Teach Engineering
Flame Test: Red, Green, Blue, Violet?
Let the true colors shine through. Pupils conduct a flame test to identify an unknown element. Class members calculate and prepare specific molarity solutions of three chemicals. Using their observations of the colors emitted, they...
Nuffield Foundation
Identifying the Conditions Needed for Photosynthesis
Budding biologists often ask how scientists know what they do about different topics. In the lab described here, they have a chance to find out first-hand about the requirements for photosynthesis. Three sequential investigations are...
Curated OER
Climate And the Greenhouse Effect
Learners demonstrate the greenhouse effect. They recognize that relatively small changes to our environment can stimulate significant climate changes. They determine that the "scientific method" is a process of testing hypotheses and...
Curated OER
How Do Plants Grow?
Students investigate plant growth. In this plant growth lesson, students investigate what would happen to plants if they did not have water and sunlight. Students conduct experiments to determine what plants need. Students create a...
Curated OER
Should Populations in an Ecosystem be Restricted?
Fourth graders experiment to determine how overpopulation effects ecosystems specifically plants. For this ecosystem lesson, 4th graders conduct an ecosystems experiment after listening to Claire Daniel's, Ecosystems. They watch a video,...
Curated OER
Heat Absorption and Radiation
Students experiment with the concepts of absorption and reflection of radiant energy.
Curated OER
Raising Plants
Young scholars investigate the life cycle of plants by growing their own in class. In this botany lesson, students practice using plant vocabulary while they grow their own Wisconsin Fast Plants. Young scholars collaboratively build a...
Curated OER
Rain and Rainbows
Learners explore the weather system by analyzing water properties. In this precipitation activity, students review weather related vocabulary terms and discuss how rainbows are created by light hitting droplets at the right time....
Curated OER
Cooler in the Shadows
Students explore Earth science by creating a scale model in class. In this shadow lesson, students research the impact the sun has on Earth shadows and complete a space science worksheet. Students create models of the Sun and Earth and...
Curated OER
Modeling Hot and Cold Planets
Students, in teams, design and construct models of two planets, one hot and the other cold, using a variety of materials. They attempt to create the models out of substances that will actually show the greatest temperature differences...
Curated OER
Sound Observations
Learners explore sound waves by conducting an experiment in class. In this sound frequency lesson, students utilize a tuning fork in class and identify which objects in class create different sound pitches on the fork. Learners conduct...
Curated OER
The Physics of Toys
Students explore physics by experimenting with classic toys. For this physical science lesson, students utilize gliders, energy balls, bouncing balls, marbles and other toys to explore how they work. Students explore each toy at a work...
Curated OER
Waves, Sound, and Light
Ninth graders explain waves in terms of energy transfer and describe their basic types and characteristics. They solve mathematical problems involving wavelength and frequency. Students conduct experiments in reflection and refraction.
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...
Polar Trec
Staying Warm in Antarctica!
Has your class ever wondered how animals and scientists stay warm in the Polar Regions? Kids will investigate to understand the three types of heat transfer and how heat transfer affects those trying to stay toasty in sub-zero...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis Lesson Plans
You can teach students about the importance of plants and the process of photosynthesis with motivating lesson plans. Follow along and find out how one science teacher uses experiments, stories, and her love of plants to get kids excited...
Curated OER
Rat Round Up
Students 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
Simple Calorimetry to Find the Enthalpy of Combustion of Alcohols
Accomplished chemistry learners set up a calorimeter and measure the energy released by various alcohols: methanol, ethanol, and either propanol or butanol. Lab masters will first need to design their own tables for recording data....
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.
Center Science Education
Looking Into Surface Albedo
How does the color of a surface affect the heating of the earth? Middle school science classes experiment with color and surface albedo to determine the relationship. The website has tabs for an overview, teacher's instructions,...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis
Students recognize the importance of plants as they perform an experiment involving photosynthesis. Students determine the optimum wavelength of light for photosynthesis by exposing plants to different colors of light, collecting data,...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Apollo Moon Landing
Students explore paper rockets, learn about the Apollo Program and Apollo spin-offs, and use simple office supplies to design and create a new useful product. This amazing plan is incredibly well written and leads students through a...
Curated OER
Attenuation of Light in Water
Young scholars explore what happens to light intensity as depth increases using a light intensity logger. They construct a PVC model to hold water and identify what factors could influence the amount of light attenuation.