Space Awareness
Oceans as a Heat Reservoir
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide and 80 percent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scholars learn how and why the oceans store heat more effectively than land and how they help mitigate global warming. Pupils...
Curated OER
Water in the Geosphere
Through a PowerPoint presentation and the embedded animation and video, earth science enthusiasts find out about the moisture in the soil beneath our feet. In the animation, follow a water molecule on its path through the water cycle. As...
Curated OER
Water Density and Salinity
Learners observe how different water densities control the depth at which different water masses occur. They explain one fact that they comprehend about salt water. Students comprehend that temperature and salinity affect the density...
Curated OER
Molecular Movement in Water Part 1- Diffusion
Students obseve and compare molecular movement within water at various temperatures and of varying salinity. They discuss the movement of water on a larger scale which can affect the movement and concentrations of microbial populations...
Curated OER
Graphing Toad/ Frog Respiration
Learners measure respiratory rates on live toads, and the effect water temperature has on their findings. In this scientific method lesson plan, students record their findings and present them in a graph, comparing the results.
Curated OER
Diving, Flying, & Climbing
Learners explore Boyle's Law. In this Boyle's Law instructional activity, students complete problems involving Boyle's Law. They examine the effects of Boyle's Law upon the human body. Learners use the Internet to complete a lab...
Curated OER
Glacier Dynamics
Students create flubber glaciers. In this glacier dynamics lesson plan, students experiment factors that may affect glacier speed. Factors include slope, ice temperature, and basal conditions. Students develop hypothesis, conduct...
Curated OER
Instruments and Measurement
Students circulate through stations to determine the proper instrument to make a certain type of measurement. They must make measurements of mass, volume, length, area, electrical current, temperature and force.
Curated OER
Inching Our Way through Measurement
Students review how to use an inch ruler and listen to the story, Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni. In this measuring lesson plan, students work in small groups to create an Inch Poster. Students then use an inch ruler to measure different...
Curated OER
Food Safety Lab
Students determine the optimal living conditions for yeast and apply these results to microbes in food. In this microbiology lab lesson plan, students observe the reaction of yeast to elevated temperatures. They relate these results to...
Curated OER
The Affect of Water Temperature on Living Organisms
Students examine the environmental impact of global warming. In this environmental science lesson, students design and conduct an experiment about the effect of temperature on paramecia. They write a lab report about their experiment.
Curated OER
Chemistry Lab-Molar Volume of Gas
Students determine the molar volume of hydrogen gas. In this molar volume lesson plan, students find the molar volume of hydrogen produced in a reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid. They use a eudiometer to measure the volume...
Curated OER
Chemistry Lab-Heat of Fusion
Students determine the heat of fusion of ice. In this heat of fusion lesson plan, students use a calorimeter to measure the molar heat of fusion of ice. Students determine the heat required to melt one mole of ice using hot water and ice...
Curated OER
Enzyme Lab
Students investigate the enzyme catalase. In this enzyme lesson plan, students observe a normal catalase reaction, they observe liver tissue, potato, chicken and apple for the enzyme catalase and they study the effects of temperature and...
Curated OER
Measurement: When Degrees Matter
Eighth graders record the temperature change of the beakers. In this general science lesson plan, 8th graders create their own data table for recording observations. They discuss experimental results and cite real life applications.
Curated OER
Optional Laboratory: Comparing Soil Temperatures In Sun and Shade
Students work together to test the temperatures of different soils in shade and sun. They make their own hypothesis before beginning the experiment. They record their data and discuss as a class.
University of Georgia
Heating and Cooling of Land Forms
Compare heating and cooling rates of different land forms. A lab activity has groups collect data on the rate of heating and cooling of soil, grass, saltwater, fresh water, and sand. An analysis of the rates shows how the different land...
Virginia Department of Education
Heat Transfer and Heat Capacity
It's time to increase the heat! Young chemists demonstrate heat transfer and heat capacity in an activity-packed lab, showing the transitions between solid, liquid, and gaseous phases of materials. Individuals plot data as the...
Wild BC
The Greenhouse Effect: Warming the Earth Experiment
First in a two-part lesson on the greenhouse effect, this lesson involves a classroom demonstration of the phenomenon, and a lab group experiment with color and absorption. Although there are easier ways to demonstrate the greenhouse...
Cornell University
Atomic Bonding
Explore the connection of surface area to bonding within atoms. Learners complete lab investigations to model changing surface area with different sizes and concentrations of atoms. A flour fireball demonstration follows the labs to...
Virginia Department of Education
Partial Pressure
At some point, everyone has been under pressure—even Dalton! Explore Dalton's law of partial pressures with young chemists as they measure the volume of air extracted from a sample compared to its original volume. Class...
Curated OER
Heat and Conduction
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...
Curated OER
Reading the River
In collaborative groups, young ecologists measure the temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen for three different freshwater samples. They examine each sample with a microscope and record observations on the microorganisms in the pond...
Beyond Benign
Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions
How can you tell the difference between endothermic and exothermic reactions? Chemistry scholars perform and observe two chemical reactions, measure the temperature throughout, then draw conclusions about changes in energy from their...