Curated OER
Sink or Float
Using a variety of objects, learners conduct buoyancy experiments. They make predictions on which object will sink or float and test their predictions. They use a graphic organizer to record their findings.
NorthEast Ohio Geoscience Education Outreach
Density and Pressure of a Hot Air Balloon
Using a dry cleaner bag and a blow dryer, create a hot air balloon! The materials list suggests obtaining one dry cleaner bag per student, but since this is probably inconvenient, consider doing this as a demonstration during a lesson on...
NorthEast Ohio Geoscience Education Outreach
Introduction to Density
Seventh grade scientists weigh in on the concept of density. In a nutshell, they participate in the following activities:
Measurement of the mass and volume of fruit in order to compare densities
Measurement of the mass of oil and water...
Curated OER
Float a Hot Air Balloon
This activity will lift spirits in your class, but there is little scientific explanation for what makes a hot air balloon rise. As you are teaching middle school scientists about density and convection, you can incorporate this...
Curated OER
An Intuitive Introduction to Density
Students complete experiments discovering the relationship between density and mass. They use the internet to gather information before the experiment. They discuss the activity once it is completed.
Curated OER
Buoyancy
This is a brief survey of the states and properties of matter directed toward upper elementary physical scientists. Solids and liquids are compared. Density and buoyancy are related. Use this presentation just prior to demonstrating...
Curated OER
What Floats Your Boat?
This open-ended boat building exercise is meant to be part of a three-lesson series on ships. Links to the other two lessons are included. This particular part is mostly a group lab activity in which they build a boat, find its load line...
Curated OER
Volume and Density Worksheet
All 20 of the problems on the learning exercise involve the computation of cubic volume or density. As long as your young scientists can apply the appropriate mathematical formulas, they will succeed in solving these problems. They are...
Curated OER
Density of a Paper Clip Lab Review
Even though this assignment is brought to you by Physics Lab Online, it is best used as a math practice. Middle schoolers calculate the range, mean, mode, and median for a list of eight different paper clip densities. They analyze...
Curated OER
Buoyant Behavior
Combine science and literature with this instructional activity on buoyancy. Read There's an Ant in Anthony by Bernard Most to examine words containing the letters a, n, and t. Then introduce your class to the word "buoyant." Demonstrate...
Curated OER
Stacking Water
Students experiment with different salinities of water using straws and different colors of water. They collect and interpret data from the experiment.
Curated OER
Iceberg Ahead: How Does Temperature Affect the Density of Water?
Demonstrate how ice floats on water and get the class thinking about why icebergs are so deceiving. Investigators then experiment with mixing water of the same temperature and water of different temperatures. Make sure to explain the...
Curated OER
Galileo's Thermometer: Measuring the Density of Various Unknown Liquids
Sprouting scientists explore the concept of density by making mass and volume measurements for five different liquids. From these measurements, they calculate densities. They apply their learning to explain Galileo's thermometer works...
Curated OER
Chapter 3 ~ Physical Properties of Soil
Though information-packed, this presentation on soil is drab if it stands alone. As you journey through slides about soil texture, make sure to pass around samples of each type. Perform demonstrations as you lecture on soil density and...
Curated OER
Seashore Explorers
There are three separate lessons within this resource that can be used together, or that can each stand alone. In the first, five simple activities allow junior scientists to examine the amazing properties of water. In the second, they...
Curated OER
Introduction to Density
Seventh graders discover the definition of density through a demonstration using ethanol and ice cubes and a class discussion using a SMART Board to illustrate formulas and calculations. Students finish the lesson by practicing...
Curated OER
7th Science Quiz
This seventh grade life science quiz has a professional appearance and well-written multiple-choice questions. However, it seems to cover too broad a variety of biology topics for only 15 questions to fully assess. There is one question...
Curated OER
Ideal Gas Law
In this chemistry worksheet, students write two forms of the ideal gas law. Then they identify the size and units of the ideal gas law. Students also solve the equations for each ideal gas law.
Curated OER
Sink It
Introduce your class to the concept of sinking and floating. In groups, they classify objects after making predictions about which materials will sink or float. They record their results and create graphs and charts to share with the class.
Curated OER
Will It Sink Or Float?
Have your class predict whether objects will sink or float in water. Learners consider a data table of mass, volume and whether the object sank or floated. They develop an evidence-based explanation for the results.
Curated OER
Fishy Physics
Learners explore how fish are able to move easily from one depth to another in water. In this fish instructional activity students create their own balloon fish.
Curated OER
Sweet Twinkies, Density and Sugar Chomping Yeast: A Look at Physical and Chemical Reactions in the Kitchen
Students investigate matter. In this physical science lesson plan, students will learn about matter, physical states, and reactions. There are a series of four lab activities that will be conducted.
Curated OER
Chemquest: Physical Changes or Chemical Reactions
Students explore physical and chemical changes. For this chemistry lesson plan, students will go outside to observe changes seen in nature. Students will then work in the lab to identify changes at different stations prior to doing a...
Curated OER
Density
Students determine the density of different substances. In this physical science lesson, students rank them according to their density. They discover the relationship between volume and density.