Curated OER
Sports and Science
Using footballs, basketballs, tennis balls, and more, learners conduct experiments to illustrate Newton's Laws of Motion. The experiments are conducted outside, and require them to throw, kick, and hit a variety of balls. Your class...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Investigating Temperature Changes on Evaporating Liquids—Microscale Chemistry
Is there more to evaporation than just less liquid? Show young scientists the energy transformation that occurs during a phase change through a series of simple experiments. Lab partners place drops of water, ethanol, and ethoxyethane on...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Mass Changes in Chemical Reactions—Microscale Chemistry
What better way is there to introduce conservation of mass than a few simple experiments? Young chemists conduct two chemical reactions, take the masses of reactants and products, then compare their results to determine differences in...
US Department of Energy
Hydrogen and Electrolysis
Electrify your science class with this simple electrolysis experiment. After first reading about hydrogen and its potential as an alternative energy source, a demonstration is performed showing young scientists how water molecules can be...
The New York Times
Laboratory Experiment
For any science class, learners can use this lab sheet to plan an experiment. It includes a space for the title, question, materials, setup, and procedure. If you want your class to complete this in typed form, you can provide the web...
Curated OER
Invasive Species Science Experiement
In this invasive species worksheet, 3rd graders complete a hands on science experiment. students then record their observations and results.
Space Awareness
Greenhouse Effect
A greenhouse provides additional warmth and protection to the plants inside, but what if the greenhouse gets too hot? Pupils discuss and experiment with the difference between natural and anthropogenic greenhouse effect. They measure the...
Curated OER
More Rocket Science
Students observe two rocket science experiments, and create a graph to demonstrate the results. They draw a picture and write an explanation of the results of the experiments.
Curated OER
Lesson Idea: A Box Full of Science
Students analyze and study a shoe box of simple objects. They experience a homemade alternative to a company box of commercial kits for science. Each student creates their own shoe box of simple objects to share with their classmates.
Curated OER
Energy Transformation with Simple Machines
First graders identify both potential and kinetic energy in a game they play in the classroom. They listen as the teacher explains the difference between potential and kinetic energy when observing a simple machine. Using simple...
Curated OER
Simple Circuits
Fifth graders investigate simple circuits and identify when a circuit is considered opened or closed. In small groups, they experiment with wires, batteries, and light bulbs to identify how to light the bulb. Students also experiment...
Curated OER
Lever as a Simple Machine
Students study the three different types of levers and develop a simple machine. In this levers and simple machines lesson, students look at different types of levers, and experiment with a ruler and a marshmallow to determine how they...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Fourth graders examine a machine and how its parts work together. In this simple machines lesson plan, 4th graders work in groups to study different gadgets, analyze how the parts of the gadget work and draw sketches of the gadget....
Curated OER
Simple Circuit: Electric Currents and Circuits
Through inquiry and exploration, 4th graders will learn and understand the functions of open and closed circuits. They will break into 2 groups, define vocabulary, hypothesize how to light a bulb, then test their hypothesis 4 different...
Space Awareness
Water is a Heat Sink
One of the key objectives of Europe's Copernicus Earth program is to monitor the temperatures of the oceans and seas on Earth. Young scholars learn the effects of different heat capacities through two experiments. These experiments...
Rivanna Regional Stormwater Education Partnership
Does It Soak Right In?
Which materials are best for groundwater runoff, and which are best for percolation? Discuss the water table with several experiments about different types of soil, pollution, precipitation, and filtration. The experiments assign roles...
NOAA
What Killed the Seeds?
Can a coral cure cancer? Take seventh and eighth grade science sleuths to the underwater drugstore for an investigation into emerging pharmaceutical research. The fifth installment in a series of six has classmates research the wealth of...
Curated OER
We Have Work to Do!
An excellent lesson plan awaits your young scientists! In it, learners are invited to explore the world of pulleys, levers, and planes; simple machines that make lifting heavy things much, much easier. They watch video, and engage in...
Curated OER
Qualitative Examples of Conservation of Mechanical Energy
Instructions for series of six activites, a reading of scientific literature, and a choice of six assessments await you in this physics resource. Well-written plans guide you in guiding your pupils to experiment with levers, pulleys,...
Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX)
Use Simple Machines to Help Stuart Little
Third graders study six simple machines while working in expert groups. They use the information from the research to decide which simple machine the Littles could use to move a package. They demonstrate how their simple machine works in...
Earth Day Network
Filtering Water
See the water filtration system up close with a fun science experiment. Young scientists work for several class periods to design a water filter using household objects, and then decide which filter material would be most effective in...
Curated OER
Feel the Vibrations
How does sound travel in a string walkie-talkie? Third graders read about the way vibrations act between two cups and a string. Next, they put the steps in order, and experiment with their own walkie-talkies.
K20 LEARN
The Cold, Hard Truth
Things are really getting heated in the lab! Science scholars scope out the facts about heat energy transfer using a simple lab from the K20 Center. Groups collaborate to observe temperature changes between hot metal and water, then use...
NEED Project
Calibrating Thermometers
Engage young scientists in the upper-elementary and middle school grades with this collection of simple experiments. Whether you're teaching about heat transfer, density, or potential energy this resource has a lab for you.