PBS
Breaking it Down
After challenging themselves to correctly choose the form of erosion and length of time required for a given landform to develop, earth science class members model mechanical and chemical weathering with various lab demonstrations over...
Science Matters
Ring of Fire
Over a period of 35 years, earthquakes and volcanoes combined only accounted for 1.5 percent of the deaths from natural disasters in the United States. The 15th lesson in a 20-part series connects the locations of earthquakes and...
Curated OER
Ice Cream: a Taste of Science!!
Students define the term solution. They explain conservation of energy and energy transfer as it relate to how the milk solution became ice cream. Students are able to explain freezing point depression.
Curated OER
Science: Changes in Matter
Second graders discover what changes occur in various types of matter under different conditions. They make predictions about the changes in an apple left out in the air, water placed in a freezer, and a nail left in a cup of water. They...
Curated OER
Science- Unit on Matter- Solids
Second graders identify and describe properties of matter.
They identify three forms of matter- solids, liquids, and gases with 100% accuracy. The student describes the properties of solid objects.
Curated OER
Science- Unit on Matter- Liquids-
Second graders discover that everything is made of matter. they determine the properties of liquids and that like solids, liquids can be grouped or classified according to properties or qualities. they assess that solids have a definite...
Curated OER
Earth's Ecology
Students investigate the three states of water. For this physical science lesson, students watch the video "Earth's Ecology" and observe water in its' three states. Students record observations.
Curated OER
The History of Creation
Students explore the properties of matter. In this lesson about matter, students will do a series of experiments to enable them to understand about creation of the universe. In these some of the experiments students will makes stars,...
Curated OER
Classifying Candy I
Students explore the observable properties of matter. They develop two binary classification systems using concrete objects. based on two different properties of the concrete objects.
Curated OER
Science Detectives
Fifth graders examine the differences between chemical and physical changes. As a class, they are read a scenerio and determine whether it was deliberate act or not. In groups, they observe the changes of an alka-seltzer tablet and...
Curated OER
Ice cream in a Bag
Students make ice cream from scratch. They discuss the Food Guide Pyramid and what constitutes healthy and unhealthy food choices. Students experiment states of matter - solids, liquids, and gases. They predict each stage of the ice...
American Chemical Society
Condensation
It's time to break the ice! If you are doing all of the lessons in the unit, children have already seen that increasing heat increases the rate of evaporation, but is the opposite true? Does decreasing temperature cause more condensation...
American Chemical Society
Exploring Moisture on the Outside of a Cold Cup
As a stand-alone or as part of the intended unit, this is a valid investigation of what causes condensation to occur. By limiting the amount of air around a cold cup of water and comparing it to one out in the open, they find that...
Curated OER
It's a Gas!
Students investigate gases and their properties by completing 4 activities. In this gases lesson plan, students perform activities to show that gases take up space, they diffuse, and that odors and vibrations pass through gases. They...
Curated OER
STATES OF WATER
Students identify the various states of water. They use hypothesizing and hands-on experimenting on changing the states of water, the properties of water, and the role of heating and cooling in the changes of state.
Curated OER
Conservation at a Crossroads Lesson 1: What Is Conservation and Why Does It Matter?
Students explore the concept of conservation. In this conservation lesson, students read articles and primary documents about the Conservation Movement in the United States and compare the movement to today's environmental movements....
Curated OER
Matter
Third graders are introduced to the topic of matter. As a class, they brainstorm what they already know about matter and its properties. After completing a worksheet, they participate in an experiment in which they observe matter in...
Curated OER
Water and Ice: Part 1
Students observe the state changes in water. In this matter lesson, students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state. Students explore how water can change from a solid to a liquid then back again. They journal their...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore the physical properties of water. In this water instructional activity, students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state. There are 2 extensions for this instructional activity that one can access...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Learners investigate how water changes state. In this water lesson, students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state. This lesson includes extensions which can be accessed via the provided web links.
Curated OER
Discover Ways to Further Classify Matter
Students analyze and classify substances. In this classifying matter lesson, students look at various substances and identify them as heterogeneous or homogeneous mixtures, pure substances, or solutions. Students bring...
Curated OER
Cup Capacity Tool: Measuring Cup
Students examine containers and their capacity. They fill a one-cup measuring cup with water and pour cups of water into other containers. Through observation, students discover how many cups make a pint, and how many teaspoons make a...
Virginia Department of Education
Weathering of Limestone
We all know limestone weathers, but what affects the rate of weathering? Young scientists investigate the physical and chemical weathering of limestone (chalk) through experimentation. First, they conduct trials with different-size...
Curated OER
Our Picnic, The Study of Matter
First graders discover the properties of matter through hands-on experiences, 1st graders discover how to protect their Freeze Pop from melting.