Virginia Department of Education
Molar Volume of a Gas
What is a chemist's favorite plant? Stoichiome Tree! Scholars produce hydrogen gas by reacting magnesium with hydrochloric acid. Then they calculate the molar volume of the gas produced before answering assessment questions.
Education Outside
Papermaking
Imagine recycling food scraps and using them to make paper. The directions are all here in a seven-page packet that details several paper-making strategies.
Salt River Project
How Do We Clean Polluted Water?
How do we clean up oil spills and other pollutants in the water? Explore water treatment strategies with a set of environmental science experiments. Groups remove oil from water, work with wastewater treatment, and perform a water...
NASA
Melting Ice: Designing an Experiment
Sometimes, despite the best laid plans, the unexpected will occur. Learners witness this firsthand as they carefully design an experiment to determine the time needed for ice to melt in salt water or pure water. They uncover facts not...
Polar Trec
Down to the Deep Virtual Lab
At a depth of 3,000 m in the ocean, the pressure is 300 times that at sea level! In the activity, individuals predict what will happen to Styrofoam cups submerged 3,000 meters into the ocean. They then convert these units to soccer...
Curated OER
Density And Volume
Sixth graders explore the concept of density as a relationship of an object's mass to its volume. Densities of a variety of objects are compared and used to identify an unknown object.
Curated OER
Density
Learners find the mass, volume, and density of various objects. In this density measurement lesson, students observe how same-sized objects can have different masses, then use water displacement to find the density of each object and...
Curated OER
The Nature of Salt
Students record information from the periodic table for sodium and chloride. They determine whether salts are molecular or ionic compounds, along with sodium chloride's molecular weight, and relative weights
Curated OER
Disguise for the Eyes
Young scientists discover how many, many animals use color as a way of helping them to survive in the wild. They understand how animals use color in their everyday lives. Pupils engage in hands-on activities, watch videos, access...
Virginia Department of Education
Solution Concentrations
What happens when you combine 6.022 times 10 to the 23 piles of dirt into one? You make a mountain out of a mole hill. Scholars use dehydration to obtain percent composition and then calculate the molarity of the original...
NASA
Model Development Assessment Activity
Time to show off what they've learned! The final lesson in the series of six asks young scholars to process their learning from the previous lessons. They identify possible elements of the sun as well as a possible origin.
Purdue University
Design of a Door Alarm
How does electricity work? Budding scientists explore the concepts of electrical currents and open and closed circuits with class discussion and a hands-on activity using a battery to turn on a light bulb. Learners also make predictions...
Curated OER
Plants in Your Gas Tank: From Photosynthesis to Ethanol
Explore ethanol and how it is produced. Young scientists investigate photosynthesis and fermentation to the concept of conservation of energy and mass. They discuss the environmental and economical benefits of ethanol as a fuel additive.
Kenan Fellows
What Is Heat?
If objects have no heat, how do they can gain and lose it? Scholars experiment with heat, temperature, and specific heat of various substances. They create definitions for these terms based on their own conclusions to complete the fourth...
Curated OER
Food & Science - How Healthy is Your Diet?
Learners experiment with various foods to determine fat and starch content. They rub jam, peanut butter, bananas, and other foods in a small circle on a piece of paper, and observe the results. If there is a high fat content in the...
Curated OER
Environmental Studies: The Environment Rocks!
Rock exploration, so exciting! After reading the book Everybody Needs a Rock, the class makes sandwiches to better understand that the Earth is made in layers. They then use a description of the 3 types of rock to conduct an observation...
Curated OER
Classifying Shells
Young scholars observe and classify different types of shells. They compare and contrast an exhibit they created with one that already exists in a musuem. They discover the different characteristics of shells.
Curated OER
Crash Test Dummies
Fifth graders are introduced to Newton's First Law of Motion. In groups, they describe the differences between balanced and unbalanced forces. They participate in experiments that demonstrate how equal and opposite forces act upon...
Curated OER
Floating Soap
Students explore the density of soap. In this science lesson, students conduct an experiment to find which types of soap will float. Students make a hypothesis and record their observations.
Curated OER
Red, Green, and Blue Mystery Liquids! Hypothesis or Inference?
Eighth graders are actively involved in the scientific method and inquiry as they form quick hypotheses based upon a teacher set of mystery liquids. They determine the need to make additional observations of the liquids.
Curated OER
Doing Lewis Dot Diagrams
Learners observe the periodic table and draw the Lewis Dot Diagram. In this investigative lesson students construct information on several elements including the Lewis Dot Formation and take a quiz on the information they...
Curated OER
Detection Detective
Students describe what each detection method uses and rank the wavelengths of each if appropriate. They answer questions about absorption, importance of materials and explain differences. Students make sure they describe diagnostic uses...
Curated OER
Thinking inside the Box: Dangers of Tanning Beds
Young scholars research their assigned position pro- or con- for the statement "The use of tanning beds by teens should be regulated" and write a short position paper. They participate in a debate concerning the statement. Students write...
Curated OER
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts"
Learners read a paper describing Einstein's 1905 papers. They answer five teacher-provided questions in small groups to consider the importance of his findings. Students describe in personal writings what effect they think these findings...