Curated OER
Push and Pull Magnets
Fifth graders pull a paper clip sitting on paper with a magnet beneath the paper. They experiment to see what happens if they substitute the paper with thicker paper and other materials (plywood, glass, foil, etc.)
Curated OER
Electronic Components
Students review new terminology and computer circuits and the value of a resistor. They complete three experiments, "Resistance Activities," Transistor Activities,"Diode Activities" and enter data, results and their findings on Student...
Curated OER
The Physics of Toys
Students explore physics by experimenting with classic toys. In this physical science lesson plan, students utilize gliders, energy balls, bouncing balls, marbles and other toys to explore how they work. Students explore each toy at a...
Curated OER
Electric Field Mapping / Equipotential Lines
Students determine the equipotential lines surrounding a charged object. In this physics lesson, students draw lines to identify areas. They relate the spacing of the field lines to the strength of the charge.
Curated OER
Plate, punch card, and instructions for Herman Hollerith's Electric Sorting and Tabulating Machine
Students read an article and participate in a class discussion. In this technology and engineering lesson students conduct an online search for images and terms.
Curated OER
Homopolar Motor Experiments
Learners construct a homopolar motor following certain procedures. In this physics lesson, students explain how generators and motors work. They compare and contrast the characteristics of both.
Curated OER
Electrical Circuits - Current & Voltage in Series Circuits
Learners investigate the relationship between current and voltage in a series circuit. In this physics lesson, students measure the current across each light bulb. They predict what happens to the circuit if one bulb is blows out.
Curated OER
Harnessing Solar Energy
Students discover the properties of light (radiant) energy from the sun by experimenting with solar collectors, cookers, and calculators. After a lecture/demo, students create their own solar collectors and test their efficiency.
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Science Pen Pals
Students explore the scientific career of Benjamin Franklin. In this science lesson plan, students discuss Franklin's correspondence with other scientists and write letters describing Benjamin Franklin's experiments.
Teach Engineering
Solar Power
Elementary schoolers discover how engineers use solar energy to heat buildings. They take a close look at some of the materials used: sand, salt, water, and shredded paper and evaluate the efficiency of each material. An incredible...
STEM for Teachers
Electromagnificent
This physics pun really hertz, but this STEM lesson plan can help. The inquiry-based activity has young scientists create a testable question about electromagnetic strength; plan and implement their own experiments; and record and...
Rochester Institute of Technology
Solar Energy
Warm up to the idea of solar energy. A lesson plan includes three activities that challenge scholars to apply knowledge in new ways. First, they learn to run an alarm clock without a battery by using solar energy. Next, they complete an...
Chymist
Energy of a Peanut
Are you nuts? An engaging experiment burns nuts to find their kilocalories. Young chemists analyze at least two different types of nuts with their experimental results versus what is on the package. The resource offers a great lab for...
Curated OER
Bubble and Boyle
Even middle schoolers still enjoy experimenting with bubbles! They execute a series of experiments enabling them to distinguish between convex and concave surfaces, explore the properties of buoyancy, surface tension, and density,...
Curated OER
Rat Round Up
Learners build a device that captures and carries a pet rat safely back to its cage with out "harming" the rat or themselves. They build and experiment with wind-up or battery operated rat cat toys after predicting the outcome of their...
Curated OER
Pooper Scooper
Science Students build a pooper scooper tool that helps them clean up after a dog without getting their hands dirty or their noses too close. They research the diseases that can be transported through animal waste and work in teams to...
Virginia Department of Education
Mystery Iron Ions
Young chemists perform an experiment to determine if a compound is iron (II) chloride or iron (III) chloride. Then they determine the formula, balance the equation, and answer analysis questions.
Curated OER
Breaching the Gulf Between Cultures
Students read excerpts from Jim Toner's memoir Serendib which chronicles his experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sri Lanka. They work in small groups to analyze the excerpts and discuss how the author came to terms with Sri Lankan...
Center Science Education
Plugged In To CO2
Watt is going on here? Middle schoolers are learning about energy use and carbon dioxide emissions! In the first part of this lesson, learners measure how much energy different appliances consume and calculate the amount per day. In the...
Captain Planet Foundation
Solar Cooking Race
Study heat transfer with activities that focus on how heat energy works. Using a solar cooker, ice cubes, and heat transfer bracelets, kids experiment and record what they find by keeping ice cubes cold and vegetables hot.
Chymist
Build a Spectroscope
Assist your emerging scientists with construction of their very own spectroscopes. Individuals construct a spectroscope to identify elements used in varying lights within a particular environment. They conclude the activity with a class...
Curated OER
Rain and Rainbows
Students explore the weather system by analyzing water properties. In this precipitation lesson, students review weather related vocabulary terms and discuss how rainbows are created by light hitting droplets at the right time. Students...
Curated OER
Charge Challenge
Students observe the behavior of different charged objects. In this science instructional activity, students perform a series of static electricity experiments. They discuss their observations in class.
Curated OER
Project Energy
Students explore multiple types of energy. In this energy instructional activity, students prepare a science fair project through completing a WebQuest. Students investigate radiant, thermal, and biochemical energy.