Curated OER
Newton's Third Law of Motion
Students explore Newton's 3rd Law of Motion. In this physics lesson, students participate in various experiments that demonstrate the idea of action/reaction, such as a balloon launch, a skateboard activity, and a spring scale...
Curated OER
Rotten Truth
Students complete activities to study decomposition. In this decomposition activity, students work in pairs to observe a decay buffet experiment. Students keep compost bag journals. Students define and discuss the process of decomposition.
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Students explore the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson, students experiment with a variety of activities to discover what happens during the water cycle. Students create their own animated versions of the water cycle using...
Curated OER
Periodic Table of the Elements
First graders discuss, at their level, the concept of elements making up all matter. They discover the story of Dimitri Mendeleev and his discovery of the Periodic Table of the Elements. They locate and color some of the most common...
Curated OER
Newton's Second Law of Motion with Balance Toys
Students discuss acceleration and deceleration and participate in brief demonstrations of the Second Law of Motion. They apply the law to a metal balance toy and a plastic balance toy by applying the same force then with different forces.
Curated OER
Energy: Light -- Spinning Color Wheel
Second graders make spinning color wheels to determine how energy effects what colors look like. They paint or color a color wheel with the seven colors of the spectrum. Next, the spin the wheel to determine what happens. In order to...
Curated OER
Air: You Cant See It, But Its There!
First graders state that air occupies space by performing experiments that show this principle.
Curated OER
Science: Breathing in Space
Pupils determine the amount of air they use during rest and activity. They conduct experiments to calculate the number of breaths needed to empty a jug of water by exhaling through a tube into the container. Then, they figure how much...
Curated OER
Chemistry: The Collapsing Can
Students observe methods by which air can crush aluminum cans. As water in the can boils and is sealed, the can collapses as it cools. When the procedure is reversed, the can expands to its original shape. After the alternate experiment,...
Curated OER
Newton's Laws 8th Grade Activities
Eighth graders experiment with Newton's Laws by comparing the falling of different objects with different masses. Students work in teams and rotate through four different stations recording their hypotheses and observations as they go.
Curated OER
Take a Stab!
Students construct an experiment to test the rigidity of compressed air and its strength. In this earth science lesson plan, students are divided into groups, and by putting their thumb over the end of a straw, use the compressed air...
Curated OER
Build Your Own Anemomter
Young scholars investigate how to measure the speed of wind. They do this by building their own anemometers. Students calculate the air speeds while using their own projects and make observations. They conduct a mathematical discussion...
Curated OER
Clouds, Winds, and Weather
Students observe, record, and report weather conditions to learn how air mass densities determine the weather we experience daily. They demonstrate how clouds form, name clouds and predict the weather.
Curated OER
Air in Soil Administration Procedures
Students study soil and its composition. In this soil composition lesson, students study examples of soil during several days of aeration. Students summarize their data, organize it, and must be able to explain their findings.
Curated OER
The Science of Airplane Flight
Students define terms, explain Bernoulli's principle and identify the control surfaces of an airplane. In this investigative lesson students complete a lab activity.
Curated OER
Soaring With Air Power
Fourth graders view a Newton's Apple show that explores glider mechanics, explore the four forces, build and fly a glider to specific guidelines. They adjust the glider for greater accuracy and distance using four forces, and assess...
Curated OER
Astrophysics Science Project Integrating Research and Education
Learners determine if the particles are coming from above, below, or from one side or the other by using a circular array of scintillators
Curated OER
Is the Earth Warming? a Test of the Effect of Increased Carbon Dioxide on the Thermal Properties of Air
Learners investigate the environmental and economic effects of increased carbon dioxide (CO2) content in the atmosphere.
Curated OER
Apple Science
Sixth graders explore agriculture by viewing a fruits and vegetables video clip. In this apple characteristics lesson, 6th graders discuss how fruits and vegetables deteriorate after being exposed to oxygen and identify methods to defend...
Curated OER
Sounds Like Science - Bottle Organ
Learners see that by manipulating sound we can arrange a series of notes referred to as a musical scale. They explain the relationship between pitches and notes. They compare the sounds of different-sized bottles.
Curated OER
Good Vibrations
Third and fourth graders should enjoy this easy-to-implement activity involving a straw, and bottles filled with water. Learners manipulate the end of a straw in a way that results in a sound being made when it's blown. There is also an...
Colorado State University
What Is a "Convection Cell"?
Round and round in circles it goes! A hands-on activity has learners recreate a model of a convection cell. They watch as the difference in density of their materials creates a current.
Exploratorium
Straw Oboe
Trim the end of a straw to construct a vibrating wind instrument. Everyone in your class can make their own during a lesson on sound waves.