Mr. Hill's Science Website
Density Workbook
It's all about density! Here's a dense workbook for young scientists; they solve (and show work for) 29 density word problems, including a problem where they solve for the density of Godzilla. They complete labs analyzing metal cubes,...
Curated OER
How Does Water Cool?
How fast does water cool? First fifth graders will draw a line on a graph that predicts how fast they think water can cool from boiling. Then they plot the actual data on the same graph to see if their estimate was correct.
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Water Density Boundaries
Students create observable layers in water that represent a separation based upon density differences. They model density boundaries using differences in temperature and salinity. They, in groups, perform a meaningful experiment...
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The Sun as the Driving Force of the Water Cycle
Students study the water cycle and how the sun is an important factor. In this water cycle lesson students investigate how to desalinate water and explore the different densities of fresh versus saltwater.
Illustrative Mathematics
Archimedes and the King's Crown
Learners will shout "Eureka!" in this quick but deep activity replicating the famous bathtub experiment of Archimedes. Given the scenario of a king with a suspected fake crown, young investigators develop formulas using density to...
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Discovering Density
Students explore the physical properties of density. In this hands-on instructional activity, students calculate density and distinguish between intensive and extensive properties.
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Heavy Ice: Day Five
Students explore physics by conducting a class experiment. In this density lesson plan, students examine a list of items and discuss whether they will sink or float and then determine their density. Students examine the objects over five...
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Pumpkin Properties are a Smash!
Students receive a miniature pumpkin and proceed through several stations to measure a variety of physical properties. The data is entered into a data sheet and the mass and volume measurements are used to calculate density. They also...
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Day Six: Floater What Ifs
Students observe earth science by examining results from an experiment. In this buoyancy lesson, students practice floating different items in two different liquids and identify why certain objects will float and others sink. Students...
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Freshwater/Saltwater "Eggs-Periment"
Students explore water properties by conducting a class experiment. In this buoyancy lesson plan, students utilize freshwater, saltwater, plastic cups, hard boiled eggs and food coloring to experiment with the floating capabilities of...
Teach Engineering
Buoyant Boats
Eureka! Using the clay boats made in the previous lesson, learners investigate the idea of buoyancy and water displacement to finish the last installment of five in a Floaters and Sinkers unit. Their observations during the activity...
Teach Engineering
Clay Boats
Clay itself sinks, but clay boats float. Why? Young engineers build clay boats to learn about buoyancy. They test the weight the boats can hold using washers and then tweak their designs to make improvements, following the engineering...
Curated OER
Recycling of Plastics
Students separate plastics according to their densities, develop a method for separation and identify variables in an experiment and a fair test, changing only one variable at a time for a fair comparison. After testing, they develop a...
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Thermo and Fluid Dynamics of a Homemade "Lava Lamp"
High schoolers construct their own lava lamp using simple substances. In this physics lesson, students explain how difference in density causes convection. They solve for forces and buoyancy using mathematical equations.
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Chemistry: The Case of the Sunken Ice Cube
Students examine a density demonstration involving ice cubes and beakers of water and alcohol. After observing how one ice cube floats in water and sinks in alcohol, they determine which mixture of the two would suspend the ice cube in...
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Air: Demonstrating Its Presence and Effects
Students explore the concept of air. In this gravity instructional activity, students perform various experiments that deal with gravity, air resistance, and air pressure.
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WHY DO SOME THINGS FLOAT WHILE OTHERS SINK
Students explore how density can cause things to sink or float by experimenting with a jar, oil and corn syrup.
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Chesapeake Bay Population Studies
Pupils determine how to use a quarter meter quadrant to find population density, relative density, frequency and how to calculate a diversity index while participating in a virtual field trip. They study how to establish a Correlation of...
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Planet Structure & Interior
Students compare Jupiter and Earth. In this Earth and space studies lesson plan, students compare the composition of Earth and Jupiter and analyze how the composition affects the rate at which the planets spin.