Exploratorium
Squirming Palm
You will need an electric drill and some Velcro™ in order to have this activity available for your class. It is, however, an intriguing display of optical illusion. After watching a spinning disk (provided), viewers look at one of...
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #13 - Solarize a Toy
Physical science or technology classes will be invigorated by this challenge: to convert a toy, game, or other device to run on solar power. In doing so, they will design the appropriate solar arrays. This is an A+ lesson, complete...
Curated OER
Scientific Method: How Many Drops of Water Fit on a Coin?
Young investigators conduct an experiment using the scientific method. They see how many drops of water fit on a coin; have them conduct several different trials. This involves making a hypothesis, looking at controls, and introducing...
Cornell University
Physics of Flight
Up, up, and away! Take your classes on a physics adventure. Learners explore the concepts important for flight. They experiment with the Bernoulli Principle while learning the forces that act on airplanes in flight.
US Department of Energy
The Invisible Electromagnet: A Transparent Magnetic Field Viewer
Audio speakers, hard drives, credit cards, and even the earth use magnetic fields. While we observe the effect of magnetic fields, we can't actually see them. A viewer helps participants explore magnetic fields, some of the items that...
Curated OER
Recyclers to the Rescue
Producers, consumers, food chains, and plants are the stars of this science lesson. Learners take part in an inquiry which helps them to discover the most effective and efficient way to grow a producer. They have a variety of containers...
Curated OER
Leaves, the Sun, and the Water Cycle
As a way to combine life and physical science, or simply as an investigation of plant transpiration, this instructional activity is sure to inspire! Middle schoolers capture the moisture given off by plants that are placed in different...
Curated OER
Starch
Students examine the basics of starch and how it is used in food. In this photosynthesis lesson students experiment with variables that affect starch production in photosynthesis.
Curated OER
Lead and Mercury Ion Catalase Inhibition
Students participate in a laboratory investigation in which they observe the effect of temperature and pH on enzyme activity. Students also examine exposure to heavy metal ions and the effect that may have on enzyme activity.
Science Matters
Earthquake Building/Shaking Contest
Japan is one of only a handful of countries that constructs buildings that are almost earthquake proof. The 13th instructional activity in the 20-part series challenges scholars to build structures to test against earthquakes. With...
Science Matters
Energy from Water Wheels
Historians believe the first vertical water wheel was invented in Rome during the Augustan Age. The sixth instructional activity in the series of 10 has scholars experiment with designing their own water wheels. Through testing various...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Lab 2: Nanocatalysts Clean Your Car Emissions
Surface area certainly surfaces as a variable for chemical reaction rates. Scholars perform an experiment to discover how the size of catalysts affect the rate of a chemical reaction. They record their results in tables and graphs to...
Curated OER
Saltwater: Nifty Aqueous Colorful Layers
A classic investigation on the density of liquids is explained for you in this lesson plan. Te begin, you prepare water samples of different salinities and then add different food coloring to keep them separated and easily identified....
Curated OER
Junior Solar Sprint Series: Gears and Drive Belts
Activate middle schoolers' minds with this physical science activity. Learners vary the diameter of gears and the number of teeth on them to find how energy output is affected. This writeup features well-developed background...
Curated OER
Solar Cell Energy Availability From Around the Country
Students determine areas that are the most likely to produce solar energy by using NASA data. In this solar energy lesson students analyze plots and determine solar panel use.
Curated OER
Arkansas: A Changing Climate, a Changing Land
Here is a instructional activity on the climate zones and geography of Arkansas. In it, learners look at maps (embedded) of different climate zones found throughout Arkansas. They engage in discussions regarding how global warming and...
Curated OER
Digital Video Lesson Plan: Brine Shrimp
Students participate in classroom experiment to gain better understanding of type of environment brine shrimp can best survive. Students then explore effects of common saltwater pollutants on survival of animals in sea.
Ohio State University
Ohm's Law
Have you ever wanted to build a conductor? Here is a lesson that takes pupils through building a conductor based on Drude's model in order to better understand electricity.
Curated OER
Designer Colors, an Inquiry Approach to Flame Testing
Students investigate the spectroscopic colors unique to elements, and to use this information to create a specific color. They follow a detailed schematic to produce a spectroscpoe to be used in the testing.
Physics Classroom
Coulombs Law
How are charge, distance, and force related in electrostatics? Science scholars ponder the outcomes of changing variables using an interactive resource from the Static Electricity series. Individuals practice using Coulomb's Law as they...
Curated OER
WS 4.2 Nomenclature
In this nomenclature worksheet, students write the names of covalent and ionic compounds as well as write the formulas when given the names. They also write the names of acids given the formulas and write the formulas when given the names.
PHET
Friction
Friction leads to movement, heat, and melting on such a small scale most people don't notice. A short simulation permits scholars to observe the reaction between atoms as they move together. The simulation applies the concept of...
CK-12 Foundation
Airplane
How does an airplane control its take off and descent? Scholars explore the forces acting on an airplane and control the angle of attack, wing profile, thrust, and airplane size. They learn about lift, drag, thrust, gravity, and the...
Curated OER
Clausius-Clapeyron Equation
The heat of vaporization, pressure, and boiling points are the topics covered in these calculations. Four questions give some of the variables and ask for the missing information. You could use this activity to work through as a whole...