Lesson Plan
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Change of State

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students investigate the change of states of Butyl Stearate and the temperatures at which it changes state. In this change of state lesson plan, students place a test tube of Butyl Stearate in a cold water bath and monitor its...
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Elephants

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study elephants and the features they have that help to keep them cool.  In this elephants instructional activity students research a feature of the elephant. 
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Chemistry Worksheet-Phase Changes

For Students 11th - Higher Ed
In this phase change worksheet, students answer twenty questions about changes in energy to a system. They analyze phase diagrams, the determine the effects of changes in temperature on a system, they answer questions about miscibility,...
Worksheet
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Classification of Matter

For Students 7th - 12th
In this matter learning exercise, students compare the different types of matter, including the states of matter. Students review the metric system. This learning exercise has 12 matching, 18 fill in the blank, and 4 short answer questions.
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Soapy Solids

For Teachers K - 4th
Young scholars observe and explain how a change in temperature causes a physical change in a substance.  In this physical science lesson plan, students use a soap making kit to observe the effects of adding heat to the bar soap...
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What is the Best Insulator: Air, Styrofoam, Foil, or Cotton?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the properties of insulators by attempting to keep a cup of water from freezing, and once it is frozen, to keep it from melting. They conduct the experiment, record and analyze the results, and answer discussion...
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The Tropopause

For Students 8th - 10th
For this tropopause worksheet, students read about the temperature of the air in the tropopause or the layer of the atmosphere closest to the Earth. They answer four critical thinking questions about this layer and the energy changes...
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How Much Energy is Stored in Wood?

For Teachers 8th - 12th
In this energy instructional activity, students create calorimeters out of soda cans and use them to calculate the amount of energy stored in different types of wood.
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Newton's Laws

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students identify Sir Isaac Newton and his contribution to physics. They write Newton's three Laws of classical mechanics. and apply Newton's Laws to the world around them. They isolate a situation and apply Newton's Laws.
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What is a Chemical Reaction?-Evidence of Change

For Students 10th - 12th
In this chemical reactions worksheet, students experiment with hydrochloric acid and copper (I) chloride to identify the types of reactions they undergo with various other substances. They also observe the law of conservation of mass and...
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Weather

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students explore the earth's atmosphere, weather, and climate. They begin class with a discussion about weather patterns, atmosphere, and the layers of the earth. After the class discussion, students rotate through four stations to...
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Properties of Water with a Splash of Color

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the properties of water. In this cross curriculum art and physical science lesson, students experiment with a variety of materials to demonstrate the cohesive forces and adhesion of water. Students create a water color...
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Rocky Intertidal Field Trip

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students investigate tides and the land submerged under them.  For this intertidal field trip, Students visit the intertidal zone and observe the habitats and animals that live there.  Students view the pools under rocks where...
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Chemical Change

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders watch a demonstration in which a balloon is inflated using the gas created by combining vinegar and baking soda. Then, in groups, they combine various assigned substances and watch and record the results.
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Hinode Studies Loopy Sunspots!

For Students 9th - 10th
In this sunspots and magnetic fields worksheet, students read about the satellite images taken showing 'loopy' patterns from solar gases and the magnetic fields on the sun. Students solve 2 problems including finding the volume of a...
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Getting to the Core of Climate Change

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students investigate climate changes by graphing and analyzing ice core data from Greenland and Antarctica. They create, explain and report the pattern of data on a graph of ice core data. In addition they find relationships between the...
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Bing! Bang! Boom!

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate heat energy, conduction, convection, and radiation.
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Oxidation of Iron - An Example of a Combination Reaction

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Here are photos and general instructions for demonstrating two oxidation reactions with your physical science beginners. They use salt and hydrogen peroxide to cause iron filings to rust, and they combine hydrogen peroxide with a piece...
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Thinking about Energy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine their understandings about energy concepts by completing an online survey. Students participate in a class discussion about their uses of resources and the differences between perpetual, renewable, and nonrenewable...
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To See or Not to See: The Colors of Light

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders describe and conduct an experiment that identifies the physical properties of light. They explore sources of visible light and an electromagnetic spectrum. Students explain the conversion of one form of energy to another.
Worksheet
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Hess's Law

For Students 11th - Higher Ed
For this reactions worksheet, students use Hess's Law to calculate the heat gained or lost by different reactions. Students determine if the reaction would occur spontaneously at a given temperature. This worksheet has 9 problems to solve.
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Exploring Phases of Matter

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students discuss and experiment with the phases of water.  In this phases of matter lesson, students recognize the different states of matter.  Students measure and record changes and understand when the state changes.
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Metalloids

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils discuss metalloids, their use as semiconductors, and their impact on the computer industry. They work in groups to create a visual timeline showing the evolution of the computer.
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Coffee Cooling

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the factors that affect how long coffee stays hot. They develop a question and a testable hypothesis for one factor such as initial temperature or size of opening of the container. Then they design and conduct an...