Curated OER
Super Gelatin
Students investigate the refraction properties of gelatin to calculate its index of refraction. They discover that as the light travels through the gelatin, its speed and wavelength also change. Students find th indes of refraction of an...
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Moldy Jell-O
Mini mycologists plan an experiment to determine what affects the growth of mold on gelatin. A list of available materials is provided, but the procedure needs to be designed by the lab group. A data table is also provided in which to...
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Radiation Budget Lesson: Exploring Albedo
Students experiment with sunlight and temperature. They study the definition of albedo, or the percentage of incoming sunlight that is reflected, rather than absorbed.
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Soil Nutrients - Phosphorus Lab Lesson Plan
Students list sources of phosphorus in soil. They explain how phosphorus is removed from the soil and used by plants. Students list the symptoms of insufficient or excess phosphorus. Students perform experiments to examine the effect of...
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Vibrating Objects Produce Sound
Students use many different materials and resources in order to study and identify sounds that are loud or soft, high or low, pleasant or unpleasant.
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Solar Oven
Students construct a solar oven using cardboard, duct tape, aluminum foil and other materials. They use the solar oven to cook something and keep a journal of their project.
Colorado State University
Why Does it Get Colder on a Clear Night than a Cloudy Night?
Clouds are nature's insulator! A lab investigation asks learners to use an infrared thermometer to measure differences in infrared temperatures. They find that pointing the thermometer at a cloud has a much different result than pointing...
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Environmental Studies: The Power of Wind
Investigate the prospect of wind as a renewable resource. Second and third graders make a pinwheel, answer critical thinking questions, and then attempt to use wind power to wind string. I would be more apt to use this activity in a 1st...
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Stellar Spectral Fingerprints
Students listen as the teacher introduces Newton's early discovery of the diffraction of light. They use multiple sources of light (fluorescent, incandescent, sunlight, etc) to bend the light. They first use a prism then a diffraction...
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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...
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Photosynthesis
Students conduct a variety of experiments on photosynthesis. In this biology lesson, students identify the factors required for the process to occur. They perform computerized experiments to test the amount of oxygen produced when plants...
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Chemiluminescence
Students explore chemiluminescence through various experiments. In this chemistry activity, students explain the chemical reaction that drives the process. They give real life applications of chemiluminescence.
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Luminous Efficacy (Efficiency)
Young scholars examine the basics of luminous efficacy and why it is used. For this light source lesson students test energy efficiency and the luminous efficiency for babies.
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What Causes the Seasons?
Students conduct experiment to examine how tilt of globe influences warming caused by lighted bulb. They monitor simulated warming of their city by sun in winter and in summer by using light bulb, interpret results, and submit lab report.
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Electromagnetic Radiation
Students explore the nature of electromagnetic spectrum through a series of experiments. For this physics lesson, students determine how light behaves under certain circumstances. They explain how humans perceive colors.
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Applied Science - Physics Lab
Students investigate electricity. In this Physics lesson, students experiment with insulators and conductors of electricity. Students use batteries as the energy source for the experiment.
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Bioluminescence
Students differentiate chemiluminescence from bioluminescence. In this biology lesson, students explain how fireflies and other animals emit light. They discuss the applications of engineered bioluminescence.
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Experimental Design Reference
In this experimental design worksheet, students are given a full comprehensive outline for designing an experiment. There are checklists included for each section of the experiment for students to use as a guide for properly completing...
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Why Plants Are Green
Students discover the properties of chlorophyll in plants. In this plant biology lesson, students conduct an experiment to find where the chlorophyll in the plant is located. Students are split into small groups and study plant parts....
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The Wonderful World of Waves (Wave Basics)
Students define amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and period, calculate period given frequency, and calculate frequency given period, define crest and trough and locate both on diagram of wave, differentiate between latitudinal and...
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Lemon Battery
Students construct their own battery made of lemons. In this electrochemistry instructional activity, students explain why lemons conduct electricity. They perform a series of experiments to investigate its conductivity.
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Photosynthesis
In this biology activity, students explain where the energy of food originally came from. Then the explain one of the principal chemical compounds that living things use to store energy. Students also describe how ATP and ADP differ and...
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Photosynthesis Explored
Students observe the production of gas as an effect of photosynthesis. In this biology lesson, students perform an experiment with pondweed and make measurements and predictions about photosynthesis and the plant.
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Watch Me Grow
Students observe that plants need air, food, light, and water to survive. In this plant biology instructional activity, students observe the growth and development of two plants, one is the control plant and the other is denied either...