Curated OER
Investigating Matter
What a great resource! This presentation is informative as is, but there are links provided to some great resources that can help learners explore the states of matter in greater depth. For example, there is a link to a website that...
PBS
Properties of Matter: Matter's Physical Properties | UNC-TV Science
Does gold really boil? Learn what temperature gold boils at and more using an animated activity about the properties of matter. Scientists learn about the properties of matter including examples of physical properties, the effect changes...
PBS
Phase Changes | Phases of Matter | UNC-TV Science
Take an energetic ride through the phase changes of a water molecule in a compact activity. Young scientists learn about the phases of matter and discover the role of thermal energy in governing phase changes while watching a short...
PBS
The 3 Phases | Phases of Matter | UNC-TV Science
Explore the states of matter without the mess or expensive equipment in a compact, informative activity. Scientists watch as the narrator explains the three states of matter using a glass of ice and soda in an animated video that...
PBS
Categorizing Matter | UNC-TV Science
Take the difficulty out of classifying matter with an easy-to-follow activity that makes distinguishing between pure substances and mixtures simple. Scholars explore how matter is grouped between two categories—pure substances and...
PBS
What's the Matter? | UNC-TV Science
Explore what makes up the universe and demystify the complex ideas of matter and the atom. Group members watch a video with explanations, animations, and examples that discuss the characteristics and importance of matter. Scholars then...
PBS
Super Sleuths
There's no such thing as the perfect crime! Your class of sleuths are ready to investigate the trace evidence at a crime scene and compare it to a list of suspects. They use their investigative skills to record physical properties of the...
American Chemical Society
The Same Parts Can Make Many Objects
Snap to it! Young experimenters use Snap Cubes to model how a larger object is created from a smaller parts. Using a guide, they rearrange their cubes to create all possible arrangements of four and five cubes.
American Chemical Society
Atoms Can Be Rearranged to Make Different Molecules
Uncover the building blocks of the universe as budding chemists explore atoms and molecules in an exciting inquiry-based activity. Investigators view an interactive video describing the chemical structure of six molecules. Using...
American Chemical Society
Matter Is Made of Tiny Particles
Believe in the invisible and convince the class that tiny particles exist even if they can't see them! A thorough lesson investigates all phases of matter and provides pupils hands-on experiences that demonstrate that all matter is made...
American Museum of Natural History
Light, Matter and Energy
Let Einstein's work shine the way. Pupils read about Einstein's iconic equation, E=mc^2, using a remote learning resource and see how ideas from other scientists such as Kepner, Curie, Galilei, and Newton led to its discovery. They...
American Museum of Natural History
Atomic Mobile
Structure an activity around atoms. Learners use their knowledge of the parts of atoms—the protons, neutrons, and electrons—to build a model of a carbon atom. Scholars create a nucleus by using clay balls to represent the protons and...
CK-12 Foundation
CK-12 Earth Science Concepts for Middle School
Explore a variety of science concepts in an interactive textbook created for middle school scholars. A lengthy table of contents takes readers to pages comprised of a subject overview, outline, and summary. Follow links further to find...
Open Oregon Educational Resources
Environmental Biology
Everyone has a responsibility to take care of the environment. Give learners a sense of our environmental concerns with a complete course on environmental biology. The textbook resource includes instruction on topics such as population...
Biology Junction
Chemistry
You matter—unless you multiply yourself by the speed of light squared, then you energy! Scholars learn about matter, energy, the elements and so much more using an informative presentation. Completing the included worksheet creates a...
Biology Junction
Introduction to Biology
Welcome to Biology! Introduce pupils to a subject conceptualized by Aristotle in 300 BC through a presentation and worksheet. It covers the themes of biology, characteristics of life, the scientific method, microscopes, and measurements.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
How Dry am I? Exploring Biomimicry and Nanotechnology
Help your classes feel like they can walk on water! An engaging inquiry-based lesson has young scholars experiment with different surface coatings. They make observations about their properties and how they relate to the surface tension...
Teach Engineering
The Building Blocks of Matter
Everything can be reduced to atoms. The first installment of a six-part Mixtures and Solutions unit focuses on the building blocks of matter. Scholars review basic atomic structure, including protons, neutrons, and electrons, in...
Science 4 Inquiry
All the Small Things
Scholars use sorting cards to try to define a pure substance versus a mixture. Risk becomes reward as they observe the differences and create a flowchart sorting matter into mixtures and pure substances (elements and compounds).
Science Matters
Formative Assessment #3
Thirteen short-answer questions follow a brief food web activity in a formative assessment designed to test knowledge of ecosystems and the energy that flows through them.
Science Matters
Crawly Composters
Get your hands dirty with an interactive lesson that showcases the process of decomposing and returning nutrients back into the soil. After building a compost pile, pupils regularly observe the ways worms help with changes to the soil...
Science Matters
Matter Cycles — Sum It Up
Scholars become part of the cycle of matter with a reader's theater that showcases producers, consumers, decomposers, and the sun. A diagram and discussion concludes the learning experience and enhances comprehension.
Science Matters
Mighty Microorganisms
How can you tell if a microorganism is helpful or detrimental to an ecosystem? Learners inspect slides or pictures of microorganisms and record their observations to identify those that are beneficial or harmful. They then pretend to...
Science Matters
Ecosystem Pre-Assessment
Test scholars' knowledge of ecosystems with a 20-question pre-assessment. Assessment challenges learners to answer multiple choice questions, read diagrams, and complete charts.