Students measure the amount of surface tension using a balance scale after a classroom demonstration students diagram the appearance of several liquids and label them.

Fourth graders identify a physical change as one that results in a change in size, shape, or state of matter. After an initial teacher-led discussion and demonstration, groups of students get together to perform an experiment which...

Students study about perimeter and the units used to measure perimeter using a variety of materials including their hands, feet, rulers, and computer applets. They understand such attributes as length, area, weight, volume, and size of...

This simple activity is ideal for upper elementary learners when studying physical science. Using their sense of touch to describe how hot something feels, and then comparing their observations to thermometer measurements, they discover...

You know that liquid nitrogen turns into a gas at room temperature. Place some in a two-liter bottle for a physics demonstration of the ideal gas law. Beware, however; this is a dangerous demonstration! Not to mention that you may not...

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Even high schoolers enjoy making ice cream. This laboratory exercise has them record the temperature changes throughout the process of liquid becoming solid, graph the results, and...

Students identify diffusion and its processes through experimentation and calculations. They also use a CBL and conductivity probe to measure the conductivity of various solutions and study the effect of concentration gradients on the...

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...

What's the matter? Gas, solid, liquid, or plasma. The presentation covers how to describe and identify matter, changes in matter, types of matter, measuring matter, particles of matter, Democritus, and John Dalton's Atomic Theory.

Middle school environmentalists record the pH of four different liquids, including two aerosol cleaning products. They liken the products to acid rain and speculate in writing which might affect the human respiratory system. Although...

Students identify and describe three states of water. They predict how water will change states.

Third graders explore forms of matter through reading, hands-on science activities, and research using the Internet. Students create a booklet, directions given, that they title and decorate, to later serve as a review visualization...

In this review of general science worksheet, students classify examples of matter as mixtures or substances, homogeneous or heterogeneous mixtures, or elements or compounds. Students also convert several examples using the standard...

Learners explore water. In this water cycle lesson, students conduct a scientific investigation that requires build a terrarium models of the earth. Learners record their observations of the changes regarding water in the terrarium.

First graders study and define matter. They observe and identify states of matter along with common attributes and study how matter can change form or change its state depending on temperature.

Students explore the states of matter. In this physical science lesson, students observe what happens to water when it freezes and record observations. Students then observe ice when it melts and record observations.

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...

Students explore the field of nanotechnology by examining magnetic field strength in ferrofluids. They use probes attached to a computer program to determine the relationship between magnetic field strength and magnetic field lines.

Take a "conservative" approach to planning your next unit on mass and matter! What better way to answer "But where did the gas go?" than with a lab designed to promote good report writing, research skills, and detailed observation....

It's assessment time! Determine your young mathematicians' understanding of elapsed time with this brief, five-question quiz.

Snow, ice, and water are all composed of H2O. Does that mean they all have the same volume? Discover the ways that the densities of these substances determine their volumes, and how they change based on their current states of...

Blow the minds of young scientists with this collection of inquiry-based investigations. Based on a series of eight videos, these "hands-on, minds-on" science lessons engage young learners in exploring a wide range of topics...

The history of math is fascinating! Utilize a woodcut primary source image from 1492 and posters from the 1930s to help geometers apply their volume-calculation skills to real-life questions. 

Ever wonder why Pluto isn't considered a planet? Or how large the Earth is compared to the other inner planets? Explore the universe with a series of projects that simulate different aspects of our solar system. The activities require...