Unit Plan
Chicago Children's Museum

Simple Machines: Force and Motion

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
Get things moving with this elementary science unit on simple machines. Through a series of nine lessons including teacher demonstrations, hands-on activities, and science experiments, young scientists learn about forces, motion,...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Converting among Metric Units

For Students 7th - 10th
In this metric conversion instructional activity, learners convert twelve metric measurements using conversion factors to show their work.
Activity
Adrian College

The Universe

For Teachers 6th - 10th Standards
Young scientists create a simulation of Hubble's law. Introducing the Big Bang Theory using balloons and a simple lab instructional activity, scholars complete a data table and perform analysis.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Parachutes: What Affects a Parachute

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Young scholars create a simple paper parachute. In this parachute design lesson, students examine the effects of the wind and make napkin parachutes.  
Worksheet
Curated OER

Fly Me to the Moon!

For Students 11th - Higher Ed
In this Moon travel worksheet, students construct a simple rocket trajectory called the Hohmann Transfer orbit using a compass, string, paper and a pencil. Students solve 2 problems which include finding the number of hours it takes to...
Activity
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Teach Engineering

What is a Nanometer?

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Teams learn about the size of a nanometer by measuring objects and converting those measurements. A worksheet then tests the groups' abilities to use nanometers by having them determine the size of objects that are too small to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Machines, Odd Machine

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine levers and design a machine that uses a lever as a central component.  In this lever machine lesson students test various machine designs and evaluate their effectiveness.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Center of Gravity

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students work with boxes and weights to find the center of gravity. In this simple center of gravity experiment, students find success in using weights to move the center of gravity. Students will be assessed at the end of the lesson as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build Your Own Telescope

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Pupils build a simple astronomical telescope from two lenses and some tubes.
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Modeling the Big Bang Theory

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young astronomers learn about the Big Bang Theory and redshift through a hands-on activity in the last installment of a three-part series. Participants draw dots on balloons and then inflate them to model how galaxies moved farther apart...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Fast Does This Tree Grow?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students work together to determine how fast trees go. They make predictions and complete simple measurements. They answer questions to end the lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocket Design: Aerodynamics, Trajectories

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use science inquiry skills to build and launch a simple rocket, from several wooden launch pads of various angles, to determine what trajectory angle carry a rocket the greatest distance.
Lesson Plan
LABScI

Potential and Kinetic Energy: The Roller Coaster Lab

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Ron Toomer, a famous roller coaster designer, suffered from motion sickness. Pupils design their own roller coasters, learning about potential and kinetic energy in the process. Labs focus on the importance of drop height, energy...
Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Teaching About Plate Tectonics and Faulting Using Foam Models

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scientists learn about plate tectonics and the three different types of faults (normal, reverse, and strike-slip) using foam models. The activity also covers common types of locations where these faults are found.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seeing What You Cannot See--RADAR

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Student imitate mapping the ocean floor using the basic concepts of radar. Then they explain what radar is and how it workds. All of their measurements are recorded on a data sheet. Then the data is entered into a spreadsheet program. A...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oscillations

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students construct and compare the actions of various pendulums. In this pendulum motion lesson, students build and test different types of pendulums. They conduct experiments with the length of the swing arm and apply mathematical...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ships to a New World

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students experiment with buoyancy as a force. In this buoyancy lesson, students access an assigned website to examine the sailing vessels that came to the New World. They work as teams to build boats out of aluminum foil to see which...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Surface to Volume Ratios

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers measure the rate of diffusion and to calculate the surface area to volume ratios of varying cell sizes. The lesson is very clearly organized with a useful student worksheet provided. They perform a lab experiment which is...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reaching Into Your Genes

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners interact with a video to explore the basis for the science of chromosomes. They perform a chromosomal analysis called a karyotype and explore how seemingly minute errors in chromosomes can lead to devastating illnesses.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Hilly Ride

For Teachers 5th
Different types of energy are the focus of this science resource. Learners identify situations in which kinetic and potential energy are exchanged. They conduct an in-class inquiry which leads them to discover that there is a limit to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why Are Cells So Small?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars examine the relationship between cell surface area and the ability of materials to diffuse through a cell. They participate in an experiment in which they determine which materials diffuse easier than others. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Miracle Fish: Learning to Design an Experiment

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars develop procedures to explore the behavior of fish.  In this scientific experiment lesson students from a hypothesis, write a question, identify different variables and controls in their experiment. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Do Organisms Vary?

For Teachers K - 8th
Students study variation of organisms. They determine this variation arises from genetic and environmental causes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Necessary Nitrogen

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners view a video that presents the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen. They compare types of soils and consider how different fertilizers affect soil composition.