Students participate in a small group read aloud of the short story, "Cerium" by Primo Levi. They answer several questions about the story and then relate the reading to a lecture on Kinetic theory. After the lecture they apply the...

Fifth graders observe how water changes phase through a teacher-led demo. In this earth science instructional activity, 5th graders relate the demo to the water cycle. They draw and label each stage of the cycle.

Students analyze and evaluate evidence that matter is made of tiny particles. They observe a series of phenomena involving solids, liquids, and gases to make inferences about the spacing, interactions and relative kinetic energies of the...

Students discover the moon's phases and the rarity of eclipses. In this lunar lesson, students view a video titled Spin Around the Solar System: A Moon Dance, which demonstrates the key differences between a lunar and solar eclipse....

Students explore objects before and after heating using their senses.  In this matter and energy lesson, students experiment with a variety of objects and use their senses (except taste) to make predictions and record observations...

Students place themselves in the position of a water molecule, ice molecule, or steam molecule and then describe the process of changing phase.

Students examine how candles work and how scientific theories are developed and tested. Students propose hypotheses about what is burning in a candle then perform tests in order to develop their scientific theory. After a teacher...

Students identify fossils. They identify evidence of change over time when given pictures of fossils to determine the proper sequencing. In addition, they determine evolutionary relationships by comparing embryonic structures.

Hate to vacuum, but enjoy using a vacuum pump? Explore a instructional activity that starts with a demonstration of boiling water at various temperatures by using a vacuum pump. Then scholars design their own experiments to measure vapor...

Student teams use a digital camcorder and iMovie to create a commercial about an element. They also use the Internet and their textbook to gather the following information about their element: the name, the symbol, the atomic number, the...

Students explore the physical process of melting. They observe melting ice and answer questions related to energy transfer during phase changes.

Ninth graders discover the reasoning behind spraying water on fruit and seedlings in preparation for hard freezes. In this conceptual physics lesson, 9th graders conduct an experiment to measure the heat released when water goes from a...

Third graders identify the phases of the moon. They use technology to access websites on the Internet dealing with the moon.

Fifth graders complete a instructional activity which has them place a list of gases in order from the least to the most dense. The density in grams is given for each. There's a good paragraph which provides background knowledge about...

This is actually a 10-day mini unit on thermal energy for your high school chemists. Every avenue is taken to get learners absorbed in heat: a pretest, a PowerPoint presentation, Internet exploration, demonstrations, lab activities, and...

Third graders experiment with common household liquids and solids. In this chemical reaction lesson, 3rd graders discuss phase changes and experiment to find other ways to create gases. They use water, vinegar, lemon juice, flour, baking...

For this mixtures worksheet, students fill in 7 blanks, determine if 4 statements are true or false, match 7 terms with the appropriate definitions, and solve 2 problems. These include topics such as homogeneous and heterogeneous...

High schoolers apply the ideal gas law and Dalton's Law of Partial Pressure to develop an experiment which determine the molar mass of butane from disposable lighters. In small groups, they develop a procedure and have it approved...

Students study the different types of metals.  In this investigative lesson students watch a demonstration on the effects of temperature on atoms and take a tour through baone matter.

Searching for a relatively interesting way to demonstrate Charles' Law? Here is a lesson in which pupils heat air inside a flask and then cool the flask to quickly cool the air. They make observations about what occurs during the...

Messenger's sun shade measures 8 ft x 6 ft and will have temperatures reaching 700 degree Fahrenheit on the outside while maintaining a cool 70 degrees underneath. In the third activity of four, groups discuss the basic properties of...

Throughout 10 lessons, fourth graders learn how to plan, organize, write, and edit their own personal narratives. In the beginning, young writers come up with ideas of personal experiences and the emotions linked with those experiences....

Young scientists discover that air is a mixture of different gases - mainly nitrogen and oxygen. The properties of some of the other gases found in oxygen are listed in a table, then learners must decide which one of those gases is...

Learners explore the effects that extreme temperatures have on the material properties of solids. They investigate the properties of a material whose state depends on extreme temperatures and witness how it interacts with room...