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Kitchen Chemistry
Fifth graders examine both physical and chemical changes, and how to identify the difference between the two. They observe the changes that occur in butter when it is exposed to heat and cold, heat energy. In their notebooks, they write...
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Reflect and Refract
Students explore light. In this properties of light instructional activity, students define the terms refract, reflect, and diffract after listening to the teacher's description. Students listen to the book Light Magic and observe a...
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Rocks and Soil
Middle schoolers explore the physical properties of rocks. They explore the three different types of rocks and are able to compare and contrast their different properties. Students simulate the creation of sedimentary rock, they also...
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Density and Mass
Learners experiment to find which liquids are more dense. In this density and mass lesson, students predict and then test objects to observe and measure their density. learners observe which items sink and float. Students complete...
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Collecting and Classifying Pollen
Learners collect and analyze pollen from different species of plants. In small groups, they classify pollen according to shape, size and physical characteristics. They draw the basic anatomy of flowering plants and create a dichotomous...
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What's the Matter? (Grades 6-7)
Students explain the physical properties of matter. They, in groups, perform a variety of experiments, each demonstrating a different property of matter. A very nice, hands-on lesson!
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Inter-State Matters
Students explore the six phase transitions between gases, liquids and solids for a variety of elements. Each group of students focuses on a different element, investigating its physical properties during each of the six phase transitions.
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Characteristics of Matter
Students study matter. In this science lesson plan, students examine the relationships among gravity, weight, and mass, the metric measurement of distance and volume, and density and its application to physical properties.
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Density: Float or Sink
Students discover density. In this density lesson, students discover the properties of objects that allow them to float or sink in water.
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The Chemical Nature of Water
Seventh graders simulate a Jeopardy game to examine the chemical nature of water. Among the topics featured are evaporation, water, salt, and temperature. finally, as review, 7th graders answer a battery of questions presented by the...
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Fresh Water and land of Kiribati and Hawaii (Molokai)
Fourth graders examine the islands of Hawaii. Using this information, they organize it and create a map or graph that represents the data. As a class, they discuss how the watersheds on the islands are different and how people react to...
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Sea Water Mixing and Sinking
Learners investigate the role of temperature and salinity in determining seawater density. They use a Temperature-Salinity Diagram to examine the effects of mixing on density.
NASA
Christa's Lost Lesson: Effervescence
How are chemical reactions affected by gravity? Learners explore the phenomenon of effervescence as part of the Christa's Lost Lessons series. They compare findings in an experiment on effervescence to a video of a similar experiment in...
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Physical Science: Festival of Bubbles
Investigate bubbles through the use of scientific inquiry. Pupils blow bubbles using several methods and measure the resulting bubble print. Measurements are recorded on a data table and transferred to a bar graph. Results are discussed...
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Physics Post-Lab
Students explore physics. In this science activity, students discuss physics in their everyday lives. Students complete a physics worksheet.
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Mission Planning: Earth/Mars Comparisons
Students compare and contrast conditions on Mars to those on our own planet, specifically, their local or regional environments. The physical characteristics, the atmosphere, and other astronomical data is considered.
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How Structure Can Affect Properties Through Phase Changes
Middle schoolers discuss how changing the structure of atoms and molecules can change the properties of a substance. They brainstorm and review their own examples of phase change with the help of a phase change diagram. Students describe...
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Latent Heat and Clouds
Learners explore latent heat and how it relates to clouds in the atmosphere. In this earth science lesson students investigate how clouds are formed. Learners examine clouds and the water cycle.
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Changes in Nature
Fifth graders explore changes in nature. They identify chemical and physical changes in the water cycle, carbon cycle, and weathering. Students explore a chemical or physical change based on a chemical formula. They examine the effects...
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Icebergs Ahead!
Learners examine icebergs and how they are suspended in water, why ice floats, the melting process of an iceberg, and the floating behavior of ice compared to that of a cork through a lab activity.
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What Are Elements?
Students investigate elements by by defining scientific terms. In this Periodic Table of Elements lesson, students utilize a glass of water, and powdered fruit drink to perform a lab activity demonstrating properties of certain...
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Water Unit
Students make boats and race them. In this physics instructional activity, students investigate surface tension, molecules, and cohesion by competing in a class race with their boats. Students experiment with liquid soap to see how much...
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Properties of Waves
Third graders observe and investigate wave properties and compare the properties of particles and waves. They fill a pie pan half full with water, place a toothpick in the center of the pie pan, then drop a marble into the pan and...
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Solids and Water
Learners investigate mixtures made of water and familiar solid materials. They observe and discuss the changes that occur immediately and set the mixtures aside for a day. Finally, students observe the mixtures, note changes, and graph...