Curated OER
Circuit Diagrams: Switching Circuits
Use a lab sheet on circuit diagrams in your electricity unit. Fifth graders draw two series circuits with diagrams, based on two examples. A science experiment prompts learners to use 3x5 cards to illustrate the way a series circuit works.
CPO Science
Potential and Kinetic Energy
Here's a resource ideal for independent learners who need extra reinforcement or would like to work ahead. These textbook chapters and practice problems cover many basic physics concepts, starting with potential and kinetic energy and...
PBS
Arguing over Area
With the help of the Area Officers and Perimeter Patrol, you learners will develop a better understanding of area and its relationship to perimeter. First, they view a video clip from Cyberchase, and then they visit a website to...
Chymist
Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz
One of the most recognizable commercial melodies was written in 1977, and led to gastronomical relief around the world. Scholars use Alka Seltzer tablets to measure reactants and calculate the chemical equation for the reaction of NaHCO3...
Curated OER
Know Your Angles
Explore types of angles and the characteristics of each. After observing a PowerPoint Presentation, learners tour the school facilities and use a digital camera to capture prescribed angles. Using the digital pictures and written...
Cornell University
Glued into Science—Classifying Polymers
Explore the unique characteristics of polymers. A complete lesson plan begins with a presentation introducing polymers. Following the presentation, young scientists develop a laboratory plan for creating substances using polymers....
Curated OER
Spoonfuls, Cupfuls and Handfuls
Explore the use of non-standard units for measuring volume with elementary learners. They fill a container and count the number used using cups, spoons, and bottles, build with blocks and count the number of blocks used, and compare and...
Curated OER
Speed
Fifth and sixth graders practice working in pairs to determine whether they can walk with constant speed. They test themselves, collect their data, draw graphs with their data collected, manipulate the data, and then draw conclusions...
Curated OER
Newton's Laws
Eighth graders distinguish between and apply Newton's Laws. They take a quiz reviewing Kinetic and Potential Energy. Students explain that they have just demonstrated Newton's three laws of motion. They also explain what forces are...
Curated OER
How Do You Measure Up?
Students measure their body. In this measurement lesson plan, students use a string to measure their height and the circumference of their head. They record this information on the worksheet provided and answer questions as a group.
Mabry MS Blog
Scatter Plots
Scatter plots are a fun way to gather and collect relevant data. The presentation goes through several examples and then describes the different types of correlation.
Curated OER
Maximize It!
Pupils design a rectangular box without a lid that has the largest possible volume using the supplied sheet of centimeter graph paper. They work in groups to construct different size boxes to determine the largest possible volume and...
Curated OER
Newton's Laws of Motion
Ninth graders utilize Newton's Laws of Motion to explain how things move, create poster illustrating each law of motion, and present and explain their poster to classmates.
Curated OER
Money in Action
Students become familiar with the various coins in our money system as well as amount of each coin. They help develop their ability to count change and find different ways to show equal amounts.
Curated OER
Cover and Boarders
Students find the area and perimeter of rectangular figures. They use this information to find patterns and discover relationships between area and perimeter. Students apply and explain formulas relating to perimeter, area, and volume.
Curated OER
Pacing a Gunther Chain
Students pace a Gunther Chain, a measurement used by foresters to determine distance and area. They discuss that pacing is individualized depending on age, gender, etc. They practice to find an average pace. Teams estimate, pace and...
Curated OER
Shadow Casting
Eighth graders use a meter stick that is placed on a horizontal surface and an object is moved along it so that the shadow length can be measured at different distances from the light source. They solve real-world problems involving...
Curated OER
A Special Relationship
Students discover the relationships of the lengths of the sides of right triangles and right triangles using a series of drawings on dot paper. They investigate and solve problems of standard (customary and metric units) and non-standard...
Curated OER
Maps and Modes, Finding a Mean Home on the Range
Fifth graders investigate data from maps to solve problems. In this data lesson, 5th graders study maps and collect data from each map. Students present their data in a variety of ways and calculate the mode, mean, median, and range.
Curated OER
Telling Time to 5 Minutes
In this second grade lesson your class will practice telling time. The goal is to tell time to five minutes using an analog clock. Your young students count by 5 minute intervals and discuss elapsed time.
Curated OER
Anatomy of an Element
Learners discuss matter and atoms using this resource. First, they look at a website describing atoms. Then, they learn about the periodic table and discuss how it is organized. Finally, they create a comic strip to display their...
Curated OER
Exploring Area and Perimeter
Two students are blindfolded and each receives a cardboard square, one with pompoms glued around the edge and one with pompoms glued all over the surface. They identify what they feel. The class discusses perimeter and area of polygons....
Curated OER
Sports Helmets and Impact Testing of Polymers
Students examine the importance of good quality safety gear. In this investigative lesson, students will tests various polymers, collect data, and analyze the data to determine which polymer is best for safety helmets. They will design a...
Curated OER
Creating the Ideal Cargo Boat
Students build boats out of clay to test the buoyancy of the boat in water. Students break into pairs and construct their boat to specific guide lines, then experiment with their boat in the water.