Curated OER
Our Solar System
Students study the Earth and Solar System through a variety of activities. They compile a coloring book show the characteristics of the Sun and nine planets.
Curated OER
How Far... How Powerful
High schoolers review some basic physics concepts about light, explore redshifted spectra and Hubble's Law, and use them to find out how far away, and how powerful, gamma ray bursts truly are.
Curated OER
Just The Fax
Students discover how a fax machine works including: how a light sensor works, how light is reflected and how signals move across telephone lines. A "bingo" type game is played where students simulate the work of a fax machine to create...
Curated OER
Lights On ! Lights Off! Exploring Human Settlement Patterns
Third graders write informational paragraphs based on the settlement patterns of the United States. In this settlement lesson plan, 3rd graders read about population and how it affects where people settle next.
Discovery Education
It's Getting Hot in Here
Class members engage in a STEM experiment and investigate how materials affect heating in a house by creating models of houses and using different top surface materials. They record the temperature inside the models and consider what the...
American Chemical Society
Isolation of Phytochrome
Why do soybean plants that are planted weeks apart in the spring mature simultaneously in the fall? Four independent activities cover the history of phytochrome research, scientist collaboration, the electromagnetic spectrum, and...
Curated OER
Environmental Studies: The Power of Wind
Investigate the prospect of wind as a renewable resource. Second and third graders make a pinwheel, answer critical thinking questions, and then attempt to use wind power to wind string. I would be more apt to use this lesson in a 1st or...
Curated OER
Survival Strategies and Adaptation in Insects
Third graders investigate insects and their adaptations that help them survive. In this survival strategies lesson, 3rd graders view photographs of insects and discuss the adaptations that each one uses to survive, including camouflage...
Curated OER
Solar History
Using the sun's light as a source of energy is not a new concept. Give your environmental studies, engineering, or physical science class this list of how humans have used solar energy throughout history. Assign groups a certain time...
Curated OER
Grating Spectrometer
Students calculate the Balmer series. In this physics lesson, students observe hydrogen lamp spectra using spectrometers. They calculate wavelength and compare them with their theoretical calculations.
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Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy
Students calculate the values of electron binding energies. In this physics lesson, students solve for different wavelength characteristics of X-rays. They present their findings to the class.
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Plane Mirrors
Learners investigate the law of reflection by using mirrors. In this physics instructional activity, students operate a robot using IR controllers. They explain the path of light as it reflects through a surface.
Curated OER
Looking Out Is Looking Back...
Students explore the size of our Universe by understanding how long it takes to travel around from object to object in it - even if you travel at the speed of light! In making our exploration, we will examine ways of measuring distance,...
Curated OER
The Quest For Power
High schoolers investigate and apply properties of math. In this algebra and physics instructional activity, students define important vocabulary words to create a basic understanding of keywords. They perform experiments using concepts...
Curated OER
Investigation of Hooke's Law Lab
Students determine the spring constant by conducting an investigation. In this physics lesson, students collect data and create a graph of force vs. displacement. They compare the results of two different methods to find spring constant.
Curated OER
Word Bank; Theater
Learners are given a word bank relating to theater. In this word bank lesson plan, students are introduced to a list of words and their definitions. Learners then build their vocabulary regarding theatrical concepts.
Curated OER
Investigation of Timbre
Students design an experiment to analyze the timbre of different instruments. In this physics lesson, students analyze the missing quality in sound. They discuss their results in class.
Curated OER
Simple Circuits
Young scholars investigate how series and parallel circuits work. In this physics lesson, students build their own simple circuits and compare their characteristics. They explain the importance of circuit breakers in household circuits.
Curated OER
Making a Battery
Fifth graders make a battery. In this physical science lesson, 5th graders word in pairs make the battery. Students follow 4 steps to create the battery.
Curated OER
Extreme Flashlight Tag
Fifth graders view a Powerpoint show about reflecting light. They experiment through a reflection simulation on the internet. Students complete the activity by using mirrors and light to complete send light to a specified spot.
Curated OER
Meet the Neighbors: Planets Around Nearby Stars
Students explain why a transiting planet causes a periodic dimming in the light from its parent star. They determine the radius of a planet, and its orbital distance, by analyzing data and manipulating equations. Students compare the...
Curated OER
The Space Cadet's Laboratory: Using Electromagnetic Energy to Study Astronomy
Young scholars build their own spectrophotometer to study light. In this physics lesson, students explain the dual nature of light. They calculate the angle of incidence and refraction using Snell's law equation.
Curated OER
WAVES AND PHOTONS
Students examine the many types of electromagnetic waves, the concept of an EM wave, how James Clerk Maxwell proposed a slight modification of the equations of electricity, Heinrich Hertz and his radio-frequency, wavelengths, and light...
Curated OER
The Geometry of Real Images
In this math worksheet, students read the examples for using the techniques of mathematical modeling. They draw the angles in order to simulate the reflection of light while using a concave mirror.