Curated OER
Supernova Chemistry
Using spectroscopes, high school astronomy, physics, or chemistry learners observe emission spectra from several different sources. This stellar NASA-produced lesson plan provides terrific teacher's notes and a student handout. Make sure...
NASA
NASA Engineering Design Challenges - Spacecraft Structures
What kind of design challenges are there in building structures to support rocket engines? The unit takes design teams through the process of building the lightest possible thrust support structure that can withstand the necessary forces...
Curated OER
Water Pressure Blaster
Third graders complete an experiment to introduce them to the concept of water pressure. In this water pressure lesson plan, 3rd graders create pressure in a water bottle and observe the force of water that is created.
Rainforest Alliance
Forests of Guatemala
With 90 percent of its land area covered in forests, Suriname, a country in South America, contains the largest percentage of forests throughout the world. Here is an activity that brings classmates together to learn about the...
Curated OER
Squid Races
Learners imitate squid propulsion using a balloon and experience Newton's third law: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Various anatomical designs are tested and analyzed. They calculate the speed of each squid...
Curated OER
Oobleck and the Mystery Powders
Students listen to the book, "Oobleck," by Dr. Suess before experimenting with mystery powders. They determine the proper ratio of powder to liquid to make the Oobleck.
Curated OER
Bringing the Solar System Down to Earth
Students develop a scaled down model of the solar system. In small groups, they calculate the scaled-down diameters of the planets and the sun, the scaled-down distance of the planets from the sun, complete two charts, and create a...
Curated OER
Look Ma! I'm a Rocket Scientist!
Pupils use a ball to push and pull to demonstrate the concept of force. In this force lesson plan, students talk about the importance of force in space and use balls to demonstrate this phenomena.
Curated OER
Schoolyard Bird Project
Students observe and count bird sightings around their schoolyard throughout the school year.
Curated OER
Team Apollo
Seventh graders brainstorm about problems with a school track. They research different possibilities for a solution. They test different track materials with erosion, durability, abrasiveness and resiliency. They determine the area,...
Curated OER
Newtonian Mechanics
Students familiarize themselves, through teacher demonstration, with Gavendish's apparatus first used for experimentally determining the value of the Universal Gravitational Constant G, and calculate theoretical value of Earth's...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Effects of Friction on a Moving Block
Students investigate how friction affects the movement of a block across surface areas. They test five different kinds of surfaces—smooth surface, wax paper, a paper towel, course, and fine sandpaper. They predict and record the results...
Curated OER
Jupiter and Io
In this Jupiter and Io worksheet, students use a diagram of the planet and its moon to find the dimension of the image, the width of the largest feature in the atmosphere of Jupiter, the width of the smallest feature in the atmosphere of...
Curated OER
Density Derby
Students explore the relationship between mass, volume and density. They use model boats to discover how changing mass and volume affect density. This is a very engaging instructional activity which provides great demonstrations and...
Curated OER
Water on Mars!
In this water on Mars worksheet, students use a diagram to answer four questions about the structures in the image. They find the dimensions of the image, the width of the streams half-way down their flow channels, the smallest feature...
Curated OER
A Geological Puzzle
Students compare and contrast the various types of rocks on each continent. In groups, the calculate the rock ages and types to determine if the continents, in their opinion, were joined at one time. They develop two imaginary...
Curated OER
The River Ran Through It
Students identify the processes that shape our rivers and form our lakes. They participate in hands-on and multimedia activities as they discover and apply the river-cutting processes of water.
Curated OER
The Science and Technology of Food
Students examine the guidelines the United States Department of Agriculture places on food. In groups, they create a list of the foods they consume and discuss the political and environmental implications of purchasing the food. They...
Curated OER
Numbers in Art
Students choose a number from one to twelve and tell a number story about it. They listen to the teacher read "Numbers in Art" by Lucy Micklethwait. Students choose three numbers from one to twelve and view works of art while looking for...
Curated OER
Food Label Fun
Third graders demonstrate how to read and analyze food labels. In this nutrition lesson, 3rd graders watch a food label video and investigate labels from various canned foods. Students create a chart showing the percentage of vitamins...
Curated OER
Human Fingerprints: No Two the Same
Sixth graders explore scientific observations by analyzing a group of data. In this fingerprint identification instructional activity, 6th graders identify the reasoning behind fingerprinting and create their own ink fingerprints....
Curated OER
Understanding Cloud Formation
Learners view a demonstration that simulates cloud formation. They read a poem about clouds, participate in a class demonstration using warm water and ice and write a paragraph summarizing their observations.
Curated OER
PLANETS IN PROPORTION
Students discover scales for both the solar bodies' relative sizes and their distances from the sun. They find equatorial circumference and volumes of their solar bodies. Students apply estimation strategies and proportioanl reasoning to...
Curated OER
Sound and Hearing
Students discover how sound is produced by objects and picked up and heard by humans. Using musical instruments, they identify how the quality can affect the loudness, pitch and tone of the sound. They develop their own instrument or a...