Nuffield Foundation
How Much Energy Is There in Food?
People associate calories with food, but what is a calorie? Young scientists measure the number of calories in samples of food to better understand the concept. They test a variety of samples, take measurements, and compare their results...
Curated OER
Integrating Space Science-Ion Propulsion in Deep Space I
In this ion propulsion activity, students read about Deep Space I that uses ion propulsion to power the spacecraft. They learn about ion propulsion and answer three questions about it.
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Rock Solid
Students investigate the three types of material stress related to rocks. They watch a PowerPoint Presentation, view an online animation of the three types of rock stress, identify the various types of rocks, answer true or false...
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Do Plants Eat?
Students explain that photosynthesis is a process that plants use to convert light energy into glucose. They summarize photosynthesis as a chemical process in which the plant uses carbon dioxide and water to form glucose and oxygen.
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3-2-1 Blast Off!
Young scholars explore physics by participating in a flight experiment. In this rocket design instructional activity, students discuss the scientific process and how chemical reaction can create the energy needed to boost a rocket. Young...
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Activity #6 How Fast Do Reactions Go?
Students name the factors (concentration, temperature, and a catalyst) which can affect the rate of a chemical reaction. They use their knowledge of particle theory to explain their observations. Pupils comprehend that the...
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Groundwater Detectives
Students measure the pH of soil samples from a hypothetical site to locate a contaminant spill and will predict the direction of groundwater flow using mathematical modeling. They use the engineering design process to develop...
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Eek, It leaks!
Middle schoolers construct model landfill liners out of two-inch strips of garbage bags within resource constraints. The challenge is to construct a bag that will hold one cup of water without leaking. This represents similar challenges...
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Love Canal-A Man Made Disaster
Students watch a "Waste Management" Power Point as well as a "Love Canal" PowerPoint (a link is provided for the second presentation). Students write the chemical formula for each chemical and convert the contamination to grams using...
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The Challenge to Deliver Insulin
Students investigate these fundamental chemical and cellular processes. They recognize the long-term danger that comes from a diet of fast food, chips, and soda, realize that avoiding diabetes is their responsibility, and establish...
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Modeling the Process of Mining Silicon Through a Single Displacement/Redox Reaction
Students study silicon and where it comes from. In this solar mining lesson plan students complete an Internet search of mining and a lab activity.
Teach Engineering
How a Hybrid Works
Work with your class to connect series and parallel circuits to hybrid cars. The lesson introduces basic circuit diagrams before having scholars apply the understanding of the difference between parallel and series circuits to hybrid cars.
Curated OER
Mixing in the Kitchen
Students identify the different types of mixtures. They identify examples of solutions, suspensions, colloidal dispersions, and emulsions through a game and basic experiments.
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Magnesium: From Sea Water to Fireworks
In this magnesium worksheet, students read about how magnesium is extracted from sea water and the different uses of magnesium. Then students complete 4 short answer questions.
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Test Your Research Skills-- You Either Know It Or You Don't! 4
For this research worksheet, students use Internet searches or reference books to answer 15 questions on a variety of subjects.
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The Impact
Students see what inventors have to think about when making an invention. In this inventions lesson students examine Thomas Edison and the light bulb and the history of inventions.
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I Breathe What?
Middle schoolers participate in an experiment in which they gather and examine particiles in the air. They place pollution detectors at different locations and identify problem areas. They discuss how engineers can use this type of...
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Project Wetlands
Students develop a joint undertaking designed to solve an environmental problem in their local community. They tackle the problem of erosion of banks and chemical run-off into a nearby lake, which is within walking distance of school.
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Thar She Blows!
Students identify the advantages and disadvantages of wind farms and turbines. They examine how weather conditions can affect their effectiveness and how engineers are trying to solve the problem. They discover how engineers use this...
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Can You Catch the Water?
Students work together to construct a model of a water catchment basin. They survey water patterns and complete experiments to see where rain travels and collects. They discover how engineers design structures that help with drainage.
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Science: Designer genes
Students engineer new organisms using biotechnology. In small groups, they write procedures, list benefits and drawbacks, and explain how their new organism might affect the environment. After creating their new organisms, they present...
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Nasa's Return To Flight: Testing In
Students explain basic components of the space shuttle stack and the chemical fuel makeup and storage used on the external tank of space shuttle. They discuss findings of Columbia mission accident. and the safety improvements that have...
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Toxics Lesson Plan
Students discover that chemicals and toxics are all around us and we can make a choice whether or not to use them.
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Let's Settle It!
Students investigate and record data about sedimentation rates. They make a sedimentation bottle using aquarium gravel, sand and potting soil. They discuss the sedimentation rates that they see in their bottles.