Virginia Department of Education
Planet Line-Ups
Should Pluto be considered a planet or a dwarf planet? Scholars research planets in our solar system to understand their similarities and differences. It also includes memory activities related to the order of the planets.
Virginia Department of Education
Chemical Bonds
How are chemical bonds similar and how are they different? Provide your young chemists with the resources to more thoroughly understand the concepts of ionic and covalent bonds. Pupils research these topics, diagram examples of each...
Teach Engineering
Surface Tension Lab
What constitutes a good soap bubble? In the second installment of a nine-part series, scholars apply their understanding of surface tension to soap bubbles. They experiment to determine the best solutions to use for the...
Beyond Benign
Breaking the Tension
The tension builds as learners experiment in your classroom. The 17th installment in a 24-part series has scholars investigate the concept of surface tension. After discovering characteristics of surface tension, they add a compound...
Curated OER
We're Off To the Races!
Second graders use a magnet to "race" objects from one side of a racing track to another. They predict what the results are, then run the race. Pupils sort and graph which items were successfully moved, they attempt to race again. This...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
What is the Water Cycle? Activity B
Curious physical scientists follow a lesson on the properties of water with this lesson on distillation. They observe a miniature water cycle model that filters dirty water into clean water. These two lessons combined are an enriching...
Curated OER
How Photocells Work
Give small groups of physical scientists tokens that represent electrons in a photovoltaic cell. They play a dice game in which they move the tokens around, representing the flow of electrons through the p-n junction of a semiconductor...
Curated OER
Solutions
In this solutions worksheet, students determine colligative properties, calculate specific heat, and review the kinetic theory as it applies to gases. This worksheet has 8 multiple choice and 9 problems to solve.
Curated OER
Castaway or Survivor
What a clever idea! Chemistry learners imagine themselves deserted on an island with a radio, but no batteries. They also have a few odds and ends in their pockets and storage chest. They are challenged to create a battery that will...
Curated OER
Simplicity of Electricity
Students examine how to make an electrical circuit. They listen to a teacher led discussion, design a switch to control a circuit, and construct a signaling device.
Curated OER
Paul Revere and Point of View
Students analyze the engraving of Paul Revere to make a judgment about the time period of the Boston Massacre. The objective is that one creates an account of the event from the perspective of a British soldier.
Curated OER
temperature and the Scientific Method Lesson Plan
Sixth graders study heat, temperature, and heat transfer. Using probeware, the teacher demonstrates boiling points. Students participate in experiments and record the beginning and ending temperatures and mass of objects. After...
Curated OER
The Shape of Things
Fourth graders develop their writing skills. In this paragraph structure instructional activity, 4th graders research natural disasters, compile their findings, create mobiles and write stories based on the mobiles.
Curated OER
Old Made New
Students explore recycling. In this science lesson, students sort everyday objects based on their properties. Students view examples of items made from recycled paper. Students create recycled paper.
Intel
Prototyping
I need something to test. The three sessions in this lesson have individuals build and test a prototype of their design. The first two sessions are devoted to prepping for the prototype by drawing up specifications and materials. The...
Mr. E. Science
Electric Charges and Current
Resistance is not futile, it is voltage divided by current. The presentation goes in depth covering electric charges, conductors, insulators, electric fields, static charges, and circuits. The lesson is the 12th in a series of 26.
Curated OER
Chemical Bonding and Shapes of Molecules
In this chemical bonds worksheet, students review the different types of bonds, Lewis dot structures, ions, and molecule shapes. This worksheet has 10 matching, 17 multiple choice, and 3 drawing questions.
Curated OER
Minerals and Rock Cycle Review
In this minerals and rocks instructional activity, students answer questions about the chemistry of minerals, scratch tests, rocks and the rock cycle, and erosion and deposition.
Curated OER
Chemical Elements
In this informational text comprehension worksheet, student read the passage about Chemical Elements and complete 11 multiple choice questions about the passage.
Curated OER
The Halogens
In this chemistry worksheet, students answer 24 questions related to properties of halogens. They fill in the table with the correct answers and participate in teacher demo.
Curated OER
Changes Inside Planets
Students relate meteorites to the mantle and crust of asteroids. In this planetary lesson students complete experiments to model the separation of light.
Curated OER
What Influences Reaction Rate?
Learners study reaction rates, what determines how fast a reaction happens and how the chemical changes occur. In this reactions lesson students complete a lab where they use Alka-Seltzer to observe reaction rate and create a graph...
Curated OER
Atmospheric Processes - Radiation
Students investigate how different surfaces absorb heat, and how the physical characteristics of a surface have a powerful effect on the way a surface absorbs and releases heat from the sun.
Curated OER
Make a Battery From a Lemon
Fifth graders construct a voltaic battery. They change chemical energy into electrical energy by inserting copper wire into a lemon. They discover the tingle of the wire on their tongue is due to the movement of electrons.