Curated OER
Charles’s Law
Students describe the relationship between temperature and volume. In this chemistry instructional activity, students perform an experiment and record their their results. They use Charles' law to explain their observations.
Curated OER
Global Change — Change and Cycles Where Land, Air and Water Meet
Students participate in an experiment to define a parts-per-billion solution. In this ecology instructional activity, students select a second substance to create a parts-per-billion solution and observe and record their results....
Curated OER
The Greenhouse Effect
Students complete a group experiment which simulates the greenhouse effect as well as compare the climate on Earth to the climate on Venus following a class discussion on the greenhouse effect.
Curated OER
Related to Natural Products
Students examine how the microwave delivers energy at different power levels. They work together to complete experiments on various materials and different power levels. They answer discussion questions to end the lesson.
Curated OER
De"compost"ition Activity
Students investigate the decomposition process and the parameters which influence the rate at which it occurs. They design a "controlled" experiment by comparing decomposition rates between two compost piles. Analysis questions include...
Curated OER
Convection Currents
Students explain and understand the circulation of air in the atmosphere. They identify that energy can be carried from one place to another by heat flow or by waves, including water, light and sound waves, or by moving objects. ...
Curated OER
Build Your Own Weather Station
Studens experiment with temperatures. In this science lesson, students make their own weather station by heating one bottle and keeping the water in another bottle at room temperature.
Curated OER
Here Comes the Rain
Second graders help to prepare a model of the water cycle before the conduction of this experiment. They use the model in order to observe changes that happen to water when it changes states of matter.
Curated OER
WHY DO SOME THINGS FLOAT WHILE OTHERS SINK
Students explore how density can cause things to sink or float by experimenting with a jar, oil and corn syrup.
Curated OER
A Water Cycle Chamber
Fourth graders are shown the water cycle by watching a demonstration by their teacher. In groups, they are given one two-liter bottle with a starter hole and follow instructions to complete the set up. They place ice cubes into the...
Curated OER
Day and Night
Students using experiments try to demonstrate how observations can be affected by the cycles of night and day.
Curated OER
Our Universe: Always Moving, Always Changing
Students explore the main concepts of astronomy through the eleven lessons of this unit. The past, present, and future methods of studying the science are examined in this unit.
Curated OER
Can You See the Light?
Students differentiate transparent and translucent. In this physics lesson, students design an experiment to determine which material is more effective in heating container using solar energy. They collect data and share results to class.
Curated OER
Ocean Streams
The instructions for demonstrating ocean turnover are provided in this resource. You could set this up for your earth science class as part of a lecture on convection currents or as an explanation of how ocean currents form. An animation...
Curated OER
Atmospheric Processes - Conduction
Students explain the process of conduction using a molecular explanation, and explain how different materials conduct at different rates.
Curated OER
Circle of Pong
Students, in groups, use given materials to devise a way to deposit a ping-pong ball into a paper cup that is located in the middle of a 6-foot diameter circle, while standing outside the circle.
Curated OER
Design a Bobsled
Learners apply their knowledge of friction, drag, mass and gravity as they design, build, and test mini-bobsleds.
Virginia Department of Education
Properties of Compounds and Chemical Formulas
Young chemists have unknown compounds they need to sort. Performing three different tests on each, the chemical behaviors they observe become the basis for data analysis.
Pingry School
Flame Tests
Light a fire in your pupils! Scholars conduct a flame test and observe the emission spectra of several different salts in an enlightening hands-on investigation. They use their observations to make comparisons and conclusions about the...
Space Awareness
Meet Our Neighbors: Sun
The sun isn't just a ball of yellow! Young scientists learn about the features of the sun using a hands-on modeling activity. They build models of the sun using common household items to represent sunspots, solar prominence, and the...
Curated OER
Free Up the Ketchup!
Young scholars, in teams, use given materials and their knowledge of Newton's First Law to create a device that will remove a sticky ping pong ball from a 16-oz. cup (which represents ketchup stuck in a bottle.)
Virginia Department of Education
Predicting Products and Writing Equations
A chemistry lesson presents 14 chemical reactions for scholars to observe, write the equation, and balance the equations. Additionally, it provides ways to extend the activity as it relates to catalysts.
Trash For Teaching
The Light-House Project
Groups work together to design a lighthouse, from designing and drawing the wiring diagram, to creating prototypes of the switch and circuit, to envisioning and building a scale model along with a blueprint. By including different...
Curated OER
SCHOOLYARD SUNDIAL
Students study the apparent motion of the Sun in the sky over the course of a day and a year, and analyze what causes seasons on Earth. They participate in a project that has both a science as well as an art component.