Kenan Fellows
Density
Most scholars associate density with floating, but how do scientists determine the exact density of an unknown liquid? The third lesson in a seven-part series challenges scholars to find the mass and volume of two unknown liquids. Each...
University of Georgia
Splat!
What does viscosity have to do with splatter? An activity shows that the viscosity of a substance is inversely proportional to the distance of its splatter. Learners conduct the experiment by collecting data, graphing, and analyzing...
LABScI
Cell Diffusion and Permeability: The See-Thru Egg Lab
Create a model to study a microscopic phenomenon. The seventh of 12 lessons uses an egg (without its shell) to represent a cell membrane. Using different solutions, learners explore the concept of cell diffusion. They monitor...
Curated OER
Measuring Exponential Growth
Students reinforce math skills while learning about best practices
for protection of water quality in the management of animal feeding
operations. They make a table to show results of their calculations and compare and justify findings...
Curated OER
"How Much?" Contest - Measurement
Students work with measurements of length, area, and volume capacity of a liquid. They watch a teacher demonstration of both English and metric units before they estimate and take actual measurements of assigned items a three different...
American Chemical Society
Density of Water
We know solids have a density we can measure, but what about liquids? Lesson explores this concept and allows scholars to explore the relationship between volume and density. Graphing and analysis questions round out the activity.
Baylor College
Serving Sizes
Are serving sizes for different foods always appropriate for what you need? In this hands-on activity, learners work in groups to estimate what one serving size of various foods are, and then evaluate their hypotheses by measuring...
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)
Ocean Acidification: Whats and Hows
Open this lesson by demonstrating the production of acidic carbon dioxide gas by activated yeast. Emerging ecologists then experiment with seashells to discover the effect of ocean acidification on shelled marine organisms. They measure...
Berkshire Museum
Where’s the Water?: Acting Out Science Cycles
Young scientists transform themselves into rivers, oceans, clouds, and drops of water in order to explore the water cycle. After assigning and explaining to students their different roles in the activity, the teacher reads aloud a...
American Chemical Society
Production of a Gas - Controlling a Chemical Reaction
Though the publisher designated this unit for use with third through eighth grades, this particular lesson would be best used with middle schoolers due to the specific measurement skills required. Basically, they set up the reaction...
Curated OER
A Comparison of Polymeric Liquids with Newtonian Liquids
Students perform several tests on liquids. In this general science lesson, students compare the properties of polymeric and nonpolymeric liquids. They explain the composition and importance of macromolecules.
Curated OER
What's The Scoop?
Students explore the properties of matter. In this cross curriculum three states of matter science instructional activity, students listen to the poem "Eighteen Flavors" by Shel Silverstein, and predict what will happen if listed...
Curated OER
Introductory Module
Third graders examine the non-standard method of measurement and compare it to the metric system of measurement. In this introductory module lesson, 3rd graders discover the scientific observation. Students also develop communication...
Curated OER
Jr. Chef Club
Students examine the food pyramid. In this health/math lesson students make biscuits. Students are assigned a group to measure out ingredients. Students also discuss which part of the food pyramid biscuits fall into and the nutritional...
Curated OER
Catch a Rainbow
Second graders listen to a book read to them entitled, WHAT MAKES A RAINBOW and recall and describe their five senses and what parts of their bodies use their five senses and then complete the Catch a Rainbow activity sheet using a...
Curated OER
Is There Liquid Water on Mars?
Learners assess whether there is liquid water on Mars by analyzing images and data. In this planetary lesson students analyze temperature and pressure graphs and hypothesize about how water could have flowed on Mars.
Curated OER
The Measurement Man
Students explore the measurements of capacity by constructing a creative project in the shape of a man. The man has body parts that represent different units of measurement and can be used to make conversions. This is highly concrete and...
Curated OER
Three Clouds Activity
Students understand how clouds are formed. In this cloud activity, students participate in three experiments to make clouds. Students complete activity sheets for each experiment.
Curated OER
What Floats Your Boat?
This open-ended boat building exercise is meant to be part of a three-lesson series on ships. Links to the other two lessons are included. This particular part is mostly a group lab activity in which they build a boat, find its load line...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
What is the Water Cycle? Activity A
Hydrologists create a concept map about how water is used and a sentence strip defining water and describing its unique properties. Small groups work together to fill a small milk carton and compute the mass of water inside. The next...
Cornell University
Density
Certain things just do not mix, including liquids of varying densities. Learners collect data to determine the densities of several liquids. They then use the density information to predict the type of liquid.
Science Friday
Sublime Sublimation
Dry ice isn't dehydrated water, and young scientists learn why in this fascinating presentation. After watching a video, they complete three different activities using dry ice. Upon completion, they discuss the scientific...
Michigan State University
Gases Matter
Young scientists learn that seeing isn't necessarily believing when it comes to the states of matter. After performing a fun class demonstration that models the difference between solids, liquids, and gases, children complete a series of...
University of Colorado
Happy Landings: A Splash or a Splat?
Huygens spacecraft landed on Saturn's moon Titan in 2005, making it the farthest landing from Earth ever made by a spacecraft. In this hands-on activity, the 12th installment of 22, groups explore how density affects speed. To do this,...