Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Liquid Logic: Experiments in Viscosity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine specific characteristics of liquids through a hands-on lab activity. An experiment with teacher prepared viscosity tubes is conducted in which liquid identities are predicted based on data. A hypothesis is written to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Indoor Air: What's the Matter?

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Students investigate the variety and amount of particulate matter in the air. They locate the general sources of pollution for a specific area and develop some suggestions for improving air quality.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate the states of matter. In this physics lesson, students use water and ice to demonstrate the characteristics of a solid and liquid. Students record their observations as the state of the water changes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students examine water. In this chemistry lesson, student examine the physical properties of water and how it changes from a liquid to a solid or a gas. This lesson contains links to a second and third complimentary lesson on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Does Altitude Relate To Density?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students demonstrate an understanding of the properties of matter by applying them to density, pressure, and temperature. The educational software program, "Foilsim" is used in this inquiry.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Animal Habitats: Winter Changes

For Teachers K
Students explore animals during the winter months. They discuss the changes that animals make during winter in order to survive. Students discuss migration, hibernation, and staying active during winter months. Students create various...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Day the Atom Died (Grade K-1)

For Teachers K - 1st
Students investigate what is wrong with the Rutherford atomic model. In this chemistry lesson, students answer questions about the atomic model after watching a video. They draw conclusions from the video and discuss how the atomic model...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Model Mania

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study the conservation of matter.  In this chemical reaction lesson plan students examine what happens during a chemical reaction and complete a lab activity. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students study the liquid and solid states of water. In this water states lesson, students complete three experiments to study water as it cycles from a liquid state to a solid state and back. Students finish with a Venn Diagram...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Project Geode

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students predict the appearance of a geode's internal structure based on its mass and density. They form a hypothesis based on the data they collect. They also identify common minerals found in Illinois.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Pupils 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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore the physical properties of water.  In this water instructional activity, students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state. There are 2 extensions for this instructional activity that one can access...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marshland Ecosystem

For Teachers K - 12th
Students classify animals based on their physical characteristics and eating habits.  For this animal identification lesson plan, students investigate the life forms shown on a Parisian ceramic basin, and discover ecosystem the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Breaking it Down

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discover how water expands when frozen during a glacier. In this matter lesson, students fill a glass jar with water, leaving no room for air in the jar and place it in the freezer.  Students retrieve the jar and notice the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reaction Rates and Catalysis in Ethanol Production

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students investigate alternative catalysts for the degradation of hydrogen peroxide.  In this fermentation lesson students complete an activity that breaks down cellulose into sugar. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Renewable Energy Plants in Your Gas Tank: From Photosynthesis to Ethanol

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students examine the role photosynthesis plays in plant survival.  In this renewable energy instructional activity students document their observations and analyze and interpret their results. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

States of Water

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students investigate the 3 states of matter. In this physical science "matter" lesson, students observe and participate in a number of demonstrations involving melting and freezing water. Students observe the effect heat has on changing...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balloons: Math with the Montgolfier Balloon

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discover the history of hot air balloons by watching one ascent.  For this physics lesson, students utilize a Montgolfier Hot Air Balloon from an earlier lesson and record the temperature, rate of ascent and the volume....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Communications

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students incorporate different disciplines into this lesson. In this science lesson, students investigate the use of communicating without words, and how it is different than communicating with words. They discuss the pros and cons of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Volume of Gas

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate the effect of temperature on the volume of a gas in a closed container. They measure the height of the water in their beaker/container, conduct their experiment, and create a graph to illustrate their data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Circle of Pong

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Learners, in groups, use given materials to devise a way to deposit a ping-pong ball into a paper cup that is located in the middle of a 6-foot diameter circle, while standing outside the circle.
Lesson Plan
NASA

Einstein's Gravity

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Assist your high school class with researching and applying the principles of gravity so they may further understand why Einstein is so widely recognized, even today. Individuals compare and contrast two different models that demonstrate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shape Matters More!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate shapes as the area changes while the perimeter remains the same. Students demonstrate the shape/perimeter/area relationship using simulations and physical models.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Matter and Energy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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...