Chicago Children's Museum
Simple Machines: Force and Motion
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,...
Curated OER
Converting among Metric Units
In this metric conversion instructional activity, learners convert twelve metric measurements using conversion factors to show their work.
Adrian College
The Universe
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.
Curated OER
Parachutes: What Affects a Parachute
Young scholars create a simple paper parachute. In this parachute design lesson, students examine the effects of the wind and make napkin parachutes.
Curated OER
Fly Me to the Moon!
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...
Teach Engineering
What is a Nanometer?
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...
Curated OER
Simple Machines, Odd Machine
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.
Curated OER
Center of Gravity
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...
Curated OER
Build Your Own Telescope
Pupils build a simple astronomical telescope from two lenses and some tubes.
Virginia Department of Education
Modeling the Big Bang Theory
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...
Curated OER
How Fast Does This Tree Grow?
Students work together to determine how fast trees go. They make predictions and complete simple measurements. They answer questions to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Rocket Design: Aerodynamics, Trajectories
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.
LABScI
Potential and Kinetic Energy: The Roller Coaster Lab
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...
Curated OER
Teaching About Plate Tectonics and Faulting Using Foam Models
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.
Curated OER
Seeing What You Cannot See--RADAR
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...
Curated OER
Oscillations
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...
Curated OER
Ships to a New World
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...
Curated OER
Surface to Volume Ratios
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...
Curated OER
Reaching Into Your Genes
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.
Curated OER
A Hilly Ride
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...
Curated OER
Why Are Cells So Small?
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...
Curated OER
The Miracle Fish: Learning to Design an Experiment
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.
Curated OER
How Do Organisms Vary?
Students study variation of organisms. They determine this variation arises from genetic and environmental causes.
Curated OER
Necessary Nitrogen
Learners view a video that presents the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen. They compare types of soils and consider how different fertilizers affect soil composition.