Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore water and ice. In this 3 states of matter lesson, students work with a partner to observe, illustrate, and describe the characteristics of an ice cube in a cup. The ice cube is observed again in 15 minutes and changes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Particulate Matter- How Dirty is the Air We Breathe?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate air pollution. In this air pollution activity, 4th graders test the air quality by using a block of wood and petroleum jelly. Students investigate the pollutants on the wooden block.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Density as a Unique Physical Property

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students find the density of objects by finding their mass and their volume. In this density lesson plan, students determine the mass of objects, the find the volume by using formulas or by water displacement and they calculate the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Materials And Their Properties

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders investigate the particulate level of solids, liquids, and gases. They examine how the particle method show the interplay between scientific theories and evidence.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science-Unit on Matter-Gases

For Teachers 1st
First graders understand that gases take up space even though you can't see or smell it. This is done through many experiments like trapping air in different sized bags, using balloons and plastic bottles, and blowing bubbles. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A World Of Matter

For Teachers 1st
First graders complete a variety of experiments with solids, liquids and gases. They read books about matter, identify the characteristics of solids, liquids and gases and the sort and classify a variety of matter. Students make...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Periodic Table & Its Trends

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students review atomic structure and then participate in a activity in which they categorize several "elements" into some form of order based on their properties. They discuss the trends they see. They also practice several electron...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air: You Can't See It, But It's There!

For Teachers 1st
First graders investigate that air occupies space by performing experiments that show this principle. Students are provided with a lunch bag. Students open the lunch bag and look inside. Students determine if there is anything in their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ready, Set, Let's Dough! It's A Matter Of System

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students discover that everyday substances are composed of parts that make a unique whole. Thsy examine a complex system when they create their own play dough by taking several parts and creating a whole.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why is My Honey Runny?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify the factors that affect viscosity of substances. For this chemistry lesson, students define what viscosity is in their own words. They give real world applications of viscosity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

11 - The Heat Is On

For Teachers K
Students observe physical change of melting by observing substance in original state, melting substance, allowing substance to return to original temperature, determining if substance retained its original properties, and recording results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Anatomy of an Element

For Teachers 5th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Putting the Ice in Hockey

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Eighth grade physical science classes examine why the ice on which hockey is played is slippery. They do so by discussing phases of matter and the molecular motion in each. They read an article on a website and write out answers to...
Lesson Plan
Illustrative Mathematics

Rectangle Perimeter 3

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
This activity looks at writing expressions to represent perimeter of a rectangle and then considers the concept of equivalent expressions and the distributive property in more detail. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Periodic Table of the Elements

For Teachers 1st
First graders discuss, at their level, the concept of elements making up all matter. They discover the story of Dimitri Mendeleev and his discovery of the Periodic Table of the Elements. They locate and color some of the most common...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ice Cream

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Open this instructional activity by giving a brief history of ice cream. Using liquid nitrogen to lower the temperature, preteens make their own confection. The accompanying activity sheet queries learners about freezing point, the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Numbers, Numbers Everywhere!

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Explore properties of integers! In this algebra lesson, pupils add, subtract, divide and multiply using integers correctly. They differentiate between rational and irrational numbers.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Environmental Studies: The Environment Rocks!

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Rock exploration, so exciting! After reading the book Everybody Needs a Rock, the class makes sandwiches to better understand that the Earth is made in layers. They then use a description of the 3 types of rock to conduct an observation...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Liquids in Bottles

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate different liquids to develop their concept of a liquid. They work at a center to tip, swirl, shake, roll, and otherwise investigate seven liquids in small, clear plastic bottles: plain water, corn syrup, liquid...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crystals: What Are They and What Holds Them Together

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students are introduced to the characteristics of crystals and what keeps them together. Using the Periodic Table, they examine the various elements and develop a model of an atom. In groups, they place sugar and salt in petri dishes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

My Science Box

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students investigate snails and their physical and behavioral characteristics.  In this investigative lesson students create a pie chart to show the results of their findings.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

the Wonder of Wetlands

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students explore the importance of the wetland ecosystem, its properties and functions, as well as, the many birds, animals, and plant life found there.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Funny Putty

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Students are introduced to the properties of solids, liquids and gases. They see that colloids are mixtures which display the properties of more than one of these states. They engage in an excellent experiment which demonstrates this fact.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kinetic Molecular Theory

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze and evaluate evidence that matter is made of tiny particles. They observe a series of phenomena involving solids, liquids, and gases to make inferences about the spacing, interactions and relative kinetic energies of the...