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

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 instructional activity, students answer questions about the atomic model after watching a video. They draw conclusions from the video and discuss how...
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

Model Mania

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study the conservation of matter.  In this chemical reaction lesson 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 instructional activity, 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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Project Geode

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars 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
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

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

Breaking it Down

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

Marshland Ecosystem

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

Things Are Heating Up

For Students 9th - 10th
In this science worksheet, learners read about chemical changes. Students also answer 3 comprehension questions about the reading.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

States of Water

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students investigate the 3 states of matter. In this physical science "matter" lesson plan, students observe and participate in a number of demonstrations involving melting and freezing water. Students observe the effect heat has on...
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.  In this physics lesson plan, students utilize a Montgolfier Hot Air Balloon from an earlier lesson plan and record the temperature, rate of ascent and the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Communications

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers incorporate different disciplines into this lesson. For 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...
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
Students, 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.
Activity
Exploratorium

Balancing Stick

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Have some physical science fun when studying the center of gravity or center of mass. Simply have balancing artists stand a dowel on one finger and keep it from falling over! A lump of clay is added and moved up along the dowel over a...
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...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Chemistry: Section Review

For Students 10th - 12th
Review the 5 branches of chemistry and related terms with this worksheet. The focus of these activities is on terms and definitions. Learners answer questions about the study of chemistry, reasons to study chemistry, and pure and applied...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shape Matters More!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Pupils 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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Speedway

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders observe changes in matter caused by the addition of heat. They participate in a physical education activity where they deal with science concepts. They have a knowledge of how particles act in water when heated.