Curated OER
Earth's Energy Balance Performance Standard
Students examine how Earth-Sun relationships affect Earth's energy balance and the pattern of world temperatures. Students study a Surface Temperature Regions map and write a paragraph describing the temperature pattern from the Equator...
Curated OER
Electromagnetic Energy and Its Spectrum
Students explain how electromagnetic radiation travel in space. In this physics instructional activity, students design and implement an experiment to reduce UV exposure. They discuss and share their findings in class.
NASA
The Invisible Sun: How Hot Is It?
It's getting hot in here! The first in a series of six lessons has learners model nuclear fusion with a simple lab investigation. Groups collect data and analyze results, comparing their models to the actual process along the way.
Exploratorium
Vocal Visualizer
Make sound visible with an activity that provides directions for how to build a vocal visualizer meant to create light patterns. Making noise into the visualizer causes a mirror to vibrate, reflecting a laser beam, and creating...
Virginia Department of Education
Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
Lead your class in a fun-filled team activity that encourages collaboration while learning important concepts. Pupils actively participate in a discussion on the experimental design and the role of mirrors. They perform group activities...
Virginia Department of Education
Work and Power
Assist your class with correctly calculating the values for force, work, and power as they determine the amount various activities require. They gather data and participate in a group discussion to compare results upon conclusion of the...
Curated OER
Building a Roller Coaster
Students describe the law of conservation of energy. They identify the conversion between potential and kinetic energy. They investigate and describe the application of Newton's Laws of Motion.
Curated OER
2D Motion
Students examine the motion of objects in two dimensions. In this dimensional lesson plan students view several demonstrations, complete a worksheet and a lab activity.
Curated OER
The Sun: Earth's External Heat Engine Part 1 of the Astronomy Model
Young scholars become familiar with the variables that control Earth's solar energy supply. They explore the source and nature of solar energy, the genesis of radiation, and the structrue of the Sun, gas spectra are observed and sample...
Curated OER
Breaking It Down
Seventh graders explain the mechanism of digestion. In this biology lesson, 7th graders perform an iodine test to check for the presence of starch. They discuss how energy travels through the food chain.
Curated OER
WiTricity Explained
Students explain how electricity is transferred from source to load without actual wires connecting the two. In this physics lesson, students explore how wireless electricity was discovered. They cite practical applications of this...
Curated OER
Electromagnetic Radiation
Young scholars explore the nature of electromagnetic spectrum through a series of experiments. In this physics lesson, students determine how light behaves under certain circumstances. They explain how humans perceive colors.
Curated OER
Discovering How a Car Works
Students explain the four stroke process in internal combustion engines. In this physics instructional activity, students role play this process and present their reenactment in class. They draw and label the diagram of an internal...
Curated OER
Using "Student Power" to Generate Electricity to Run a Portable Compact Disc Player
Students explain the relationship between magnetism and electricity. In this physics lesson, students describe the transformation of energy. They create an electromagnet and investigate the factors affecting its strength.
Curated OER
Electric Power Transmission and Distribution
Students explain how power is transmitted over long distances. In this physics lesson, students simulate controlling power flow in parallel transmission lines. They discuss several applications of wireless power transmission.
Curated OER
How Far... How Powerfu
Students work with a real optical spectrum of a gamma ray burst afterglow taken at the Keck Observatory. They measure the shifts of spectral lines, deduce the velocity of the astronomical object, and then use Hubble's Law to get its...
Curated OER
Hot Cans and Cold Cans
Students investigate the physics of heating and cooling through conduction, convection, and radiation. Working in groups, they determine the best way to cool a can of water and warm a can of water. Temperature is taken at five minute...
Curated OER
Animals in Action
Students role play the movements that animals make to discover the importance of exercise in staying healthy and having energy. They mimic the hopping of kangaroos and the balancing of flamingos as they watch the animals perform these...
Curated OER
Crystallization
Eighth graders analyze physical change in mass. In this chemistry lesson, 8th graders describe, measure and calculate the amount of physical change occurring in mass before and after the change. Students should be familiar with elements,...
Curated OER
The Sun Affects Earth
Third graders read, write, and listen to information about the sun and its effects on the Earth.as it relates to its axis, orbit, rotate, and revolution. In this solar system lesson, 3rd graders examine how the sun...
Curated OER
Wetland Food Webs
Middle schoolers study life science. In this food webs and food chains comparison lesson plan, students examine the wetlands to discover the relationships that exist between the animals that live there. They participate in group...
Curated OER
Microclimates of Our School
Students read the story "Weslandia" by Paul Fleischman, define the term microclimate, gather and record data in various places on school grounds to establish the presence of difference microclimates, analyze and compare microclimates,...
Curated OER
Lenz's Law
High schoolers conduct a series of experiments on electromagnetic induction. In this physics lesson, students apply the right hand rule to determine the current direction and electromotive force. They test Lenz's and Faraday's law by...
Curated OER
State Change
Eighth graders explore the physical change of matter. As a class, they discuss their favorite super hero and determine if the hero undergoes a physical or chemical change. Students examine the change of state and phase change. In groups,...