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Mystery Powders
Fifth graders evaluate the physical properties of 5 powders. Each powder is subject to different conditions. They describe each observation as with a chemical change or a physical change.
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Buoyant Boats
Students design and construct a boat out of aluminum foil and a few other simple materials. The boats then be tested by floating them in water, then adding mass until they sink. They explore the various shapes of boat construction.
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Freshwater/Saltwater "Eggs-Periment"
Students explore water properties by conducting a class experiment. In this buoyancy instructional activity, students utilize freshwater, saltwater, plastic cups, hard boiled eggs and food coloring to experiment with the floating...
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What's in the Soil?
Fourth graders examine soil to find its contents, and how much water and air they can measure. In this soil composition lesson, 4th graders perform three experiments and record their results. In one experiment they examine...
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Liquids Have Differnt Viscosities
Students explore visosity of matter. They run tests of various liquid substances to observe and compare rates of flow of different substances. In addition, they relate viscosity to distance travelled by sample substances.
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What Are Elements?
Students investigate elements by by defining scientific terms. In this Periodic Table of Elements instructional activity, students utilize a glass of water, and powdered fruit drink to perform a lab activity demonstrating...
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Poster Assignment: Sports Chemistry
Tenth graders distinguish between chemical and physical properties and changes in matter when given specific examples. They view a video of sports activities. Students chose their favorite sport and design an experiment to improve sports...
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Ice Ice Baby! The Design and Preparation of A Reusable Ice Pack
Students explore polymers by designing and preparing an inexpensive and effective reusable ice pack. They develop and test a design for a reusable ice pack in the science lab. Students apply chemical and physical properties of polymers...
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Sound And Motion
Students investigate the concept of sound and vibration. They use a tuning fork to make an observation. Students then propose the ideas of different experimental designs to test the concept. The ideas are constructed and then tested.
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Determining pH
Young scholars evaluate pH levels through a solubility experiment. In this pH levels lesson, students list characteristics of acids and bases. Young scholars complete their own pH level experiment. Students go to the GEMS Alien Juice Bar...
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Reaction Rates
Students work in groups of 4-6 for the experiment/activity part of this exercise. They base their explanation on what they observed. Students observe how substances react chemically in characteristic ways with other substances to form...
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What Influences Reaction Rate?
Middle schoolers study reaction rates, what determines how fast a reaction happens and how the chemical changes occur. In this reactions lesson students complete a lab where they use Alka-Seltzer to observe reaction rate and create...
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Science-Introduction to the Unit on Matter
First graders gain knowledge about solids, liquids and gases by taking a look at the things around them. They have to classify certain picture cards based on which category they feel the picture falls under. As a whole, the class...
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Acid and Base Testing
Students study descriptions of indicators and the way they are used to identify acids and bases. They use this information to determine if unknown solutions are acids or bases.
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Air: It's a Gas!
Learners investigate the properties of air through hands-on activities in conjunction with the demonstrations in a 3-2-1 Contact Video.
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EGG-cellent POLYMER PACKAGING DESIGN
Learners investigate the concept of a polymer using an experimental design of protecting an egg in a bookbag. They test the properties of polymers and form an educated solution to the proposed problem. Then they describe the steps used...
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Rockin' Minerals
Third graders view a clip of the video Backyard Safari, "Rocks and Minerals," and discuss properties of rocks and minerals. They view and discuss a clip on where rocks and minerals are found.
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What are Rocks and Minerals?
Learners identify the properties of rocks. In this rocks and minerals lesson, students use the Internet to learn about the properties of rocks and minerals. Learners conduct a test to determine whether various samples of rock are limestone.
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Periodic Table Lesson Plan
Pupils describe how elements are arranged on the periodic table. They compare metals, nonmetals, and metalloids based on their properties and on their locations in the periodic table. Students describe the differences between a period...
Virginia Department of Education
Molar Heat of Fusion for Water
How can you describe heat of fusion in a way the class understands and relates the importance of this concept to present day issues? In this third lesson of the series, learners conduct an experiment, demonstrating the flow of heat...
Virginia Department of Education
Heat Transfer and Heat Capacity
It's time to increase the heat! Young chemists demonstrate heat transfer and heat capacity in an activity-packed lab, showing the transitions between solid, liquid, and gaseous phases of materials. Individuals plot data as the...
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Magnetic Discovery Bottle
Students examine how to conduct simple investigations and use simple equipment to gather data. For this magnet lesson students decide what types of objects are attracted to magnets.
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Identifying Acids and Bases
Sixth graders observe the physical and chemical change that can occur in an acid and a base. In this acids and bases lesson plan, 6th graders use cabbage juice to identify, compare, and contrast acids and bases.
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Up, Up and Away
Third graders are presented with the problem of: Do all liquids evaporate at the same rate? The lesson contains adequate background information for the teacher. They participate in a lab experiment in order to test the scientific...