Curated OER
The Weather Classroom - Atmosphere
Meteorology learners explore the weight of air, layers of the atmosphere, and air pressure action through a series of discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on group activities. Enough discussion prompts, background information, student...
Kenan Fellows
Sensors in Chemistry
The Environmental Protection Agency monitors sensors to track air pollution and set clean air standards. Enthusiastic young scientists use similar sensors to gather data in their area and then apply the gas laws and conservation of...
Curated OER
Ghostbusting in the Chesapeake
Ghost pots, fishing gear lost during crabbing expeditions, continue to trap crabs that are never collected. Increase your budding ecologists' awareness of human impact on the environment as well as conservation efforts using this...
Captain Planet Foundation
Predicting Whether the Weather is Good for the Garden
Can your class predict the weather? Show them how they can come close with a instructional activity about creating weather instruments, including weather vanes, barometers, wind socks, anemometers, and thermometers. Kids research weather...
Ohio State University
Exploration Activities with Electrostatic Interactions
Step out of the 21st century and discover protons and electrons through observation. Using common materials, participants continually adjust their explanation of charges. The final assessment requires pupils to design their own...
American Chemical Society
Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons
Atomic bombs harness the power in the nucleus of an atom, creating devastating power and damage. Classes review parts of an atom by charging a piece of plastic and holding it near their fingers, discussing what is happening and why....
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How is Flowing Water an Energy Source? Activity A
Here is a fun little exploration of the potential energy potential of falling water. Learners drop water from various heights using a straw, and they analyze the diameter of the splash. Pair this with two more activities of the same...
Curated OER
Action-Reaction! Rocket
Students construct a rocket from a balloon propelled along a guide string. They use this model to learn about Newton's three laws of motion, examining the effect of different forces on the motion of the rocket. They measure the distance...
Teach Engineering
The Great Gravity Escape
Groups simulate an orbit using a piece of string and a water balloon. Individuals spin in a circular path and calculate the balloon's velocity when the clothes pin can no longer hold onto the balloon.
Kenan Fellows
The Newton Challenge
Make Newton proud. Scholars apply their understanding of forces and energy to an engineering design challenge. They learn about simple machines, create a presentation on Newton's laws, and develop a balloon-powered car.
Teach Engineering
An Inflated Impression of Mars
Help your class understand the magnitude of the distance between Earth and Mars with an activity that asks small groups to use balloons to create scale models of the Earth, Moon, and Mars. Class members figure out the distances...
PBS
Hands-On Engineering Challenges to Bolster Your Electricity, Sound, and Force Units
Need some activities to go along with your unit? A collection of hands-on activities from PBS offers opportunities to add to your electricity, sound, and force units. The electricity activities revolve around building a...
Curated OER
Are You Full of Hot Air?
Explore the concept of measuring and recording circumference. In this physical science and measurement lesson, young learners blow up balloons, measure the circumference, and record the data on an interactive graphing website.
Curated OER
Air Takes Space
Students examine how air takes space. They come up, push a deflated balloon into one of the bottles and stretch the open end of the balloon over the bottles mouth
Curated OER
Lift and Drag: Principles of Flight and the Soaring Imagination
Students construct models of early gas balloons and gliders. In this balloon and glider instructional activity, students create models of early gas balloons and gliders, discover how the forces of lift and drag effect aircraft in...
Curated OER
Up, Up and Away with the Scientific Method
Students utilize the scientific method to design a way for a balloon to be suspended between the floor and the ceiling.
Curated OER
Up, Up, and Away
Middle schoolers research hot-ballooning using Internet resources including an around-the-world balloon flight. They determine fact from opinion, examine point of view, and determine main idea, and details. They write a journal entry...
Curated OER
The Magnificent Breathing Machine
Students discover their magnificent breathing machine. In this science lesson plan, students learn the functions of the lungs in our bodies and become aware that in breathing an exchange of gases takes place in the lungs.
Curated OER
Shrinking Air
In this science investigation worksheet, students follow the listed procedures to find out how temperature affects air pressure as they heat and cool balloons.
Curated OER
Lungs: The Breathing Machine
Students create a model of the lungs and diaphragm. In this breathing activity, students create a model out of a plastic bottle and balloons. They see how the diaphragm helps to fill the lungs with air.
Curated OER
Rocket Pinwheel
Students explore the action-reaction principle of Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this rocketry lesson, students construct a pinwheel using a balloon, soda straw, and wooden pencil. Students investigate the results.
Curated OER
Velocity, Acceleration, and Gravity
Students perform an experiment where a string is tied across the room. A straw is threaded onto the string, and a balloon attached to the straw. Students determine the speed of the balloon as it moves across the string. They repeat the...
Curated OER
Boyle's Law
Students work in small groups and use a hand-held vacuum pump with a balloon under the dome with some air. Another deflated balloon is attached to the end where the air goes out. As the air is drawn out of the dome the first balloon with...
Curated OER
Physics Lab Rockets
Learners construct and test balloon rockets and a model rocket. In this rocket science activity, students use an inquiry-based method to master balloon rockets and have a shoot-off with the goal of attaining the highest altitude. Next,...