National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
How Dry am I? Exploring Biomimicry and Nanotechnology
Help your classes feel like they can walk on water! An engaging inquiry-based lesson has young scholars experiment with different surface coatings. They make observations about their properties and how they relate to the surface tension...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Air Pollution
Seventy percent of the air pollution in China is due to car exhaust. Under the umbrella of environmental chemistry, learners extensively explore air pollution. From the makeup of our atmosphere to sources of major air pollutants, classes...
Curated OER
Circuit Lab
Students 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
Gravity
Students perform inquiry in response to the question "Do objects fall at the same rate?", teacher candidates discuss a model experiment for secondary students to discover the answer, including recording and analyzing data.
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Jumping Explorations
Students work with a partner to follow the pathway-jumping in the different suggested ways. They listen to music to rotate from station to station. Students their favorite stations and levels of difficulty. They discuss the use of...
Curated OER
WHAT HOLDS US TO EARTH?
Middle schoolers they imagine they are Galileo and try to duplicate Galileo's experiments and results.
Curated OER
Swinging on a String
Students explore how pendulums work and why they are useful in everyday applications. In a hands-on activity, they experiment with string length, pendulum weight and angle of release.
Curated OER
Weight and Velocity
Middle schoolers perform an experiment in order to determine how increasing weight affects the velocity of a truck and use the computer to compile their data.
Curated OER
Discovering a Law of Space Physics
Learners use data collected by an astronomer to determine the relationship between the time it takes the planet to orbit the sun and the average radius of the planet's orbit around the sun. Students use trial and error to find the...
Curated OER
Gyrocopters-Producing Rotary Motion
Students demonstrate rotary motion by practicing with gyrocopters. For this physics lesson students work in groups to construct a gyrocopter and explore how physics effect it torque and inertia.
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Newton's Third Law
Students describe an everyday situation which demonstrates Newton's Third Law. They state Newton's Third Law;"Every action has an equal and opposite re-action, or every force has an equal and opposite force" in their own words. ...
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Catapults!
Students work together to discover the relationship between the angle of catapults and the flight of different objects. They discover the heavier the object the more force is needed. They examine how engineers use this information to...
Curated OER
Principles of Flight
Students explore the principles of flight. In this flight lesson, students construct a model plane and investigate the forces acting on the flier. They will measure the thrust and calculate the stored energy.
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Eratosthenes And Radius of the Earth
Students calculate the radius of the earth. They use the method and data suggested by Eratosthenes. They investigate the interrelationships among mass, distance, force, and time through experimental processes.
Curated OER
Building And Launching a Model Rocket
Students are introduced to the basic parts of rockets and the physical forces at work in the flight of rockets. They build and launch a model rocket and discuss the challenges of launching a real rocket.
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States of Matter Mini-Unit
Middle schoolers identify he phases of matter (solid, liquid, gas), and why they take place. They comprehend what a physical change is and what a chemical change is. Students know the difference between a Mixture and a Solution.
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Water and Ice
Students explore the physical properties of water. In this water lesson, students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state. There are 2 extensions for this lesson that one can access via the Internet links provided.
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The Changing Earth
Students explore the Earth's crust. In this earth science lesson, students participate in 2 activities that demonstrate physical and chemical weathering. Students also play Jeopardy with topics including volcanoes, earthquakes,...
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What Fostered the Axis?
Ninth graders present the major cultural, economic and political forces in Germany, Italy & Japan that allowed for the rise and dominance of totalitarian regimes in that country. They discuss how the above listed forces brought the...
Curated OER
Vector Manipulation Unit
Students are introduced to the concept/idea of a vector, what it represents and why they are used. They develop an understanding of what vectors are, how and why they are used.
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Dinosaurs 1: Where are the Dinosaurs?
Students study dinosaurs and explore the concept of extinction. In this dinosaur lesson plan students create dinosaur eggs and view dinosaur dioramas.
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Structure of the Earth
Eighth graders examine the forces that are constantly acting on the Earth. They describe the theory of tectonic plates and demonstrate the two kinds of earthquake waves. They also examine the role of volcanoes in the structure of the...
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West African Art
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of West African Art. They conduct research using a variety of resources. They focus upon the history, geography, economics, and political systems. The information is used to...
Curated OER
DC Motors
Twelfth graders build simple electromagnets and small motors using a motor kit in order to illustrate how magnetic fields are produced by a current carrying wire and how an external magnetic field produces a force on a current carrying...