Lesson Plan
Berkeley Engineering and Mentors

Marshmallow Catapaults

For Teachers 4th - 10th
After a brief lecture on levers, torque, projectiles, and the five-step engineering design cycle, young physical science learners or engineers build catapults out of craft sticks. This is an open-ended exploration of what works and what...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Finding Equal Groups

For Teachers K Standards
Build counting fluency in your kindergartners with this counting and grouping timed learning game. Provide various groups of objects to count such as a clear plastic bag filled with 7 beans or a cup with 5 pennies. There are many other...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plankton Parade

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Plankton isn't just a tiny cartoon character, it's also a very important food source for animals around the world. Budding scientists discuss the types and functions of plankton, including where they are found, how they are caught, and...
Lesson Plan
Foundation for Water & Energy Education

What is the Water Cycle? Activity B

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Curious physical scientists follow a instructional activity on the properties of water with this instructional activity on distillation. They observe a miniature water cycle model that filters dirty water into clean water. These two...
Activity
US Department of Agriculture

Sink or Float?

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd Standards
Will it sink or will it float? Learners predict the outcome as they drop random objects into a container of water. Then, they keep track of the results and record the data in a t-chart to draw a final conclusion.
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Eruptions and Volcano Types

For Teachers 6th Standards
The Mammoth Lakes area regularly releases warnings to hikers and skiers to be careful because melting snow releases trapped gases from volcanic vents. The 17th lesson in the 20-part series opens with a demonstration of carbon...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Sound Waves

For Students 6th - 9th
How does sound travel through different mediums? Scholars explore this question by creating and observing sound waves as they learn the difference between transverse and longitudinal wave motion. Using their new knowledge, class members...
Activity
DiscoverE

Sorting Solutions

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
It's okay to play with your food—just this once! Scholars design and create meshes and chutes to sort pasta by size and shape. They test their designs and make improvements as necessary.
Activity
DiscoverE

Build a Pinball Game

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Watch your classroom turn into an arcade. Pupils work in groups to build pinball machines from boxes and other found objects. Gamers must incorporate a variety of obstacles and launchers into the machine to see their designs in motion.
Lesson Plan
DiscoverE

Harmless Holder

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Here's a lesson that's not for the birds! Scholars design and build packaging for soda cans that is environmentally friendly. These packages must be durable, easy to carry, and have no environmental impact.
Activity
DiscoverE

Design a Wind Turbine

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Discover the power of wind energy. Learners design, build, and test wind blades in a hands-on experiment. They analyze the results to determine if they can make any improvements before gathering as a class to discuss their designs.
PPT
Curated OER

Simple Harmonic Motion

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Back and forth, and back again. A presentation on harmonic motion would make a great backdrop for a directed instruction lesson in Honors Physics. It includes diagrams, formulas, graphs, and a few sample problems.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physical Science- Sink or Float?

For Teachers K - 2nd
Learners investigate which objects sink and which ones float. Learners engage in an experiment, make predictions, and record results on a graphic organizer. This is a comprehensive and easy to follow resource.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polymers all Over the Place

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students investigate properties of common molecules. In this chemistry lesson, students construct polymer models to gain a better understanding of the properties of polymers.
Activity
DiscoverE

Make Your Own Glue

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
You won't regret being stuck with this activity. By mixing a variety of household items, pupils create their own glue. They test the tensile strength of their glue and compare it to that of other adhesives.
Activity
Exploratorium

Magnetic Shielding

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Elementary magnetologists investigate magnetic shields using a variety of materials in a "shielding sandwich." While the activity isn't novel, it is engaging, and this particular resource includes a brief explanation of the phenomena...
Activity
Exploratorium

Eddy Currents

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Make electromagnetic eddy currents evident with this demonstration. You will need to gather a few materials from the local hardware store and a strong neodymium magnet, but the visual value is well worthwhile.
Activity
Exploratorium

Vocal Visualizer

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Make sound visible with an activity that provides directions for how to build a vocal visualizer meant to create light patterns. Making noise into the visualizer causes a mirror to vibrate, reflecting a laser beam, and creating...
Lesson Plan
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Beyond Benign

Product Test

For Students 6th - 8th
It's the moment of truth. Previous lessons in the 24-part series had scholars design and develop shampoo formulas using chemical concepts. The 18th lesson asks them to test the function of their shampoos. To do this, they calculate the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Magnets and Magnetism

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Here is a very good lesson on magnets, magnetism, and magnitic fields that is chock full of great activities for you to implement with your young scientists. Learners discover the properties of magnets, look at the forces of attraction...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sorting Things Out

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Written to examine seeds that grow in Kansas, you can adapt this lesson to anywhere you live. Learners sort a mixture of five different seeds to by any characteristic of their choice. When your budding scientists are exploring the life...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

When A Car Coughs. . .

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Budding scientists collect and compare particulate exhaust from four different vehicles. They discuss how cars contribute to air quality. To get the most mileage out of this resource, have learners complete the optional step 5, in which...
Lesson Plan
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NASA

Cleaning Water

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Give young scientists a new appreciation of fresh, clean drinking water. After learning about the ways astronauts recycle their air and water, your class will work in small groups creating and testing their very own water...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Drum

For Teachers K
Students complete a variety of activities related to the folktale from India, "The Drum." They listen to the story and answer comprehension questions, construct a coffee can drum, and complete a phonics and matching worksheet.

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