CK-12 Foundation
The Marina
Breakwaters offer marinas and beaches protection from large ocean waves, but how do they work? Scholars observe wave patterns and wave amplitude during the simulation. They control the number of openings, width of openings, distance...
Columbus City Schools
Making Waves
Learning about waves can have its ups and downs, but a demo-packed tool kit has the class "standing" for more! Learners gain experience with several different wave types, organizing observations and data, and wave...
Curated OER
Chemical Fun
Fifth graders observe and conduct a variety of experiments to differentiate between physical and chemical changes. They mix cabbage juice with different liquids and record their observations on a chart. Students write down their...
Curated OER
Fun With Chemical Changes
Fifth graders observe and identify the differences between chemical and physical changes. In small groups they mix different substances together in glass beakers, and identify which had a chemical change, supporting their statements...
Curated OER
Mother-Infant Observation
Students observe a mother and infant playing for ten minutes. In this mother-infant observation lesson, students evaluate the infant's activity according to physical characteristics, locomotion, communication, and patterns of...
Curated OER
It's not just pretty - it's a survival method!
First graders write explanations for why certain animals can only live in certain environments. In this animal survival lesson plan, 1st graders take pictures of animals and place them into the right environment after a instructional...
Curated OER
Chemical Reactions
In this chemical reaction worksheet, students investigate the results of mixing calcium chloride with sodium bicarbonate. They observe the chemical and physical changes that occur, identify the properties of the chemical before and after...
Curated OER
Winogradsky Column Unit
Students are introduced to two changes, physical and chemicl, in order to prepare them to comprehend what changes take place in a Winogradsky Column. They participate in two activities including completion of a worksheet, balloon...
Curated OER
The Life Cycle of a Star
Students investigate the life cycle of a star and make conclusions based on evidence, research, and observation. In this lesson on space and scientific investigation, students describe the relationships between science and...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore water. In this water lesson, students explore the physical properties and states of water. They observe how water changes states and document what they see.
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore the physical properties of water. For this water lesson, students explore water as it changes states. They observe, measure and use communication skills to describe change.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
How Dry am I? Exploring Biomimicry and Nanotechnology
Help your classes feel like they can walk on water! An engaging inquiry-based lesson has young scholars experiment with different surface coatings. They make observations about their properties and how they relate to the surface tension...
Keeping a Betta
Swim with the fishes. Class members observe, research, and record physical characteristics of Betta fish. They change the environment of the aquarium by adding rocks and plants and observe any reactions the fish have to the new environment.
American Chemical Society
Flame Out
Add a little heat to your science lesson. Young experimenters work to understand the chemical reaction taking place when a candle burns. They experiment with both oxygen and carbon dioxide to make conclusions about the reaction.
Teach Engineering
Both Fields at Once?
An MRI uses both a magnetic and electricity, so how do the two interact with each other? Class members observe the effects on a charged particle when it is subject to both an electrical and magnetic field. The teacher background...
Teach Engineering
Preconditioning Balloons: Viscoelastic Biomedical Experiments
What does stretching a balloon have to do with equilibrium? Groups explore preconditioning by stretching a balloon to a point of equilibrium. They then measure the amount of force required to stretch the balloon to the same point several...
American Chemical Society
Float and Sink
We're not talking about the kitchen sink. Learners explore what types of objects sink and float in water in an inquiry-based lesson. With experimentation, they find similarities between materials that float and those that sink.
American Chemical Society
Mysterious M&M's
The first in a six-lesson mini unit, all using M&Ms® candies, this physical science activity gets kids to observe a single piece and discover what happens when it is placed in a plate of water. The activity can be used to...
American Chemical Society
Evaporation
This is one in several lessons that explore the relationship between temperature and phase changes of water. After some discussion, elementary physical scientists place wet paper toweling on a hot and a room-temperature water bag...
American Chemical Society
Exploring Moisture on the Outside of a Cold Cup: For Dry Environments
If the area you live in is arid, or the preceding experiment in this unit didn't yield obvious results, use this one in place of it to help reveal where condensation comes from. The mini unit that this is part of a comprehensive...
American Chemical Society
Solubility Test
Make sure to consult the teacher's handbook, Inquiry in Action - Investigating Matter Through Inquiry, for two demonstrations that can be done to introduce solubility and measuring crystal mass before having the class conduct this...
Curated OER
It's a Penguin's Life!
Learners will be studying the penguin community to observe the physical characteristics of the penguin and the relation it has to its community through a distance learning project with the Detroit Zoo.
Curated OER
Discovering Dinosaurs
Students investigate the physical characteristics of dinosaurs. They participate in a puppet show, take a field trip to a dinosaur museum, and compare/contrast dinosaur characteristics at the museum.
Curated OER
Properties of Air
Fourth graders participate in a demonstration lesson using bubbles in which they determine that air fills the bubbles. Next, they work in small groups as they they experiment with the properties of air at separate work stations. After...