Virginia Department of Education
Cell Parts
What do a bird, an egg, a rabbit, and a toad all have in common? This fun-filled resource explains the similarities and differences between cells and how all cells are similar, yet all are different. Learners begin by depicting a...
Curated OER
Friction and Inclined Planes
Teaching about inclined planes may seem like an uphill battle, but there's a straightforward way to do it. An Honors Physics presentation covers static and kinetic friction, the forces of friction, and inclines. Additionally,...
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DNA, the Awesome Thread of Life
Students examine how traits are passed to offspring. In this genetic reproduction lesson students develop a model of dna and learn about its structure, replication and function.
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Do the Twist...(Learning about Screws)
Young scholars investigate how screws are a twisted incline plane. They observe the teacher screw a screw into wood and participate in a class discussion. Next, they make and test a prediction about how the spacing of the threads on a...
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Weather
Students explore the earth's atmosphere, weather, and climate. They begin class with a discussion about weather patterns, atmosphere, and the layers of the earth. After the class discussion, students rotate through four stations to...
Mascil Project
Parachute Food Drop
Drop a perfect project into your lesson plans. Groups use different building materials to create models of parachutes for food drops. After testing out their prototypes, they make improvements to their designs.
Messenger Education
Exploring Exploring
The reason people first began trading was because of their desires for objects other societies possessed. In the activity, classes discuss why exploration has been a common thread in all societies and where these desires have taken...
DiscoverE
A Clever Way to Water
Your plants will survive without you. Scholars create a device that can water plants using a coiled string. Along the way, they learn about adhesion and cohesion of water. The challenge is to keep the plants alive for at least a week.
Teach Engineering
Aerogels in Action
Model an oil spill cleanup. An engaging engineering lesson has groups using aerogels to simulate an oil spill cleanup (vegetable oil in water). Along the way, they learn about nanotechnology and hydrophilia/hydrophobia.
Curated OER
Study the Fizz
Students experiment to determine which bottle of soda has more dissolved carbon dioxide. For this solutions lesson, students use the scientific method to test the amount of carbon dioxide in bottles of soda. They identify and explain the...
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Suspension Bridges
Students explain the concepts of tension and compression, and then state the purpose of suspension bridges. They also study some of the most famous suspension bridges in North America.
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Altitude Tracking
Students estimate the altitude of a rocket during several flights. They create their own altitude tracking devise. They examine and discuss their results at the end of the activity.
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Cervical Vertebrae
Eighth graders investigate the cervical vertebrae through models and diagrams. In this cervical vertebrae lesson plan, 8th graders use rice cakes, straws, marshmallows and thread to model the vertebrae. They simulate a cervical vertebrae...
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Theater Game: "The Good, the Bad, and the Bountiful"
Young scholars play a game to demonstrate the detrimental effects of an algal bloom on the environment. In this microorganism instructional activity, students discuss microbes and algae. They dramatize the effects of an algal bloom using...
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Man's Struggle for Environmental Preservation
Students examine the way all living things are connected to one another. In groups, they participate in experiments in which they analyze the chemical processes through the biosphere and explain the role of energy. They also brainstorm...
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Snakes
Students follow directions to make a snake out of patterns. They research a specific snake and present it to the class in a group. They listen to a presentation about the King Cobra snake prepared by the teacher.
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Velocity, Acceleration, and Gravity
Students perform an experiment where a string is tied across the room. A straw is threaded onto the string, and a balloon attached to the straw. Students determine the speed of the balloon as it moves across the string. They repeat the...
Curated OER
Is There A Fungus Among Us?
Sixth graders classify fungus into two different groups. In this fungus lesson, 6th graders collect as many pieces of fungus as possible. Students then classify these pieces of fungus as saprophytic or parasitic.
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Underneath the Microscope
Eighth graders enhance their skills in operating a microscope. They become comfortable with the vocabulary associated with microscopes and investigate how to place slides and focus them properly using the microscope. Students are given...
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Weightlessness
Eighth graders study weight, force and mass as it pertains to the earths pull. In this weightlessness lesson students are divided into groups and complete an activity.
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Physical Science: The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Explore science through problem solving and learning how to solve the problem of the story "The Three Billy Goats Gruff." Young investigators will learn how to construct a model and design a solution. They will also keep records of their...
Curated OER
A Bernoulli Levitator
Students examine the Bernoulli Principle. They explore how they can suspend an object in the air by blowing down on it.
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Here It Comes, There It Goes!
Students use an ordinary toy to reveal the Doppler effect. The connection is also made to moving cars, and to the shifting of the lines in the absorption or emission spectrum when the distance between a star and Earth is increasing or...
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Spreading Cheer by Recycling!
Learners recycle paper and make greeting cards. In this recycling lesson, students use scraps of classroom paper to make new sheets of paper. They make greeting cards out of the paper and spread cheer to others in their community.