Curated OER
From Caterpiller to Butterfly: Cycles, Circles, and Patterns
Students examine art of butterflies and discuss what they know about the insect. They create their own butterfly puppets and write a story to represent its life cycle.
Discovery Education
It's Too Loud!
STEM scholars investigate sound attenuation by conducting an experiment in which they compare the farthest distance that they can hear a sound with and without ear protection.
Curated OER
F = Ma, Inertia, And Action-reaction
Fourth graders investigate Newton's Second and Third Laws of Motion. They determine what makes objects harder or easier to push. While investigating they determine how applying force in order balance out gravity allows things to stay...
Curated OER
Air Pollution: A Local and Global Problem
Learners work together to solve the problem of air pollution. Using the Internet, they research the pollution problem in one city. Using the data, they develop their own solution and pitch it to the class. They must identify the...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of a simple machine and uses the law of motion to justify why they operate. Students explore the laws by constructing some simple machines to illustrate the concepts.
Curated OER
Meet the Neighbors: Planets Around Nearby Stars
Students explain why a transiting planet causes a periodic dimming in the light from its parent star. They determine the radius of a planet, and its orbital distance, by analyzing data and manipulating equations. Students compare the...
Curated OER
Wave Actions
In this waves worksheet, students read about the ways waves react depending on the boundary they encounter. They read about natural frequency, resonance, phases and interference in waves. They match 13 terms with their definitions, they...
Curated OER
Waves
In this waves worksheet, students read about the different types of waves and how the speed of waves is calculated. Then students complete 5 matching, 8 fill in the blank, and 9 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Waves
In this waves instructional activity, students read about harmonic and linear motion in waves as well as the two types of waves. They match 5 terms to their definitions about the structure of waves, they solve for the wavelength,...
Curated OER
This Is a Stick Up
Students create a sundial and track the movement of the sun throughout the day. Modifications to the activity are provided for both lower and upper elementary students.
Curated OER
The Sun Affects Earth
Third graders read, write, and listen to information about the sun and its effects on the Earth.as it relates to its axis, orbit, rotate, and revolution. In this solar system lesson plan, 3rd graders examine how the sun...
Curated OER
A Classical & Relativistic Trip to a Black Hole
High schoolers calculate distance, velocity, acceleration and time on their fantasy trip to the black hold. They apply Newton's Laws of Motion and calculate circular motion. They discuss any questions that may arise.
Curated OER
The Physics of Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air
Students study hummingbirds and how they use Newton's law. In this motion lesson students complete several activities and view videos of hummingbirds.
Curated OER
Organisms that Glow
In this bioluminescence worksheet, students read about various organisms that glow on land and in the sea. They answer three critical thinking questions after reading about these chemical reactions.
Curated OER
Waves Interference
Learners identify different wave types and their characteristics. In this wave lesson students complete activities by activating tuning forks and interpreting data.
Curated OER
Reflection, Refraction & Lenses
Students are able to describe what happens to light when it strikes different materials. They describe the law of reflection. Students are able to explain why a mirror froms a virtual image. They are able to describe diffuse reflection.
Curated OER
Astronomical Song Lyrics
In this astronomy and song lyrics activity, students are given 10 lyric fragments from different artists. Students select 3 of the fragments and write short essays about each to explain their thoughts from a human and astronomical point...
Curated OER
Energy for You
Young scholars investigate the energy sources used in student's communities. They explore where the energy comes from, how it is transported, and the uses to which it is put. They review the meanings of vocabulary renewable and newable...
Curated OER
Convection Activities
Students conduct a series of hands-on activities to demonstrate that heated air expands and that warm air rises because it is less dense.
Curated OER
Using Models to Communicate
In this models worksheet, students read about how models are used to communicate events or principles in science. They are given an example and answer 4 questions about models. They discuss accuracy and inaccuracy of models. They create...
Curated OER
The Solar System: Go Green with the Sun!
Third graders learn how to use solar power. In this sun, technology and energy lesson, 3rd graders learn how the solar power from the sun can give off energy, learn about solar panels, discuss their uses and benefits, and design a...
Curated OER
What Is Energy? Short Demos
Students engage in three short, hands-on, in-class demos which expand students' understand of energy. First, using peanuts and heat, students see how the human body burns food to make energy. Then, they create paper snake mobiles to...
Curated OER
Solar Racing
Students harness the power of the sun to design, construct and evaluate a solar-powered model car of their creation. They race their cars in a "Solar Sprint" race modeled after the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Junior Solar...
Curated OER
Lunar Lollipops
Students simulate the phases of the moon using a lamp and styrofoam balls. In this lunar phases instructional activity, students stand around a lamp and act as Earth. They hold styrofoam balls and rotate to show the phases of the moon.