Lesson Plan
Curated OER

X-ray Spectroscopy and the Chemistry of Supernova Remnants

For Teachers 9th - 12th
This link takes you to a comprehensive unit that delves into emission spectra and supernovas. There are four parts: How and where elements are created, electromagnetic radiation, spectroscopy, and the newest technology for studying our...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Big Is That Star?

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Aspiring astronomers study stars. They compare stars and explain the relationship between radius, mass, and diameter. By creating a star simulation, they discover how a binary star system's orbit can cause changes in the observed...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Surrounded by Radiation

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore ways in which people are constantly exposed to naturally occurring and man-made sources of radiation. They create and play a board game featuring different hypothetical scenarios of radiation exposure.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Uses of Radiation

For Teachers 5th - 8th
No visual aids, no activities, and no demonstrations accompany this plan. What you will find, is background information for a short lecture on the use of isoptopic radiation in the medical field and in our everyday lives. Should you...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electromagnetic Radiation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the nature of electromagnetic spectrum through a series of experiments. For this physics lesson, students determine how light behaves under certain circumstances. They explain how humans perceive colors.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electromagnetic Spectrum

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students define electromagnetic radiation, list major categories and uses of electromagnetic waves, identify potential health risks with electromagnetic waves, and demonstrate understanding of Plank's constant by solving quantitative...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Radiation Reassessed

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students investigate the dangers of radiation by exploring recent nuclear tragedies.  In this scientific debate lesson, students define the idea of radiation "half life" and determine if low doses of radiation are truly damaging to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Overview of Solar Radiation

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine the Stefan-Boltzmann Law. Students compute basic radiative "constants" of the sun-Earth-atomosphere system. They examine the wavelength of maximum radiation emission.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

ALARA

For Teachers 9th - 12th
This activity sheet posts a chart of the common radiation sources in our everyday lives. Chemistry scholars use it to analyze their own radiation exposure using rem (Roentgen equivalent for man) units. This simple assignment increases...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Does Radiation Affect You?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify the use and misuse of radiation. They examine human activities that add to the exposure of radiation. They also discover how it can be useful in saving lives.
Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Staying Warm in Antarctica!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Has your class ever wondered how animals and scientists stay warm in the Polar Regions? Kids will investigate to understand the three types of heat transfer and how heat transfer affects those trying to stay toasty in sub-zero...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore how a nuclear accident can affect biological systems. They examine the case of the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown in 1986.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemical Sleuthing

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students engage in a lesson which includes flame tests and the construction of a simple diffraction spectrograph with which to measure sodium ion emissions. They use the Bragg equation to compute the wavelength of the line spectra produced.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Teaching Biology Through Problem-based Activities

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students plant seeds and observe the life cycle of the organism. They experimentally research the effects of radiation on seed growth. Students determine the effects of environmental pollutants on harvested seed.
Lesson Plan
Santa Monica College

Flame Tests of Metal Cations

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Scientists used flame tests to identify elements long before the invention of emission spectroscopy. Young chemists observe a flame test of five metal cations in the fourth lesson of an 11-part series. Individuals then work...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Incoming Solar Radiation

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Demonstrate how the spherical shape of the Earth contributes to unequal heating of its surface and results in varying climates at different latitudes. This would be an illuminating addition to your meteorology lessons, especially when...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Check Out Lights and Shields with Beads

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore Ultraviolet detecting beads and conduct several investigations with them.  In this investigative instructional activity students participate in an experiment to see the harmful effects of UV light and discuss their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Worksheet 4-1 Atomic Spectra

For Teachers 10th - 12th
In this atomic spectra worksheet, students answer eighteen questions about wavelengths of light, the emission spectrum, energy of photons, the frequency of electromagnetic radiation and electrons in the excited state.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electromagnetic Energy and Its Spectrum

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Your older elementary students investigate electromagnetic energy and the electromagnetic spectrum. They will observe 7 items represented in the electromagnetic spectrum and make a poster of all the things the items have in common. After...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

LEDs Rainbow Connection

For Students 6th - 12th
View LED lights through the eyes of a scientist. Young scholars learn to view light as a wave frequency and connect various frequencies to different colors on the light spectrum. A lab activity asks groups to measure the frequency of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy: Light -- Spinning Color Wheel

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders make spinning color wheels to determine how energy effects what colors look like. They paint or color a color wheel with the seven colors of the spectrum. Next, the spin the wheel to determine what happens. In order to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding Cancer

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners study facts about cancer. In this cancer lesson, students read about cancer, cancer cells, cancer treatment, and research. They answer true or false questions on a worksheet before reading about cancer prevention.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Determining Red-Shift in a Receding Star

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students practice manipulating algebra formulas with more than one variable. They examine the topics of velocity, wavelength and frequency. They determine the amount of red-shift in a receding star.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electromagnetic Spectrum/Spectroscopy

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine the electromagnetic spectrum and demonstrate the elements within.  In this investigative lesson students complete a demonstration and calculate the energy of a photon.