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What's Inside a Pumpkin?
Students explore the properties of a pumpkin. In this What's Inside a Pumpkin lesson plan, students use a real pumpkin to investigate pumpkin facts, sing a song "Five Little Pumpkins", paint pumpkin patch artwork, participate in a...
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Properties of Matter
Young scholars 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,...
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Understanding Waves
Learners examine the physical properties of waves to explore the word crest and trough. They use toys to study waves in air, water and light.
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Ice Cream
Open this instructional activity by giving a brief history of ice cream. Using liquid nitrogen to lower the temperature, preteens make their own confection. The accompanying activity sheet queries learners about freezing point, the...
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Fronts
Fourth graders define cold and warm fronts, explain how they are formed and they ways that they affect the weather.
PBS
Blow the Roof Off!
Blow the minds of young scientists with this collection of inquiry-based investigations. Based on a series of eight videos, these "hands-on, minds-on" science lessons engage young learners in exploring a wide range of topics from making...
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Volcanoes: Third Grade Lessons Plans and Activities
Discover how rocks are formed from volcanoes during a geology pre-lab activity. Third graders describe the volcanic rock samples and creating a model of Mt. Lassen, located in California. The lesson culminates in a discussion about how...
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Making a Pinhole Camera
Young scholars are introduced to the basic straight line pattern of travel that light takes. A cereal box and wax paper provide the pinhole camera that captures the light's inverted image. Shifting this pattern provides additional...
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Phases of Matter
Students are introduced to the basic states of matter: solids, liquids and gases. Through experimentation, students determine that liquids and solids have definite volume, that gases do not have definite volume, and that solids have a...
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Energy Transfer
Students investigate the properties of heated air. They make predictions about what they think makes the wind blow on a worksheet, and conduct two experiments to demonstrate the properties of heated air. Students heat a bottle until a...
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Chemical Changes
Students explore chemical changes. in this activity about the properties of chemical changes, students do experiments, observe, and record results. Students complete four experiments in order to observe chemical changes. In each...
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Introduction to Gases
Students are introduced to gases. For this science lesson plan, students demonstrate that gases are a state of matter, generate a number of gases, discover some properties of gases, compare some of the properties of different gases, and...
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Balloons: Math with the Montgolfier Balloon
Students discover the history of hot air balloons by watching one ascent. For this physics lesson, students utilize a Montgolfier Hot Air Balloon from an earlier lesson and record the temperature, rate of ascent and the volume....
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Polymers: The Discovery
Students examine various polymers. In this polymers activity, students perform three experiments with polymers to identify them and observe their interesting properties.
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States of Matter
Learners discover states of matter. In this science lesson plan, students define matter, identify states of matter, explain properties of matter, and demonstrate the various uses of the states of matter.
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What are the Ethical Considerations of Radon?
In this radon contamination worksheet, students explore the legal and ethical issues associated with radon found in indoor air of homes. Students construct a set of laws that promote fairness to all sellers, buyers and real estate agents...
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What's in the Soil?
Fourth graders examine soil to find its contents, and how much water and air they can measure. In this soil composition instructional activity, 4th graders perform three experiments and record their results. In one experiment they...
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Making a Pinhole Camera
Learners construct a pinhole camera in order to explain the basic property of the inversion of light. A well-designed and effective activity.
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Chapter 3 Worksheet Matter
In this matter worksheet, students answer ten questions about matter including the phase of matter, mixtures and how they are different from compounds, the physical and chemical properties of matter and the difference between homogeneous...
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Create a Cloud In a Jar
Students investigate cloud formation. In this weather lesson, students examine how clouds are formed. Students participate in experiments that model how water vapor in the air works.
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Oxidation and Salt
Students study the reaction on iron in water, air, and sodium chloride. They create a situation that shows this process and gives them the opportunity to hypothesize what, why, and how. They keep records and do an oral and written ...
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Signs of the Wind
Young scholars discover the properties of wind. They name as many wind words as they can. (breezy, windy, blustery, gust, tornado, hurricane, stormy, etc.) and use vocabulary, movement, and props to illustrate winter weather concepts...
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Light And Sound To the Rescue
Fourth graders use the design process to construct devices that send distress signals through air and water for purposes of rescue. They construct devices that use light and sound to assist in nautical rescues and use the knowledge...
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Sink or Float: Exploring the Laws of Buoyancy
Learners explore the relationship between density and buoyancy. After watching a video explaining buoyancy, students discuss displacement and floating. Learners have a raft building competition. Afterward, they conduct experiments to...