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The Story of an Atom
Students work in groups to research an element and how it was discovered. They create an illustration of the element they are researching and create an outline for their presentation. They develop a PowerPoint presentation to share their...
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Energetic Atoms - Active & Spaced Out
Students discover the power of the sun through an outdoor experiment. In this solar power lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation on atoms before they complete an atom worksheet. Students utilize a solar bag to...
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Atomic Models
Students explain scientists' ideas about the structure of the atom over the last century. They develop a pictorial history of the changing ideas about the atom and write a caption describing the scientific thinking behind the model.
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Men and Women of the Atom
Students investigate the scientists that have contributed to the modern day atomic theory. They conduct Internet research, develop a table, record data, and produce a webpage about their selected scientist.
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How Can You Study Things You Can’t See Like: Atoms?
Students simulate how scientists studied things they can't see like atoms. In this chemistry lesson plan, students predict what is inside the numbered obsertainers. They design a way to investigate what's inside without opening it.
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What is Everything Made of?
Young scholars observe a demonstration on how we see space between water molecules. In this experimental lesson students discover what elements make up the things around them and discuss what they learned.
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This Little Light of Mine
Elementary schoolers discover how electricity travels and create an electron flow through a closed circuit. They work together to make a closed circuit and observe the electricity being made. This outstanding lesson plan is well worth...
NASA
Supernova Chemistry
By measuring the wavelength, frequency, and intensity of electromagnetic radiation, scientists determine the temperature, density, and composition of far away items. Scholars rotate through ten lab stations using a spectroscope at each...
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Radiation and You
Internet research on nuclear radiation is conducted by young physicists. They discover how our understanding of radiation developed, define vocabulary terms, and explore how ozone protects us from the sun's harmful radiation. Several...
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Water 1: Water and Ice
Young scholars experiment with states of matter with water and ice. In this states of matter lesson, students experiment to discover what happens to water as it freezes to become a solid, ice. They observe what happens when ice melts...
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Sleuth Rays
Pupils conduct a close examination of the atom's electrons, and discover how to theorize the energy levels, observe the brightness of light, classify colors, and measure temperature.
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Physics: Angular Solution of Hydrogen Atom
Students discover the angular solution of hydrogen activity. Depending on the undergraduate course, this activity can illustrate eigenvalue problems, to introduce Shrodinger's equation and particle wave duality, or to introduce...
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Discovering the Structure of the Atom
Students investigate atomic and nuclear structure of matter by researching historical atomic theories. Students examine Rutherford's studies and discover that many scientific conclusions change over time as new data is collected.
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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...
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Go To The Head of the Cloud
Students pretend they are water droplets traveling through the water cycle. Using their text, they discover the steps in the cycle and the different paths water can take. They write a report about their journey through the water cycle...
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Introduction to the Mole
High schoolers are introduced to the mole concept using a discovery-based method. Lesson includes activities with candy that allow students to discover the rules for mole-item, item-mole, mole-mass, and mass-mole conversions.
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Temperature Changes Everything
Middle school chemists visit interactive websites in order to discover what happens to molecular motion when heat is added to matter. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the expansion of matter with the addition of heat. A lab...
American Chemical Society
Moving Molecules in a Solid
Who likes magic shows? In the fourth of five lessons, pupils view a scientific magic trick. The ball fits through the ring easily, but then moments later, it won't pass through anymore. What changed? Can we reverse the change? Scholars...
American Battlefield Trust
1862: Antietam and Emancipation
The Emancipation Proclamation shifted the tone and purpose of the Civil War. Using a primary source analysis, pupils consider the significance of the document. A second activity investigates the founding of the United States Colored...
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Making a Human Methane Molecule
Students demonstrate the components of methane molecules to discover their effects on the atmosphere. Students role-play as four hydrogen atoms and one carbon atom linked together to make a methane molecule. Students act as the molecule...
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Elements and the Periocic Table
Eighth graders draw the structure of an atom. They construct atomic models, list parts/locations of an atom, organize parts of the periodic table and write a descriptive report about an element.
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Operating Kitchen Equipment
Young scholars spend this lesson discovering how electricity makes the appliances in their kitchen operate. In groups, they explain how energy is being converted in a microwave oven and practice giving others directions to how to use...
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Frosty the Snowman Meets His Demise: An Analogy to Carbon Dating
Students read and discuss an article about carbon dating, then participate in a hands-on lab to discover how carbon dating works. Students also write a letter to a friend explaining the process, and how archeologists use the process to...
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Electricity - How it Works and How We Measure and Pay For It
Young scholars investigate energy consumption by researching wattage. In this electricity lesson, students discuss how electricity works and gets transferred to our electronic devices through generators and circuits. Young...