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Putting the Ice in Hockey

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Eighth grade physical science classes examine why the ice on which hockey is played is slippery. They do so by discussing phases of matter and the molecular motion in each. They read an article on a website and write out answers to...
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Air, Air-It's Everywhere!

For Teachers K - 5th
Learners engage in experiment activities, which illustrate that air is made of matter, does take up space, and is very important to our health. This instructional activity contains activities for a variety of grade levels. A very nice idea!
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Friction: Friend or Foe?

For Teachers 4th
Using a hands-on approach, learners explore the effect of friction on objects. Learners use toy cars, shoes, wood, metal, and more to experiment with the causes and effects of friction. Afterwards, they conduct experiments in which they...
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Temperature Changes Everything

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Middle school chemists visit interactive websites in order to discover what happens to molecular motion when heat is added to matter. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the expansion of matter with the addition of heat. A lab...
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To Float or Not to Float - A Lesson on Density

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students observe and experiment with the concept of density. This is done using a simple experiment that helps them to apply scientific principles of observation and proving a hypothesis.
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Keep It Clean!

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate the how water becomes polluted and how it effects the environment, animals, and humans. They watch a video and conduct experiments.
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Bacterial Transformation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss a bacterial experiment they previously performed and complete a pre-assessment. They participate in a lecture discussion given by the teacher through PowerPoint and then complete a cartoon worksheet and post-assessment.
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Refining the Why? Turning Student Questions into Research

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Middle schoolers have years of experience when it comes to how their bodies work. Surely they have some questions as well. Here is an opportunity for them to practice the scientific method in an attempt to answer some of those questions....
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Conductors and Insulators

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore conductors and insulators. In this science lesson, 5th graders act as electrons moving through a wire. Students break into groups representing conductors and insulators and explore how they work with electrons.
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How Can You Tell One Clear Gas From Another?

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders perform experiments to determine the identity of an unknown gas sample. In this chemistry lesson, 5th graders fill balloons with air, oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. They use mass and reactivity to identify the gases.
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Will It Sink or Float?

For Teachers 3rd
Learners conduct a science experiment to determine whether a variety of objects will sink or float. They discuss the concept of density, and then make predictions about whether the objects will sink or float. They then conduct the...
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Got Gas? How Much?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners perform an experiment that measures respiration.  For this performing an experiment that measures respiration lesson, students discuss aerobic and anaerobic respiration.  Learners measure the gas produced by putting...
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Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate how water goes from a solid to a liquid then back again.  In this experimental lesson students conduct their own experiment and see how water changes form. 
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Sink or Float?

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students predict and test different items to see if they sink or float. In this sink and float lesson plan, students predict whether an item is buoyant or not, and learn that size and weight do not matter when it comes to buoyancy.
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Fossil Fuels: Facing the Issues

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore energy by researching fuel usage on Earth. In this fossil fuel lesson, students define fossil fuels, the energy created by burning them, and the impact on the environment when using them. Students conduct pollution...
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To Float or Not to Float - Density

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students experiment floating a variety of objects in various liquids. They discover how density affects the ability of an object to float and apply the concept of density to solve problems.
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Casual Patterns in Ecosystems

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Ecology explorers or beginning biologists view a time-lapse film of decaying strawberries. They discuss how decomposition occurs and what factors might affect the rate of decay. Alone, the lesson plan is lacking engaging attributes....
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Where's the Beef - Beef Facts or Hype, Is it Bad for You?

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Analyze a Happy Meal™ for nutrient content and calories. Blend the contents into "McMush" and use Biuret's solution to test for protein content. There are a few problems with the lesson plan: the resource links are no longer...
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Solids and Liquids

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students complete activities to study the properties of solids and liquids. In this states of matter lesson, students investigate the melting and freezing of a range of materials in a virtual experiment. Students melt the substances and...
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Force and Motion - Part 2

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students test different objects such as dominoes, marshmallows, slides, and more to test their force, motion, gravity, friction, and the concept of matter. For this force and motion lesson plan, students understand that the force an...
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Water and Ice

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students conduct an experiment. In this forms of water instructional activity, students observe ice to see what changes take place and then write in their journal about what they observed.
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Our Picnic, The Study of Matter

For Teachers 1st
First graders discover the properties of matter through hands-on experiences, 1st graders discover how to protect their Freeze Pop from melting.
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pH and Red Cabbage Juice

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students review properties of materials and define what pH tells them about matter.  In this pH levels lesson, students determine whether materials are acids or bases using indicator substances.
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What is That White Stuff?

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify, through experimentation, what properties of substance are, determine what variables tested will be, identify constants and variables of experiment, conduct experiment to conclusion with measurable, recorded...