National Science Teachers Association
Paper Car Crash Design
High school physical scientists collide with motion. They work in pairs to design a paper car that will protect a raw egg during a head-on collision. Measurements of distance traveled, time of run, vehicle specs, and photo gate flags are...
Texas State University
Earth: Deposition and Lithification
Geology geniuses analyze sediment samples with a hand lens and sort according to physical characteristics. They also learn about the processes of cementation, compaction, and lithification within the rock cycle. The lesson plan is...
American Chemical Society
Using Dissolving to Identify an Unknown
There is a solvent called aqua regis that can dissolve gold! After observing a solubility demonstration, groups receive four known crystals and one unknown. Based on the demo, they design an experiment to determine the identity of the...
Teach Engineering
Battle of the Beams
Make the strongest beam possible using taffy? Groups mold a taffy-water mixture into a beam and a reinforcing material of their choice. To finish the final installment of a two-part series, participants test its strength by adding...
Curated OER
Lab Safety
Teaching the importance of safety in the science laboratory is a necessary part of the curriculum.
Curated OER
Lab Safety
Students review lab safety by walking into a classroom full of hazards and discussing what is wrong as they clean each station up.
Curated OER
Hydrogen Peroxide Analysis
A scenario is presented for chemistry techs to address. Using titration techniques, they must analyze hydrogen peroxide solution samples. They evaluate accuracy and precision in the process. They also gain experience consulting the MSDS...
Curated OER
Lab Safety
In this lab safety worksheet, students use an illustration of students in a lab classroom to complete 10 short answer questions about what they see as safe and unsafe lab procedures.
Curated OER
The Chemistry of Refining Crude Oil
Consider our energy sources: wood, coal, oil, uranium. Learners compare the pollution to energy produced for each. They practice fractional distillation of an alcohol/water mixture to simulate the process of refining crude oil....
American Chemical Society
The Energy Efficiency of Heating Water
Can a small change in laboratory procedures save energy? Scholars test three different methods for heating water in a science lab. Then, they calculate the energy efficiency for each and compare them to determine which uses the least...
Curated OER
Cents-ible Chemistry-Analysis of the Metal in a Penny
Students determine the base metals and surface metals in a penny. In this analysis of metals lesson plan, students determine the density of five pennies minted in different years. They use different chemicals such as hydrochloric acid,...
American Chemical Society
Combustion and Burning
On Earth, a candle flame points up, but on the International Space Station, it forms a sphere. Young scientists practice their skills by recording observations before, during, and after a candle burns. Chemical and physical...
University of Georgia
Density and Texture of Soil
All soil is not created equal! A lab activity asks learners to collect and analyze soil. Specific calculations determine the amount of sand, silt, and clay in a sample and allow individuals to identify the soil texture.
Curated OER
Lab Activity: Model of the Planets
This learning exercise leads the class through the calculations needed to construct circles to represent the planets of our Solar System. The actual values are provided, as are suggested calculations to create the scale diameters. The...
Curated OER
Elastic Recoil in Arteries and Veins
A lab in which high schoolers examine the difference between arteries and veins. Budding biologists will find out which blood vessel can stretch furthest, recording their data in a table then answering several questions evaluating their...
Code.org
Identifying People with Data
How much information about you is out there? Scholars explore this question as they investigate data breaches and how these violations occur. They then take part in an activity where they research how easily people could get access to...
Curated OER
What's The Big Deal About Accutane?
Students take on the role of epidemiologists. They investigate an "outbreak" in serious birth defects that occur in infants born to teenage girls. students discover a link between the use of the acne drug called Accutane and birth defects.
Curated OER
Gravimetric Determination of the Nonvolatile Content of Paint
Here are the instructions for leading your advanced chemists though the process of measuring the nonvolatile components in a sample of paint. No student handout is provided, so you may want to create one based on the procedure explained....
Santa Monica College
Mole Ratios and Reaction Stoichiometry
Stoichiometry sounds complicated, but it really means the study of the amount of substances involved in a reaction. The sixth lesson in an 11-part series has scholars use stoichiometry to find the theoretical yield of a reaction. Then,...
Curated OER
temperature and the Scientific Method Lesson Plan
Sixth graders study heat, temperature, and heat transfer. Using probeware, the teacher demonstrates boiling points. Students participate in experiments and record the beginning and ending temperatures and mass of objects. After...
Curated OER
A Visit to the Vet
Young scholars discover the important role veterinarians play in the lives of animals. In this animal safety lesson plan, students identify parts of veterinarian's job by completing a KWL chart and an online tutorial. Young...
Kenan Fellows
How Do Chemists Measure?
Young chemists create gold nanoparticles as they learn to measure accurately with the metric system. They create an advertisement for the application of nanotechnology to complete the first lesson in a series of six.
Curated OER
Safety in Numbers
Students investigate social behavior patterns of primates. Next, students research a specific primate-analyzing individual and group behavior patterns particular to the species. They create informational posters and present findings to...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Science and Math Pre - Lab (Scientific Method)
Students examine science. In this scientific method lesson, students are introduced to what every experiment contains (hypothesis, critical thinking) and how an experiment is conducted. They watch a demonstration and then work...