Curated OER
How to Weigh a Car with a Tire Gauge
Young scholars calculate the weight of a motor vehicle using only a sheet of graph paper and a tire gauge. Extensions provided offer additional challenges.
Curated OER
Gravity
Sixth graders explore the characteristics of gravity. They discuss gravity on Earth and then use cereal boxes to research and compare the weight of objects on Earth to the weight of those objects on other planets.
Curated OER
Leaf Observations
Second graders examine a variety of leaves. In groups or individually, they write down their observations on each leaf type and compare them to each other. To end the lesson, they share their observations with the class and draw the...
Baylor College
Body Mass Index (BMI)
How do you calculate your Body Mass Index, and why is this information a valuable indicator of health? Class members discover not only what BMI is and practice calculating it using the height and weight of six fictitious individuals, but...
Scholastic
Discussion and Dissection of an Owl Pellet
Young scientists get the chance to dissect pellets "owl" by themselves to determine the owls environment and nourishment. This is the third part of a three-part series.
K12 Reader
Meteorologists
Meteorologists and the tools they use are the subject of a reading comprehension worksheet that asks kids to read the attached article and respond to a series of comprehension questions.
Curated OER
Pond-water Populations
Young scholars design and conduct and experiment on algae, for a two week period, to answer the question "In your investigation, how does changing one factor affect the growth of organisms?"
Curated OER
Insulators
Students design and carry out an investigation to test which materials is the best insulator: they predict which way heat energy flows in a system and analyze the flow of energy in a system from one point to another and from one form to...
Curated OER
Density and Buoyancy Experimental Design
Students must plan, design, and conduct an experiment that answers the scientific question: "Come up with a question that addresses the factors (variables) of the water and its effect on whether an object floats or sinks."
Curated OER
Velocity
Students determine the average speed of a toy car as it travels six different distances set up by Students. Three trials are done for each distance. The only requirements is that the longest distance must be at least three times longer...
Curated OER
Seed Growth
Young scholars develop an independent procedure to investigate the germination of two types of seeds. Students must construct data tables or charts to record observations and results, graph the data, and analyze the data.
Curated OER
Stimulus/Response in Invertebrates
Students design and conduct and experiment to determine how invertebrates react to an outside stimulus such as light and other stimuli. Student must develop a clear plan of action, collect data in an organized manner and analyze their...
Curated OER
Water-holding Capacity of Earth Materials
Students design and conduct an experiment to test their ideas about how to speed up or slow down the rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. They have access to an array of physical and chemical factors that might influence enzyme...
Curated OER
The Millikan L'Eggs Experiment
Students discover a pattern to mysterious eggs made by their teacher. In this mass lesson, students must uncover a secret pattern given plastic eggs and a balance. Students find the eggs have been created with a pattern and draw...
Curated OER
Erosion
Students design and conduct an open-ended investigation using a variety of earth materials to answer a questions posed by the teacher: How does the erosion of sand compare with the erosion of gravel? After producing evidence that...
Curated OER
Unknown Liquids
Students must design and conduct an experiment to determine which unknown liquid has a greater density based on basic information about the liquids and containers. Students are given specific materials to work with.
Curated OER
Friction of a Block Weight
Fifth graders hypothesize and design an experiment to study the relationship between a block weight and the number of washers it takes to pull a block across various surfaces. Students graph results and apply their findings to a...
Curated OER
Conceptualizing an Experiment
Students work together to design an experiment. They discover the origin of a family artifact. They analyze the data and discuss the results. They determine if the experiment is the best way to find out this type of information.
Curated OER
Performance-Based Assessments for Basic Electricity Competencies
In this electricity activity, students are assessed given 29 schematics and a competency for each schematic. They find either the conditions found in each schematic, the parameters of the schematic or give an analysis of the schematic...
Curated OER
This Is a Stick Up
Students create a sundial and track the movement of the sun throughout the day. Modifications to the lesson are provided for both lower and upper elementary students.
Curated OER
Design Project: DC Motor
In this DC motor worksheet, the learner answers 3 open-ended questions pertaining to the design of a DC motor. The worksheet is printable and the answers are revealed online.
Curated OER
Periodic Motion - The Pendulum
Students study the concept of periodic motion and relate it to the movement of a pendulum. They discover that the period of a pendulum is dependent on the length of the pendulum and independent of the bob and the amplitude.
Curated OER
Periodic Motion - The Pendulum
Students experiment to determine the period of a pendulum. In this periodic motion lesson, students use different pendulums to determine their periods. They use various amplitudes to determine its effects on the period.
Curated OER
Rocket Riot
Students form "companies" of 3-4 students and build bottle rockets for analysis and experiment. This activity uses NASA's RcketModeler Version 1.2 rocket simulator to evaluate each rocket's flight.