Virginia Department of Education
Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Provide high schoolers with their own indoor gardens! Emerging scientists discuss the process of photosynthesis and germinate seeds before growing plants in multiple lighting conditions. The hands-on application allows...
Virginia Department of Education
Metals, Nonmetals, and Metalloids
How can one easily classify metals, nonmetals, and metalloids? Pupils answer this question as they experiment with unknown substances and perform tests on conductivity, brittleness, and malleability to determine...
Curated OER
Exploring Weather Conditions Through Painting
Your advanced class will paint a picture of a particular weather condition. In this painting lesson young scholars describe elements of art in pieces of artwork. They analyze the weather and seasons in the artwork. The students use...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Population Dynamics
Will human population growth always be exponential, or will we find a limiting factor we can't avoid? Young scientists learn about both exponential and logistic growth models in various animal populations. They use case studies to...
Curated OER
Creation of An Educational Toy, Game, or Story
Seventh graders create a toy, game or story suitable for a young child. They research magazines, catalogs, and child development texts for ideas. Students consider the age and development of the child.
Curated OER
Biofilms Are Everywhere
High schoolers research biofilms and create brochures. They role play as advertising firm members assigned to educate the general public about biofilms. They create "wanted dead or alive" posters about harmful and helpful biofilms...
Curated OER
Physical Science: Solar Energy
Young scholars review and discuss how Solar energy and electricity produce light and heat. They create a photo/picture journal and include pictures taken during solar energy activities to a PowerPoint slide presentation.
Curated OER
Activity Three -- Rutherford's Discovery (Student Page ) A Lab Experiment in Physics
This discovery student page offers students an opportunity to work as a team to discover the shape of an object they cannot see. It is an experiment which parallels particle physicists dilemma in not being able to see very small...
Curated OER
Physics Rewind
Eighth graders differentiate speed and velocity. In this physics lesson, 8th graders explain Newton's laws of motion. They calculate speed using a mathematical formula.
Curated OER
Physical and Chemical Changes
Eighth graders distinguish between physical and chemical change. In this chemistry lesson, 8th graders observe a series of demonstrations showing physical and chemical changes. They identify the signs that a chemical reaction took place.
Curated OER
Skateboard Science
Pupils investigate how skaters can turn in midair. In this physics lesson, students relate Newton's Laws to skateboarding. They carry out the maneuver with the help of their classmate.
Curated OER
Physical Pendulum Lab
Students calculate the moment of inertia of a disc. In this physics activity, students differentiate the two methods used in finding the inertia. They construct their own pendulum for the lab.
Curated OER
Science: All About Fish
Fifth graders describe the physical and behavioral characteristics of fish. In small groups, they complete fish fact sheets by filling in the missing key words. They play a "What Am I?" game by giving clues about various fish for...
Curated OER
Physical Characteristics of the Troposphere
Students examine troposphere graphs and mcompare their hypotheses with data collected by weather balloons launched from the NOAA ship, Ronald H. Brown. they write summaries about the physical properties of the troposphere.
Curated OER
Merging Art and Science?
Students approach science through artwork. In this art and science lesson students work together to develop theories and gather data.
Curated OER
Networking the Internet: A Dynamic Research Tool
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the research of finding information to help them develop new science projects. They conduct research using a variety of resources that includes e-mail and discussion groups.
Curated OER
Habitat is Home
Students complete a picture to show things found in their homes. For this habitat lesson, students discuss and make a class picture of an animal habitat and its four basic needs. Students sing a song. Students create their...
Curated OER
Is There Room for Everybody?
Third graders examine the capacity of animals able to live in one habitat. In this habitat lesson, 3rd graders play a game that shows the food chain and the interactions between animals in an area. Students discover that food is a major...
Curated OER
Fit for Our Future
Students understand the importance of physical fitness as part of a healthy lifestyle. In this health lesson students create a display and presentation about what they learned.
Curated OER
The Case of Similar Substances
Middle schoolers perform tests in the lab to identify an unknown substance. In this physical science lesson plan, students observe the physical and chemical properties of substances. They formulate a conclusion based on experimental...
Curated OER
Floating and Falling Flows
Students discover fluid dynamics related to buoyancy through experimentation and optional photography. Using one set of fluids, they make light fluids rise through denser fluids. Using another set, they make dense fluids sink through a...
Curated OER
Electricity's Attraction
Middle schoolers explore the different features of a roller coaster using an interactive website. In this physical science lesson, students explain the role of science to make this thrill ride possible. They develop a creative...
Curated OER
The Tell-Tale Plume
High schoolers examine hydrothermal vents. In this ocean lesson, students identify changes in physical and chemical properties of sea water caused by hydrothermal vents.
Curated OER
Race the Track! Super Slope (Lesson One)
Fifth graders utilize basic physics concepts to calculate speed of an object set in motion from various heights. In this basic physics lesson, 5th graders make observations, calculations, record data, and conclusions throughout experiment.