Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate And the Greenhouse Effect

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners demonstrate the greenhouse effect. They recognize that relatively small changes to our environment can stimulate significant climate changes. They determine that the "scientific method" is a process of testing hypotheses and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC)

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study flavinoids and how they exist in the plant kingdom.  In this pigment instructional activity students complete a lab activity to see how flavinoids move in substances then record their observations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Compact Fluorescent Lamp Experiments

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners conduct a series of experiment on incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. In this physics lesson, students explain how they operate. They compare the efficiency and power rating of both bulbs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Spectrum of a Star

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders identify stars based on their line spectra. In this astronomy lesson, 10th graders analyze spectrograph and determine the elements present in the star. They explain the relationship between temperature and star classes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electromagnetic Spectrum

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students define electromagnetic radiation, list major categories and uses of electromagnetic waves, identify potential health risks with electromagnetic waves, and demonstrate understanding of Plank's constant by solving quantitative...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemical Sleuthing

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students engage in a lesson which includes flame tests and the construction of a simple diffraction spectrograph with which to measure sodium ion emissions. They use the Bragg equation to compute the wavelength of the line spectra produced.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Running on Renewables

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students investigate the costs and benefits of switching their school to sustainable technology energy production. They use software called HOMER developed by the National Renewable Energy Lab to do the cost/ benefit analysis. They then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Physics of Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers study hummingbirds and how they use Newton's law.  In this motion lesson students complete several activities and view videos of hummingbirds. 
Worksheet
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Solutions, Suspensions, & Colloids Lab

For Students 10th - 12th
In this solutions, suspension and colloid worksheet, students complete a lab experiment in order to determine if a given mixture is a solution, suspension or colloid. They are given six vials and they record their observations of each...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bats Do It-Why Can't I?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore echos and how they are utilised in navigation.  In this sound lesson students calculate the amount of time between a sound and its echo.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's the Frequency, Roy G. Biv?

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine the concept of frequency and wavelength. They analyze how frequency and wavelength relate to each other by conducting an experiment involving measuring and timing wavelengths by pulling adding machine tape through an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Waves Interference

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students identify different wave types and their characteristics.  In this wave instructional activity students complete activities by activating tuning forks and interpreting data. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore water. In this water lesson, students explore the physical properties and states of water. They observe how water changes states and document what they see.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stellar Fingerprints: the Spectra of Stars

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students explain how an element can be identified using emission spectra. They relate the emission spectrum of hydrogen to its absorption spectrum and identify hydrogen absorption lines in the spectrum of stars.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Detecting Disease

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
In this detecting disease worksheet, students will review the different tools scientists use to identify diseases including the steps of Koch's postulates. This worksheet has 14 fill in the blank and 4 short answer questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Overhead Spectroscopy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the relevance and importance of data collection and analysis techniques that use different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. They observe the basic concepts of the visible electromagnetic spectrum and the...
Lesson Plan
Channel Islands Film

Magic Isle: Lesson Plan 1

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
What are the factors that limit growth and expansion? As part of their study of Catalina Island, class members view the West of the West's documentary Magic Isle and research William Wrigley and the Santa Catalina Island Company. After...
Lesson Plan
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Channel Islands Film

Arlington Springs Man: Lesson Plan 1

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
Learning to craft quality questions is a skill that can be taught. Class members use the Question Formulation Technique to learn how to create and refine both closed-ended and open-ended questions. They then view West of the West's...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Earth's Moon

For Students 9th - 12th
In this moon worksheet, learners review the different phases of the moon and differences between a lunar and solar eclipse. This worksheet has 13 fill in the blank and 5 true or false questions.
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Rock Cycle

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
In this rock cycle instructional activity, students will review the characteristics of the three rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Students will also compare and contrast rocks and minerals. This instructional...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ozone Pollution: Smog Alert

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students examine factors the create smog.  In this pollution instructional activity students complete an activity about ozone. 
Worksheet
Curated OER

Application of Scientific Notation

For Students 8th - 10th
In this scientific notation instructional activity, students solve eight problems about the sun, the planets and the universe using very large numbers expressed in scientific notation.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Tree-Ring Dating

For Students 5th - 8th
In this tree-ring dating worksheet, students use activity sheets to determine a tree's age and to observe changes in climate from the tree-rings. Students investigate how archaeologists use tree rings to date evidence and they answer 5...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Night Sky: Summer

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners explain how moon phases occur. They describe and explain at least two common misconceptions that people have about the moon. Students explain what a star is. They explain 3 ways that the night sky has been used throughout history.