National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Powers of Ten with the Blue Morpho Butterfly
Explore the powers of ten while examining a Blue Morpho butterfly wing. Learners discover there is a lot more than meets the eye when one looks close enough.
Curated OER
Mixtures
Sixth graders experiment with mixtures. In this chemistry lesson, 6th graders determine which mixtures are considered heterogeneous, a suspension, a solution or a colloid. Students create a data sheet of what they discover.
Curated OER
The Dust Bowl: Out of the Dust
Is your class going to read the novel, Out of the Dust? If so, you can prep them with a presentation that provides both images of the Dust Bowl and quotes from the book. Tip: Have learners use the images to compose descriptive...
Curated OER
Matter and Energy
Students explore energy by completing a science worksheet in class. For this principles of matter lesson, students define the vocabulary terms force, gravity, nuclear, and electromagnetic before reading assigned text about energy....
Curated OER
Mini-Ponds
In this mini pond worksheet, students create a mini-pond ecosystem with soil, water, and plant life. Students let their ecosystem sit for a day and they observe a sample the next day. Students identify all the pond water microorganisms...
Curated OER
Which Wrap Is Wrapped Right?
Students investigate the integrity and strength of different types of food wraps. They test the wraps and create a graphic organizer for the data. Once it is organized then a lab report can be written. The lesson contains background...
Curated OER
Naturally Magnetic Elements
Young scholars explore naturally magnetic elements. In this magnets lesson plan, students examine the periodic table of elements. Young scholars discover the parts of an atom and determine which three elements are magnetic.
Curated OER
Electromagnetic Spectrum/Spectroscopy
Students examine the electromagnetic spectrum and demonstrate the elements within. For this investigative lesson students complete a demonstration and calculate the energy of a photon.
Curated OER
Summer Research Program for Science Teachers
Students analyze the optical region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Curated OER
Conserving Energy Resources
Seventh graders research on energy conversion. After they have researched several types of energy resources, teams of two to four create posters which depict how these resources can be conserved.
Curated OER
Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy
Students calculate the values of electron binding energies. In this physics instructional activity, students solve for different wavelength characteristics of X-rays. They present their findings to the class.
Curated OER
Grating Spectrometer
Students calculate the Balmer series. In this physics activity, students observe hydrogen lamp spectra using spectrometers. They calculate wavelength and compare them with their theoretical calculations.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Light Waves: Interactive Lesson
Light is all around you, with wavelengths bigger than mountains and smaller than atoms. Learn about light waves, and the ways in which light interacts with matter, with this lesson plan.
Space Telescope Science Institute
Amazing Space: Star Light Star Bright
A few short, interactive activities on light waves can be found on this site. Numerous others links and teacher resources are posted here as well. A good background on light is offered for teachers.
Vision Learning
Visionlearning: Physics: Light I: Particle or Wave
Instructional module focusing on light. Discussion includes historical development of particle versus wave theories and the scientific studies leading to the understanding of light waves today. Site also includes an interactive practice...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: What Is a Wave?
This interactive activity adapted from the University of Utah's ASPIRE Lab provides an overview of the characteristics and properties of various types of waves, including light waves, sound waves, and water waves.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12 Exploration Series: Simulations: Physics: Light Wave
[Free Registration/Login Required] Are there colors we don't see? This simulation addresses that question by exploring light as an electromagnetic wave. Learn how the electromagnetic wave relates its wavelength and frequency to the...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Mechanical Waves
Learn about mechanical waves, which transfers energy from one place to another through liquids, gases and solids, with this interactive lesson.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Bringing the Universe to America's Classrooms: Waves: Light Collection
Observe the appearance of objects under different conditions to find that objects are only visible when illuminated by light, explore how light interacts with different materials, and develop a code that uses light to communicate across...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Light Waves and Color: Wavelike Behaviors of Light
In this series of interactive physics tutorials, students will focus on the wavelike nature of light.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Light Waves and Color: Blue Skies and Red Sunsets
Students will focus on the interaction of sunlight with atmospheric particles to produce blue skies and red sunsets.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Light Waves/color: Electromagnetic and Visible Spectra
This illustrated physics tutorial explains the electromagnetic and visible spectra of light using illustrated examples and interactive practice problems.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Light Waves and Color: Color Addition
Through illustrated example problems, and some interactive practice, students learn about color addition and color perception.
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Wave Interference
Conduct virtual experiments with water, sound, and light waves to determine the sine wave and patterns created in each.