Discovery Education
It's Too Loud!
STEM scholars investigate sound attenuation by conducting an experiment in which they compare the farthest distance that they can hear a sound with and without ear protection.
Curated OER
Benham's Disk
Seeing is believing! Or is it? With this simple experiment, young scientists can explore the concept of visual perception. Attach Benham's disk to a rotating appliance such as a hand drill; As it spins, the black lines appear to be...
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Losing Ground
Young scholars examine the Dust Bowl and the effects of farming practices in the early 20th century. They read a handout, and conduct and discuss two experiments simulating soil erosion.
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Converting Fuels to Obtain Energy
Students experiment with converting fuels to energy. They also must identify different types of fuels and ways to conserve energy.
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Science Crossword Puzzle
Class members read 25 clues about all areas of science, including biology, chemistry, weather, physical science, and insert their answers into a crossword puzzle. There is no word bank and the students would need experience with tough...
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Make a Sundial
Students explore space science by conducting a sun experiment in class. In this time telling lesson, students discuss how the sun sits in our sky at exact times each day and how astronomy is based on our perspective of the solar system....
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Orienting a Photovoltaic Cell
Students explore the optimum angle for orienting a solar collector relative to the rays of incoming sunlight. They review equinoxes, solstices, and various locational ideas before students investigate using meters, light sources, and...
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Current Thinking About Magnets
Students construct their own magnet and wire device. In this inquiry lesson, students investigate the factors affecting the strength of magnetic forces. They manipulate different variable to determine their effect.
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Introduction to Elementary Circuits
Learners explore how a circuit works and create a circuit to use energy from a battery to light a bulb. In this introduction to circuits lesson, the students study the parts of a circuit and have a class discussion of what would happen...
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Discovering Friction
Students watch a demonstration that introduces them to the idea that friction is a force that impedes motion when two surfaces are in contact. They work in groups to experiment with frictional force using a coffee cup on which they alter...
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Reed Switch
Students build simple electromagnetic reed switch motors. In this physics lesson, students explain how it works. They cite real world applications of reed switches and relays.
New Jersey Historical Commission and New Jersey Council for the Humanities
Thomas Edison: The Wizard of Menlo Park
What would change in your daily life due to a power outage? Here, learners explore the inventions brought to us by the one and only, Thomas Edison, and imagine a day without them. Scholars take part in a grand conversation and write a...
Cornell University
Hydrophobic Surfaces—Deposition and Analysis
Couches, carpets, and even computer keyboards now advertise they are spill-resistant, but what does that mean? Scholars use physical and chemical methods to coat surfaces with thin films to test their hydrophobic properties. Then they...
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Two Kinds of Circuits
Fourth graders examine parallel and series ciruits. They experiment what happens if a bulb is removed from both a parallel and series circuit. They understand the differences between parallel and series ciruits,
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Coulomb's Law
Ninth graders observe the relationship between electrical charge and force. In this electrical charge lesson students experiment and find the quantitative relationship between force and the center to center distance between objects.
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Introduction to the Oscilloscope as a Voltmeter
Students measure the electric potential of 9 volt batteries using oscilloscopes. They draw a diagram of the front panel of the oscilloscope, conduct the experiment, and create a graph of voltage versus the number of batteries.
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Bungee Man Lab
Students explore the motion of a toy bungee jumper using the scientific method. They view a video of a bungee jumper and discuss what can be measured about a bungee jump. Students discuss the scientific mehtod and how to design an...
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What is Lightning?
Students experiment with electricity to understand lightning. In this lightning lesson, students show how static electricity causes lightning. Students discuss questions about their experiment and gather important facts. Students...
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Electrolysis
Students conduct a series of experiments on water electrolysis. For this chemistry lesson, students explain what happens to the molecules during the process. They cite real world applications of electrolysis.
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Magnetism
Middle schoolers experiment with the concept of magnetism. Working in small groups, students design an experiment to test the magnet attraction of various substances. After completing their experiments, middle schoolers research...
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Acids and Bases: Their Reactions, Conductivity, Base Indicators and Neutralization Reaction
Students conduct experiments and collect data to determine physical and chemical characteristics of acids and bases.
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Gel Electrophoresis
Students conduct a variety of experiments to explore gel electrophoresis. In this biology lesson, explain how this process separate DNA and RNA. They discuss the practical applications of this method.
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Conductivity Lessons
"Conduct" some simple experiments with these great lesson plans on conductors and insulators!
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Science Lesson: Home-made Generator
Students are able to design and conduct an experiment related to electrical generation. They are able to list the factors that affect the amount of current that can be generated by a simple generator, such as the number of turns of...