Space Awareness
Seasons Around the World
Why does Earth experience summer, fall, winter, and spring? Using an informative demonstration, learners see how the angle of the sun on Earth and the rotation of Earth determine the seasons. Scholars work in pairs to learn that the...
Curated OER
Charles's Law
In this Charles's Law worksheet, students review the Kelvin temperature scale, how volume varies with temperature, and Charles's Law. This worksheet has 4 problems to solve.
Cornell University
Investigating and Modeling Hardness
Model hardness testing with a self-designed hardness test. Young scholars rate the hardness of different types of aspirin using the Vicker's Hardness scale. They then relate hardness to the solubility of each aspirin tablet.
Curated OER
How Cool Is Your Environment?
Students study the formulas for calculating heat energy and how to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit. They apply the formulas on a worksheet.
Curated OER
Science: Hurricanes As Heat Engines
Young scholars conduct Internet research to track the path of Hurricane Rita. They record the sea surface temperature of the Gulf of Mexico during and after the hurricane and draw conclusions about how hurricanes extract heat energy...
University of California
Hot! Hot! Hot!
Calories are not tiny creatures that sew your clothes tighter every night, but what are they? A science lesson, presented at multiple levels, has learners experiment with heat, heat transfer, and graph the function over time. It also...
Virginia Department of Education
Metamorphic Rocks
Rocks can bend? Pupils investigate how heat and pressure produce metamorphic rocks by modeling them using clay, and then categorize samples based on observable characteristics. The lesson ends with a metamorphic rock identification...
Curated OER
How to Read a Thermometer
Learners' temperature is measured using an instrument called a thermometer.
Curated OER
Water Cycle
Young scientists explore Earth elements by conducting an experiment. They define water vocabulary terms such as condensation and precipitation. In addition, they conduct a water experiment in which they build a terrarium, so they can...
Curated OER
Cloud Observations using GLOBE Protocols
Learners observe which of ten types of clouds are visible and how much of the sky is cloud covered. They see that by observing clouds, we can get information about temperature, moisture, and wind conditions in different places in the...
Curated OER
Albedo and Irradiation of Surfaces
Here is a physical science activity where pupils place thermometers inside of a white and a black paper pocket and place them under a lamp. They record and compare the temperature increase over a ten-minute period. Have your class...
Curated OER
Analysis of Atmospheric Conditions for a High Mountain Retreat
Students examine the relationship between altitude, atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity at a particular location. They practice science and math in real world applications. They write reports detailing their scientific...
Curated OER
Scientist Tracking Network
Students correlate surface radiation with mean surface temperature of several geographic regions. They observe how these parameters change with latitude and construct an understanding of the relationship of solar radiation to seasonal...
Cornell University
Atomic Bonding
Explore the connection of surface area to bonding within atoms. Learners complete lab investigations to model changing surface area with different sizes and concentrations of atoms. A flour fireball demonstration follows the labs to...
Curated OER
Science Concept Maps
A collection of concept maps has some terms filled in and others left blank for young scientists to fill in. This library can provide you with many pop quizzes for all of your middle to high school science curriculum.
National Energy Education Development Project
Introduction to Wind Energy
The U.S. produced enough wind energy in 2015 to power all of the homes in Alaska, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and...
Curated OER
How Warm is the Water?
Students research how surface sea temperature changes throughout the year. They draw a time series of sea surface temperatures for each month of the year and a depth profile for a summer and winter month using an OceanExplorer Profiler...
Curated OER
The Energy Debate - Energy of Peanut
Students articulate the difference between the terms heat and temperature. They calculate the amount of energy associated with a given temperature rise and design an experiment to measure the energy of a fuel.
Curated OER
Viscosity of Liquids
Fifth graders discuss the properties and characteristics of different substances. They find the viscosity of each substance while at room temperature, when heated and when cooled. They determine if the viscosity of a substance changes...
Curated OER
Chemistry Is a Gas
Young scholars investigate the gas laws and how they apply to changes in gases. In this gas laws lesson, students use Boyle's Law and Charles' law to show the relationships between pressure and volume and volume and temperature of gases.
Curated OER
SDO Reveals Details on the Surface of the Sun
In this images of the sun worksheet, students read about the images released by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and they solve 3 problems using the given photograph of the sun. Students find the scale of the image, they compare the...
Curated OER
The Role of Density in Sinking or Floating: Relational Causality
Students watch the teacher do a demonstration of density with diet and regular soda. Note: try this first, as different types of artificial sweetener have different densities. Students discuss density and volume. They discuss "Relational...
Curated OER
Color of Stars
Young scholars study the color of stars. In this astronomy based lesson, students observe the colors in an open flame and apply the information collected about color and temperature to the visible light emitting from the photosphere of...
Curated OER
Calorie Connection
Students calculate the calories in a Brazil nut and the calories needed for daily intake. In this calories lesson plan, students use calorimetry to measure the change in water temperature heated by the burning of a Brazil nut. They also...