Curated OER
Sound
Fifth graders explore and examine the basic properties of sound. In pairs, they speak through a balloon and listen to the sound vibrations, and listen to a ticking clock or watch through a variety of materials and identify the...
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Matter: Solids Liquids and Gases
Young scholars participate in a science experiment to understand that matter takes up space. In this matter instructional activity, students experiment with solids, liquids and gases to recognize that matter is everywhere. Young...
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The Components of Light
Students are given a mnemonic device to review the light spectrum as it relates to the different components of refracted light. In this components of light lesson, students read Light Magic and review the properties of light. Students...
Geography for Geographers
Five Themes of Iceland
How do the five themes of geography relate to the country of Iceland? Pupils learn about everything from the differences between relative and absolute location to how humans both adapt and change the environment. The presentation...
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Modeling Shadows
Students demonstrate understanding of shadows by creating a physical model of concepts taught.
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What is the Rock Cycle and Its Processes?
Geology beginners examine three different rock samples and determine their origin by their characteristics. By making and recording observations, they become familiar with features of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock types....
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Food & Science - How Healthy is Your Diet?
Learners experiment with various foods to determine fat and starch content. They rub jam, peanut butter, bananas, and other foods in a small circle on a piece of paper, and observe the results. If there is a high fat content in the...
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Classifying Shells
Students observe and classify different types of shells. They compare and contrast an exhibit they created with one that already exists in a musuem. They discover the different characteristics of shells.
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Water and Ice
Students explore water and ice. In this physical science lesson, students participate in a science inquiry and observe the characteristics of ice and water. Students compare the differences between a solid and liquid and record their...
Illustrative Mathematics
Make 9
Learning how numbers are put together as parts and wholes is a big step in building the foundational number sense of young mathematicians. Here, children are given a number less than 10 and are asked to find as many pairs of numbers as...
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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...
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Bicycle Wheel Gyro
Using a bicycle wheel and a rotating stool, young physicists experiment with angular momentum. This is a simple, fun, and educational activity that demonstrates a foundational concept. If you can secure the materials, it is definitely...
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Ice Cream
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...
Teach Engineering
Changing Fields
Eddy currents, Faraday's Law and Lenz's Law provide the connection between train brakes and and MRI machines in a lesson that asks teachers to provided the material needed so the pupils can understand the properties of changing magnetic...
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Putting the Ice in Hockey
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...
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The Miracle Fish: Learning to Design an Experiment
Students develop procedures to explore the behavior of fish. In this scientific experiment instructional activity students from a hypothesis, write a question, identify different variables and controls in their experiment.
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Ice Breakers: A Lab Experience About the Effects of Global Warming on Icecaps
Learners describe the physical properties of ice and speculates on the dangers that icecaps might pose on a global scale. They then demonstrate, through a series of experiments, several physical properties of ice (ability to fracture,...
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Classifying Matter Game
Learners identify the different states of matter. In this chemistry lesson, students differentiate the physical properties of the three states. They apply what they learned by playing a team game at the end of the lesson.
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What Do We Need for Our Picnic?
First graders group objects according to physical characteristics.
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Tackling Taxonomy
Students study physical characteristics of separate phyla and place them into similar groups. This lesson plan is part of a multi-segmented unit on the diversity of life. students develop a classification system by grouping animals into...
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Maintaining Body Heat
Students observe and compare heat loss in various objects with surface area-to-volume ratios and transfer this comparison to the physical characteristics of animals in their environment. In small groups they conduct an experiment...
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"Space" Investigations
Sixth graders understand the patterns of change observable on Earth as a result of the movement of the different bodies in the solar system. They identify the physical characteristics of the different components of the solar system.
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What is Soil?
Students identify the major components of soil, and distinguish different soils based on physical characteristics. They examine various soil samples and record their observations.
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Geography: I Spy Environments
Fourth graders examine nature paintings from a Utah museum for their physical characteristics. In small groups, they observe museum postcards and discuss the season, precipitation, temperature, and geometric shapes pictured. Focusing...