Virginia Department of Education
Heat and Thermal Energy Transfer
How does radiation affect our daily lives? Answer that question and others with a lesson that discusses radiation and its use in thermal energy transfer through electromagnetic waves. Pupils investigate vaporization and...
NASA
Rocket Wind Tunnel
Using a teacher-built wind tunnel constructed from a paper concrete tube form, a fan, and a balance, individuals determine the amount of drag their rocket design will experience in flight. Pupils make modifications to increase the...
Virginia Department of Education
The Rate of Motion
How much time does it take to jump over three balloons? Pupils calculate the speed of tasks that require different motions. They determine motions for tasks such as walking, skipping, hopping, and jumping before creating a...
Virginia Department of Education
Work and Power
Assist your class with correctly calculating the values for force, work, and power as they determine the amount various activities require. They gather data and participate in a group discussion to compare results upon conclusion of the...
Virginia Department of Education
States and Forms of Energy
Energy is just energy, right? Explain various forms of energy to your young scientists by using an interactive experiment that contains common objects to demonstrate complex concepts. Pupils conduct experiments for radiant, thermal,...
Cornell University
Math Is Malleable?
Learn about polymers while playing with shrinky dinks. Young scholars create a shrinky dink design, bake it, and then record the area, volume, and thickness over time. They model the data using a graph and highlight the key features of...
Curated OER
Rising Waters
Fourth graders rank balls by size from smallest to largest and from lightest to heaviest and then by how much they made the water rise. They then discuss why certain balls make the water rise higher than do other balls.
Curated OER
Colored Dots 1
Students observe that colored markers are a mixture of many different colors by performing a chromatography experiment. They make observations, record information, and make generalized inferences from their observations.
Curated OER
Colored Drops
Students examine the properties of a liquid that contains water and food coloring and a liquid that contains water, food coloring and a liquid detergent. They interpret their data, describe properties, and make reasonable explanations...
Curated OER
Matter
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.
Curated OER
Build Your Own Car
Young scholars design and build their own cars. In this physics lesson plan, students test their car's speed and make changes when necessary. They graph data and analyze results.
Curated OER
More Lizard Snacks
Students listen to Chapter I, Chapter II, Chapter III, and Chapter IV of "The Forgetful Pony". They observe different stages of development of mealworms. The student sequences pictures to show the life cycle and draws the developmental...
Curated OER
Swingers
Students investigate the motion of a swinging pendulum. They experiment with a pendulum to find out why it might swing at different speeds at different times.
Curated OER
Observing Objects
Pupils observe the motion of both a pendulum and a spring pendulum . They then explain the differences and the similarities between the two types of motions.
Curated OER
Interdisciplinary Task: Weather
Students design a chart to use to record the weather for five days. They then build an anemometer to record wind speed and discover why they are used for this purpose.
Curated OER
Predator/Prey Relationship
Students study and analyze data collected on the relationship between the snowshoe hare and lynx in Canada over a 28 year period and create a graph. Students also write a response to a proposal to reduce the lynx population.
Curated OER
Sorting and Classifying with Tree Products
Fourth graders sort and classify wood. In this sorting tree products lesson, 4th graders sort and classify tree parts and pieces of wood, both natural and manufactured according to their properties.
Curated OER
Data
Students collect data from an experiment they perform. In this data lesson, students use multiple representations to solve practical problems; describe advantages and disadvantages of the use of each representation. Then, they evaluate...
Curated OER
Life Science: My Pyramid
Students examine how the school food program compares to the food pyramid recommendations. For this food pyramid lesson, students compile data regarding the food choices available in the school through the lunch program and vending...
Curated OER
Water Wonders
Students experiment with the cohesion of water molecules. In this surface tension instructional activity, students estimate how many drops of water a full glass can take before overflowing. They watch a video that explains water molecules.
Curated OER
Chemistry Is a Gas
Students investigate the gas laws and how they apply to changes in gases. In this gas laws lesson, students use Boyle's Law and Charles' law to show the relationships between pressure and volume and volume and temperature of gases.
Curated OER
Fun Activities Using Seeds
Students analyze the size, shape, and form of several different seeds. In this all about seeds lesson plan, students complete four activities involving characteristics of seeds. Students observe the seeds, record information about the...
Curated OER
Just a Little Bit of Effort: Exploring Levers
Students build models of types of levers. In this simple machines lesson, students use dowels and modified wooden rulers to build different types of levers. They compete to create the most efficient lever in the class.
Curated OER
The Sun as the Driving Force of the Water Cycle
Students study the water cycle and how the sun is an important factor. In this water cycle lesson students investigate how to desalinate water and explore the different densities of fresh versus saltwater.