect a balloon from a...
Lesson Plan
Tech Museum of Innovation

Tree House Escape

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Use simple machines to escape from a tree house. Pupils learn about simple machines and how they are useful in everyday life in a STEM lesson. Groups then design a device to rescue a friend stuck in a tree house.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Energy in New York

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine a variety of information for New York State including insolation data, and economic or political data, thus incorporating both science and social studies. Encouraging learners to become concerned citizens as they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Strawkets and Weight

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the effect that weight has on rocket flight. They construct a variety of straw-launched rockets that have different weights, observe what happens when the weight of a rocket is altered by reducing its physical size...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paper Suspension Bridges: You Want Me To Go Up There?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
A few class periods will be required to complete this physics investigation with your high schoolers. There is an unavailable video written into the lesson plan, but there is plenty of material here to bridge the gap. Two terrific...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Long Island Beach Life

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Have your class learn about marine life through this resource. This comprehensive lesson has learners discuss marine life, learn key vocabulary, discuss environmental concerns, and play games related to migration and predator/prey...
Lesson Plan
PHET

Mapping the Ambient Magnetic Field

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
No GPS allowed! High school scientists continue to explore magnetic fields with a hands-on activity. After mapping the ambient magnetic field in the classroom and completing data analysis, they write about the similarities and...
Lesson Plan
PHET

The Dynamic Nature of the Sun

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
In this second lesson plan of the series, pupils learn to observe similarities and differences in photos of the sun and record them in a Venn diagram. Then, small groups practice the same skill on unique images before presenting...
Lesson Plan
NASA

Analyzing Tiny Samples Using a Search for the Beginning Mass Spectrometry

For Students 9th - 12th
Teach the basics of mass spectrometry with a hands-on lesson. The fourth in a series of six lessons explores how mass spectrometry measures the ionic composition of an element. Learners then compare and contrast relative abundance and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Tibetan Plateau

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss the characteristics of the biosphere, with a focus on the Tibetan Plateau. They participate in a question and answer period discussing biomes and climate patterns. They compare and contrast different ecosystems.
Lesson Plan
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Understanding Wave Motion - Slinky vs. Snaky: Which Spring is Dominant?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Ride the wave to an understanding of refraction! The first in a series of two inquiry-based lessons challenges learners to create transverse waves with two different types of springs. As their wave hits an object, they observe the change...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Considerations in Heating a Home

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Emerging engineers discover how important it is to conserve energy as fossil fuel supplies are being diminished. This is accomplished by working through a handout that explains energy requirements for heating a home during the winter....
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Beam Focusing Using Lenses

For Students 11th - 12th
Explore optics using an inquiry-based experimental approach! Young scholars use a set of materials to design and build a unit capable of focusing a beam of light. They experiment with different lenses to determine the best approach to...