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Paper Helicopters
In this paper helicopter instructional activity, students design and experiment making a paper helicopter to explore how some things fall and how varying the size of the rotor blades affect the way a helicopter spins.
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Sweet Twinkies, Density and Sugar Chomping Yeast: A Look at Physical and Chemical Reactions in the Kitchen
Young scholars investigate matter. For this physical science lesson plan, students will learn about matter, physical states, and reactions. There are a series of four lab activities that will be conducted.
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Mobile Forces
Students design and build original mobiles and consider how the forces of gravity and convection air currents affect the finished piece. They explore how an understanding of balancing forces is important in both art and engineering design.
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Mr. and Miss Big Feet
Third graders experiment with gravitational force. In this physical science lesson, 3rd graders send matchbox cars off a ramp while changing the amount of weight attached to the car. Students record their data and discuss the results.
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Special Edition: World Space Congress 2002: The New Face of Space
Students experience and study how space offers expanding resources for commerce, science, technology and education. They view how advances in space can and do improve life on Earth. Each student views a geological exploration within this...
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm
Learners read Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm by Jerdine Nolen Harold. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the study of balloons. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social studies, and library...
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Energetic Atoms - Active & Spaced Out
Students discover the power of the sun through an outdoor experiment. In this solar power lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation on atoms before they complete an atom worksheet. Students utilize a solar bag to...
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Biology: Lung Capacity
Students perform experiments to determine their lung capacity and respiration rate. After choosing and performing one of two methods to discover lung capacity, they measure their respiratory rates and assess conditions that affect them....
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The Same but Different Part II
Third graders experiment with beakers of water and balloons to measure the volume of the gas in the balloon. They determine ways to change the volume of air in the balloon which changes its size but not its physical state. By heating the...
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THE ROLE OF A CONTROL IN THE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
Students study the role of controls. They discuss variables and list conditions, that if not kept the same for both flasks, could effect the outcome of the experiment. They come up with most of the following: Amount and temperature of...
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Determining Momentum and Energy Loss of Balls Colliding Against Different Surfaces
Pupils experiment with the bounce of balls on various surfaces. For this physics lesson, students use various surfaces to bounce balls to study the momentum. This hands-on activity with the concepts of elasticity of surfaces which is...
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Keep-a-Cube
Waxed paper, newspaper, or aluminum foil? Keeping an ice cube from melting may require one or more of these materials. Learners design a box that will provide insulation so an ice cube stays intact for at least 90 minutes.
Teach Engineering
Insulation Materials Investigation
Don't melt away! Pairs investigate different insulation materials to determine which one is better than the others. Using a low-temp heat plate, the teams insulate an ice cube from the heat source with a variety of substances. They...
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Rocket-Powered Ski Lift
If a ski lift had rockets, imagine how fast it would be! Scholars let their imaginations take flight as they build models for such a ski lift. Rather than using a rocket, though, they'll use a much safer balloon as the power source.
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Thinking Like a Scientist
Students explore the scientific method. Students identify the steps in the scientific method and explain what each step means. Students use these steps to determine if boys or girls are taller in their classroom.
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Chemical Changes to Matter
Students analyze the causes of corrosion. In this chemistry lesson, students investigate what is necessary to cause chemical changes in matter. Students discover the causes of rust and tooth decay.
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Balloon Jets
Students investigate how fuel amount affects the distance traveled by balloons. In this physics lesson, students collect data and create a pictograph. They interpret data and formulate a conclusion.
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Making A Natural pH Indicator
Students make their own pH indicator from red cabbage. Red cabbage contains a chemical that turns from its natural deep purple color to red in acids and blue in bases. Students boil the cabbage to get the pH indicator.
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Observing Buffers In Lakes, Ponds And Streams
Pupils observe the effects of limestone on the acidity of water. Some areas of the nation have a lot of limestone in lake bottoms and in soil, which helps neutralize the effects of acid rain. Students see this effect first hand.
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Determining The pH Of Common Substances
Students use a pH indicator to measure the pH of some fruits, common beverages, and borax. Students discover how to differentiate between an object that is an acid or a base.
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Picket Fence Free Fall
Students measure acceleration using a Picket Fence and a Photogate. For this physics lesson, students drop an object and measure the acceleration of the object free falling. They log their data using the TI.
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The Water Cycle
Students access prior knowledge of the water cycle by completing a KWL. For this water cycle lesson, students follow the movement of water through the water cycle.
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School Temperatures
Young scholars collect and record temperatures throughout the school. Using this information they compare and contrast the temperatures recorded from various spots throughout the school.
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Dripping Wet or Dry as a Bone?
Students use a sponge and water model to explore the concept of relative humidity and create a percent scale. They define humidity and saturation, build a simple humidity/saturation model, collect, predict and interpret data, and create...