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Spin the Saltine!
Students investigate chemical energy. In this physical science lesson, students blow on saltine crackers to demonstrate how chemical energy in food can be converted to motion. Students compare the saltine cracker experiment to how...
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Electrolysis of Water
Ninth graders examine the electrolysis of water by completing an experiment. In this water lesson students will explain how hydrogen can be extracted from water and how energy flows through an electrolysis system.
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Skin: Skin Prints
Students explore human anatomy by participating in a print experiment. In this human skin lesson, students define the term "epidermis" and utilize computer paper, pencils, tape and baby wipes to create a print of their own skin. Students...
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Engineers for a Sustainable World
Students experiment with making a water filtration system. In this engineering lesson, students get into groups and are challenged to use only eight items to create a water filter. When finished, students compare and contrast their results.
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Introduction to Friction
Students study the properties of the frictional force between two surfaces in contact. They inspect various phenomena in nature where friction plays an important role and demonstrate
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TE Lesson: Factors Affecting Friction
Students investigate the effect of weight on normal friction or the friction due to surface roughness. They tell about the effects of contact area that occurs as a result of molecular attraction by looking at data on line graphs.
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Will There be Enough Water?
Students investigate water usage, water available, and water demand historically in the local area. They use projections of water usage, availability and demand up to the year 2050. Students use graphs to relate as well as compare and...
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Celebrating Benjamin Franklin
Students explore various websites featuring the life and achievements of Benjamin Franklin. They investigate Franklin's roles in colonial society as well as pictures of his various inventions. They view excerpts of historical documents...
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Rockets
Students work together in groups of 5 to build a model rocket from a rocket kit. In this rocket instructional activity, students launch the rocket when it is constructed. The students will use simple materials to build and launch their...
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Frankenstein (Teacher Zone)
Students are introduced to the life and art of Mary Shelley and consider the still-relevant themes of the Frankenstein myth. Also, students become acquainted with the nineteenth century fascination with electricity by reviewing...
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E3 Ret Lesson Plan
Students explore friction. In this physics lesson plan, students will cover metal blocks with film to determine the changes caused by static and kinetic friction.
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Turn On A Light And Do Your Own Revegetation
Students use electricity and plant a seed to observe the process when coal is the major fuel source to produce electricity. They use the packet of native seeds to experiment with revegetation.
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Static Cling
Fifth graders examine the principles of static electricity and positive and negative charges. They observe and then perform experiments with static electricity. They record examples in their journals.
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What Configurations Work to Light a Bulb?
Students explore simple electrical circuits. Students experiment, using different configurations, to determine what is necessary to compeete a circuit. Students observe similarities between arrangements that work and differences in...
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Fun With Electromagnets
Fifth graders construct their own electromagnet out of copper and nails. They discover what objects could be used for magnets. Finally, 5th graders discuss how electric currents are formed.
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Do It Yourself: Energy Transfer Lesson Plan
Fifth graders discuss the different types of energy and experiment with tesla coil to show the three types of energy transfer. They write conclusions in their science journal.
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The Biomass Balancing Act
Students work in groups to research biomass using the International Energy Agency's website. Students use evidence from the web search to assess biomass energy potential in Pennsylvania as part of a classroom "Alternative Energy...
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Ion Flow in Neurons
Student perform an experiment in which they determine the velocity of ion flow in an electrotonic potential and compare it to the velocity of action potentials. They record and analyze their results.
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What's the Attraction?
Students experiment with magnets to determine the distances at which they attract and repel each other.
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Harnessing Solar Energy
Young scholars identify the properties of light from the sun. In groups, they participate in experiments with solar collectors, cookers and calculators to determine which one harnesses the most energy. They record their observations...
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Plotting a Magnetic Field
Students experiment with a set of materials. They plot the magnetic field that arises from a regular bar magnet. They discover how a magnet affects a compass.
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Exploring Magnetism
Twelfth graders experiment with magnets in order to visualize that magnets have a north and south pole, some materials can be magnetized, and magnetization occurs because of the magnetic moments of individual molecules in matter.
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Middle School Home Energy Audit
Seventh graders research the origins of local electrical power and compare costs and methods of generation with other areas of the country or world.
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Blast's Cosmic Carnival
Students, after analyzing the history of a concentrator, model how a Genesis spacecraft concentrator works by playing a game. In groups of three or four, after being given materials to work with, are challenged to roll the rubber balls...