Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food Chemistry: The Chemistry of Sweeteners

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students investigate the properties of sweeteners. In this chemical property lesson, students examine the unique properties of sweeteners by performing several experiments. They will analyze the data to form a conclusion about the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Breaking it Down

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discover how water expands when frozen during a glacier. In this matter lesson, students fill a glass jar with water, leaving no room for air in the jar and place it in the freezer.  Students retrieve the jar and notice the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physical and Chemical Changes

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students examine the different changes in matter.  In this chemical change instructional activity students determine the amount of reactant made in a reaction using the law of conservation. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forms of Water

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Learners experiment to show the three forms of water. They watch a "hand" made of ice as it melts observing and drawing what they see.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physical Changes of Water

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Learners observe changes in water. In this lesson about water and its forms, students perform an experiment to determine how water changes. Learners analyze what causes water to be solid, liquid, or gas. Students record their...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Dancing Raisins

For Students 3rd - 6th
In this raisins activity, students test what raisins do in soda. Students experiment with raisins and answer 5 questions on the experiment and on matter.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's OK to Reach Your Boiling Point!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students view a video which introduces them to density and the states of matter. They experiment, collect data, and graph the boiling/freezing points of several edible items...and then make brownies!
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kinds of Weather and What to Wear

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Young scholars explore how temperature and wind contribute to types of weather. For this weather lesson, students observe an experiment in which ice, steam, and an electric fan are manipulated to produce results that simulate how fog and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ice cream in a Bag

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students make ice cream from scratch. They discuss the Food Guide Pyramid and what constitutes healthy and unhealthy food choices. Students experiment states of matter - solids, liquids, and gases. They predict each stage of the ice...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Take Me to the River! Using the Black River for Earth Science Review

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders use maps to identify landscape regions and drainage patterns producing the Black River. They create PowerPoint presentations pertaining to the Black River watershed, its geologic history and highlighting safe rafting...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science-Unit on Matter-Gases

For Teachers 1st
First graders understand that gases take up space even though you can't see or smell it. This is done through many experiments like trapping air in different sized bags, using balloons and plastic bottles, and blowing bubbles. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Liquid Logic: Experiments in Viscosity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine specific characteristics of liquids through a hands-on lab activity. An experiment with teacher prepared viscosity tubes is conducted in which liquid identities are predicted based on data. A hypothesis is written to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Does Contact Area Matter?

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Learners work together to design and implement an experiment on friction. They test to see if contact area affects the amount of friction. They discover how engineers use friction to make certain products better.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A World Of Matter

For Teachers 1st
First graders complete a variety of experiments with solids, liquids and gases. They read books about matter, identify the characteristics of solids, liquids and gases and the sort and classify a variety of matter. Students make...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's a Matter of Consent: Considering a Patient's Rights.

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create a Patient's Rights Charter after discussions of past experiments with such rights charters using the biographical posters in order to stimulate discussions on current attempts to create a Patient's Rights Charter. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Uplifting Experience

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine the forces that affect the flight of airplanes through the use of paper airplanes. They conduct Internet research, conduct experiments demonstrating Bernoulli's Principle, and design and construct a paper airplane.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Measurement: When Degrees Matter

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders record the temperature change of the beakers. For this general science lesson, 8th graders create their own data table for recording observations. They discuss experimental results and cite real life applications.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food Matters

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify physical and chemical changes. In this science inquiry lesson, 5th graders observe the changes that occur when making bread and butter. Students explain if the product is result of a physical or chemical change.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Properties of Matter

For Students 9th - 12th
In this matter learning exercise, students compare metals and non-metals, elements, and chemical and physical properties. This learning exercise has 22 short answer questions.
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Investigating the Line

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Note that this lesson is best paired with the preceding lesson in the unit. In that lesson, elementary physical scientists observed that the color coating of M&Ms® candies do not mix when dissolved off of the chocolate surface. Now...
Lesson Plan
Kenan Fellows

Letter Writing to Politicians on Environmental Issues

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Let your voices be heard! Pupils research local and national environmental concerns using the Internet. Class members determine an issue they deem important and draft a letter to a local politician expressing their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Photovoltaics and Solar Energy

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students experiment with photovoltaic cells and determine the energy use of their appliances. In this renewable energy lesson, students calculate the energy emitted by a photovoltaic cell through an inquiry-based lab. They keep track of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Great Heat Escape

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students observe a demonstration on the role of thermal conductivity in heat transfer.  In this thermal conductivity lesson, students design and conduct an experiment to compare the thermal conductivity of four substances....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stomach Chemistry

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders compare physical and chemical changes. They perform a simulation experiment/activity that replicates what happens in the stomach as food is digested by stomach acids.