Urbana School District
Light
You matter, unless you multiply yourself by the speed of light ... then you energy. Presentation covers the behavior of light as both a wave and a particle, light versus sound, space travel, why objects have colors, depth perception,...
Discovery Education
Weathering Cubes
Weathering is not necessarily a result of the weather. Scholars conduct an experiment to explore the effect of surface area and volume on the weathering process. They create their own sugar cube rocks using the same number of cubes—but...
Virginia Department of Education
Isotopes
Lead your class through the amazing world of isotopes as they investigate the various properties they contain and further understand their respective location on the periodic table. They explore half-lives and radioactivity as each...
Curated OER
Ocean Circulation
In this physical oceanography PowerPoint, viewers learn about ocean circulation, sea surface temperatures, and salinity. Relationships among these aspects are explained, as well as their impact on the atmosphere and climate. Each slide...
Magic of Physics
Wave Machine
Three main factors determine the wave height experienced in the ocean. Scholars use a virtual simulator to alter wind speed, fetch, and duration. Each combination creates a unique wave measured in significant height.
Curated OER
Discovery Science Library: The Basics Physical Science
Students examine friction and gravity. affect four sports. In this scientific discovery lesson plan, students examine how friction and gravity affect sports. They discuss, write, and illustrate the effect of different forces on...
Curated OER
Lemon Batteries Revised
Fifth graders investigate how chemical energy in food and batteries is potential or stored energy. They discuss how batteries function, and create a class list of different forms of energy. Students then create a lemon battery that...
Curated OER
Light Reflections
Students explore light. In this physical science light lesson, students display objects on a projection screen and investigate how light absorbs, refracts, transmits and reflects. Students discuss common features of light based on...
Curated OER
Circuit Lab
Learners explore the properties of electricity. This lab shows students the need for a circuit in order to have a flow of electricity. It demonstrates Ohm's law, which relates voltage, current, and resistance.
Curated OER
Science: Generating Electricity
Eighth graders examine the various methods of generating electricity and explain their commonalities. They determine what is the most common source of energy and what are the potential environmental health hazards due to electrical...
Curated OER
Who Turned on the Lights?
Seventh graders discuss how energy is transformed from one form to another. In this physics lesson plan, 7th graders design and build their own hydro generator. They identify the factors that affect its energy production.
Curated OER
Student Power Use
Learners calculate the energy usage in their bedroom. For this physics lesson, students compare their energy consumption during school days and weekends. They recommend ways to save energy.
Curated OER
Is That Icebox Green?
Seventh graders create a timeline of the development of electrical appliances. In this physics lesson, 7th graders explore energy consumption over the past 90 years. They create a poster about their chosen electrical device detailing its...
Curated OER
The REAL Transformers
Ninth graders create a model of a hydroelectric generator. In this physics instructional activity, 9th graders discuss how energy can be transformed from one form to another. They make a flow chart for different energy generating plants.
Curated OER
Conserving Energy Resources
Seventh graders research on energy conversion. After they have researched several types of energy resources, teams of two to four create posters which depict how these resources can be conserved.
Curated OER
Renewable Energy Plants in Your Gas Tank: From Photosynthesis to Ethanol
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.
Curated OER
Energy Efficiency in the Home
Young scholars discover ways to conserve energy in their homes. In this energy efficiency lesson students analyze a set of data and design a solution that results in higher energy efficiency.
Curated OER
Invisible Rays
Students explore physical science by completing a lab assignment. In this sunlight instructional activity, students define a list of scientific vocabulary terms and complete fill in the blank questions. Students conduct a photographic...
Curated OER
Energy Content Of Foods And Fuels
Young scholars engage in a study of food and how it used as fuel for the human body. They research how biological systems require energy and compare them to the physical science systems like machines. They compare and contrast what they...
Curated OER
Free Shot Physics
Students discuss ways to test the bounciness of different balls. For this physics lesson, students measure how high each one bounce. They record data and compare results.
NASA
Photons in the Radiative Zone: Which Way Is Out? An A-Maz-ing Model
Can you move like a photon? Young scholars use a maze to reproduce the straight line motion of a photon. The second in a six-part series of lessons on the sun has learners measure angle of incidence and refraction to determine the path...
Curated OER
Green Team
Student explore the relationship of static electricity to current electricity, circuits, electromagnets, electro generators, and public electric utilities. In this Green Team lesson plan, 4th graders participate in hands-on science...
Curated OER
Strawkets and Weight
Students investigate the effect that weight has on rocket flight. They construct a variety of straw-launched rockets that have different weights, observe what happens when the weight of a rocket is altered by reducing its physical size...
NASA
Cosmic Microwave Background
Begin your next class with a BANG! Pupils discuss the formation of our universe and its expansion before proceeding with an activity designed to demonstrate what most likely occurred billions of years ago. They conclude with a discussion...