Curated OER
States of Matter
Students explore the states of water. In this physical science lesson, students use ice and dry ice to observe the changes in the state of matter. Students record the results.
Curated OER
Environmental Education
Second graders discuss the different forms of energy and their sources. They work with a partner to answer a variety of questions revolving around energy. They develop a scientific attitude about renewable energy.
Curated OER
Lemon Batteries Revised
Fifth graders investigate how chemical energy in food and batteries is potential or stored energy. They discuss how batteries function, and create a class list of different forms of energy. Students then create a lemon battery that...
Curated OER
Battery Power
Sixth graders examine how much energy they use in the form of battery power. They examine the cost of using regular vs. rechargeable batteries and examine the effect on the environment of the two types of batteries. They discover that...
Curated OER
In the Eye of the Hurricane
For this science worksheet, students read about temperature and thermal energy in a hurricane. Students also draw their own hurricane and label 5 different parts.
Curated OER
Strange Sounds
Learners investigate sound as a form of energy. In this energy, forces, and sound lesson plan, students explore how different sounds may be made as they make a variety of materials vibrate. Learners observe the effects of vibrations and...
Curated OER
The Web of Life
Young scholars construct a food web to learn how living things in an ecosystem are interconnected. In this food web simulation lesson, students will be assigned an animal and the teacher will represent the sun. Young scholars and...
Curated OER
Know Your Energy Costs
Students calculate energy costs using a formula and complete a cost chart. In this energy costs activity, students analyze the cost of electrical energy and find ways to conserve it.
Curated OER
All the President's Men and Women
Learners research responsibilities, programs and government departments of leaders that make up the presidential cabinet, in the form of a Web Exploration, after reading "Dueling Power Centers" from The New York Times.
Carnegie Mellon University
Transportation
Teach your environmental studies, life science, or engineering class how an internal combustion engine works using the first few slides of the accompanying presentation. Then, focus in on the resulting carbon emissions. Finally, take a...
Cornell University
Bacteria Take Over and Down
Bacteria outnumber all other forms of life on Earth. Scholars observe the growth of bacteria in petri dishes to understand their role in maintaining good health. Then, they observe the growth of bacteria after they introduce...
Workforce Solutions
Newton's Laws
Two lessons explore the connection between energy transformation and a given job. In lesson plan one, small groups role-play a scenario that showcases the energy transformations that may take place during a job-specific task. The second...
Curated OER
Uses of Coal
An interesting series of puzzles and word games are available in this multi-page collection, which focuses on coal. Learners practice math and language arts skills as they solve the puzzles, and learn many facts about coal at the same time.
Curated OER
Chemistry of Carbon
After giving basic details about the properties of carbon, some of the common functional groups and molecules are featured. There is some information about specific functions and impact on the human body. The diagrams are helpful and...
Serendip
Using Models to Understand Cellular Respiration
Energize biologists with colorful images in an activity that captivates the imagination while demystifying the subject of cellular respiration. Participants build comprehension skills and access core content knowledge by analyzing text...
Teach Engineering
Tippy Tap Plus Piping
Getting water to a tap requires an understanding the fundamentals of fluid flow. Groups design, build, and test a piping system to get water from the source — a five gallon bucket — to a tippy tap. The objective is to be able to...
Curated OER
Chemistry of Carbon: Building Blocks of Life
After giving basic details about the properties of Carbon, some of the common functional groups and molecules are featured. There are some details about specific functions and impact on the human body. The diagrams are helpful and could...
CK-12 Foundation
Broken-Line Graphs: Heating Curve of Water
Examine the unique graphs coined broken-line graphs. Using the phase change of water for data, learners answer questions related to the temperature and energy at different times in the cycle of the phase change. Questions focus on the...
Teach Engineering
Equal and Opposite Thrust in Aircraft: You're a Pushover!
It's the law—every action requires a reaction, no matter how small. Pupils experience two demonstrations of Newton's third law of motion as it relates to thrust in the 10th segment of a 22-part unit on flight. Using their mathematical...
Chicago Botanic Garden
What Can Tree Rings Tell Us About Climate?
Tree rings are slightly thicker on the south side of the tree because it receives more sunlight. Part two in a series of five lessons helps learners analyze tree rings to determine the environmental conditions that caused size...
Teach Engineering
Bone Mineral Density Math and Beer's Law
Hop into a resource on Beer's Law. A PowerPoint presentation introduces Beer's law as part of calculating bone density from X-ray images in the sixth instructional activity in the series of seven. Individuals work on practice problems...
Teach Engineering
Edible Algae Models
Sometimes it's okay to eat your science experiment. A hands-on activity has pupils create models for algae to learn about its cellular structure. The best part of the experiment? The resulting juice-filled gels are edible—yum!
It's About Time
Electromagnets
Young scientists build their own electromagnet and test it by picking up paperclips. Analysis questions evaluate knowledge at the end of the activity.
Cornell University
Making a Battery
Don't be shocked when your class has a blast making their own batteries! Science scholars examine a dry cell battery, then design and construct a wet cell battery. The activity guides them through the parts of a battery, the variables...