Have you ever examined a pumpkin and estimated the number of lines it has? In this math lesson, students count the actual number of lines, record and graph the results. They investigate the circumference, weight and buoyancy of the...

What do cereal, fog, and space shuttles have to do with newspapers? A collection of science investigations encourage critical thinking using connections to the various parts of the newspaper. Activities range from building origami seed...

Whatever floats your boat—with some additional weight. The first activity in a five-part series challenges pupils to design a boat to hold pennies. Using the design process, learners design, build, and test their boats, making sure they...

How does a scuba diver control whether they sink or float? Scholars observe the relationship between absolute pressure and depth below the surface in an undersea simulation. They control the diver size and depth to center of mass to...

There's more to fluids than meet the eye—they include gases, liquids, and polymers, too! Scholars complete three hands-on activities exploring different properties of fluids. They explore viscosity by measuring the resistance, or...

Save the soup! Scholars devise a flotation device using straws, balloons, foam, corks, and other objects. A can of soup must stay afloat for at least a minute with this device—your dinner might depend on it!

Be shore to use this drifter resource. The third installment of a five-part series has learners using the NOAA's Adopt-a-Drifter website to track to movement of a drifter (buoy) in the ocean. Graphing the collected data on a map allows...

A good concept map requires high thought processes. This makes it a great tool for teaching and evaluating your pupils. A helpful article describes a great approach for teaching young scholars the art of concept map building and how best...

Students investigate the effects of salinity on icebergs. In this hands on lesson plan, students design and conduct an investigation into how the amount of salt in ice affects its buoyancy.

Students watch a video clip about German submarines lost during World War II. They work together to create their own submarine out of a plastic bottle. They test the buoyancy of the submarine in different activities.

Students practice dealing with different water emergencies such as: "survival floating," and using a life preserver to pull others to safety.

Second graders identify three forms of matter- solids, liquids, and gases with 100% accuracy. They observe water evaporating from an open container and water evaporating and condensing in a closed container. The students assess that a...

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...

Students explore sinking and floating.  In this buoyancy lesson, students conduct an investigation dealing with regular and diet soda. Students drop various soda cans into water and then discuss why some float and some sink. 

Students will determine whether various objects sink or float in water. They do not need to explain why objects sink or float. They are rather to be encouraged to observe that the same objects will sink or float every time, i.e., that...

Students use plastic bottles, water, and condiment packets to simulate how natural gas comes from decaying ocean plants and animals. In this natural gas lesson plan, students also fill out lab packets and answer exit questions.

Students describe four states of matter and their characteristics, explain thermal expansion of matter, interpret state changes in terms of kinetic theory of matter, explain relationship between temperature and volume of a gas, state...

Students explore whales. In this animal adaptation and whale lesson, students access prior knowledge about whales from previous lessons, then use background knowledge to predict the eating strategies of a baleen whale and a toothed...

Explore the world (our world) of melting ice caps. Why are these caps melting? What is the effect of melting ice caps? Dive into the ever-present issue of global warming with a resource that has learners looking at data and participating...

Certain things just do not mix, including liquids of varying densities. Learners collect data to determine the densities of several liquids. They then use the density information to predict the type of liquid.

Young scholars work in groups to design, build, and test a submersible prototype. In this engineering lesson, students learn about the importance and design of submersible vessels and apply their knowledge by building one of their own....

Second graders identify three forms of matter- solids, liquids, and gases with 100% accuracy. They observe what happens when they try to put two kinds of matter into the same space and conclude that solids, liquids, and gases occupy space.

Students make and test predictions about sinking and floating, and classify objects according to whether they sink or float.

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...