California Department of Education
What Is a "Wave"?
Take a stretch, but don't wave goodbye. An interesting resource provides everything needed to present an introductory lesson plan on waves. Teachers present a PowerPoint defining the types of waves and their characteristics. Pupils use a...
Bonneville
Introduction to Energy
Transform the classroom with energy. Pupils learn about different types of energy and practice identifying the types in the first lesson of six in a solar versus wind energy unit. The class sees examples of how one type of energy can be...
Curated OER
The Sun Affects Earth
Third graders read, write, and listen to information about the sun and its effects on the Earth.as it relates to its axis, orbit, rotate, and revolution. In this solar system instructional activity, 3rd graders examine...
Curated OER
The Speed of Galaxy Q2125-431
In this speed of a galaxy worksheet, learners use a given equation for the speed of an object and they use the spectral lines for Hydrogen Alpha and Beta from the Seyfert galaxy to answer 6 questions. They determine the observed...
Curated OER
Energy Defined
Fourth graders complete activities to study the sources of energy and forms. In this energy lesson plan, 4th graders discuss the origin of energy and define it. Students participate in several experiments to further study energy...
Curated OER
Black Holes...V
In this black hole worksheet, students read about the black hole in the center of the Milky Way Galaxy called Sagittarius A and observe a Chandra image of the area where the black hole exists. Students solve two problems which include...
Curated OER
Never Push Your Pendulum
Students investigate the behavior of pendulums and identify the variables that affect it. In this pendulum instructional activity students complete a lab on pendulums, make conclusions about frequency and the period then conduct a...
Curated OER
Life Without Flight
Pupils keep a journal for an intire week recording their observations of the ways aircraft affect society, The students discuss their findings and categorize them into areas such as military, commercial, research, and so on.
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Lights, Camera, Action!
Students add various types of multimedia to a website they have created about volcanoes. They review what would best enhance their website and determine what the value and cost be in adding that particular piece of multimedia.
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Physics Quiz
In this physics learning exercise, students complete short answer questions about physics concepts such as electricity, space, light, and more. Students complete 20 short answer questions.
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Hello, Sunshine!
Students investigate how the sun travels across the sky at different latitudes using Solar Motion Demonstrator. In this earth science lesson, students explain why seasons change. They study how the tilt of the Earth's axis affects...
Curated OER
Constellations
Students explore the major constellations. After reviewing the Earth's basic motions and their significance, students discuss the moon's orbit and revolutions. Using a Digitarium Alpha portable planetarium projector, they observe at...
Curated OER
The Way Things Fall
Pupils see that light and heavy objects fall at the same rate, as established experimentally by Galileo. They see that falling objects, and balls rolling down an incline, tend to accelerate at a constant rate a. Their velocity increases...
Curated OER
Let the Sunshine in
Pupils collect and analyze data to study wavelengths of visible light. They cover Styrofoam cups with three different colors of sun filtering products and shine a lamp directly on the cups. They determine the most effective filtering...
Curated OER
Reflections
Learners are given materials with various textures and light sources to investigate specular reflection, diffuse, reflection, angle of incidence, and angle of reflection. Students draw and label an everyday scenario showing specular and...
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Exploring the Interstellar Medium
Learners investigate the Interstellar Medium and the Local Bubble that the Sun is inside. They read and discuss a handout, answer discussion questions, observe a demonstration of light scattering, and conduct an experiment on the...
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The Way Things Fall
Students explore concept of acceleration and motion under the influence of gravity, starting with free fall and ending with motions that start out with both horizontal and vertical initial velocities.
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Science: Objects That Rotate with Gravity
Students conduct experiments in gravity by rolling objects down an incline and determining which ones roll slower than others. As part of the experiment, they design objects which will roll the slowest. Using digital movie cameras or...
Curated OER
Seeing Interference Fringes with a Telescope
Students construct an interferometer using a simple telescope. In this physics lesson, students explain how light waves create the fringe patterns. They observe patterns made by different objects in the sky and compare them.
Curated OER
Compass Rose: Dance and Quilt
Fourth graders identify the cardinal directions by listening to a song entitled, "Stand," and by reviewing the lyrics to that song. They notice the cardinal directions that are posted around the classroom. They perform the motions as...
Curated OER
Model Rockets
Students build a model rocket. In this model rocket lesson, students explore a rocket launch cycle. Students investigate the laws of physics for each part of the launch. Students build model rockets and launch at school.
Curated OER
Newton's Laws and Forces
In this Newton's laws and forces worksheet, high schoolers answer 11 questions about inertia, vectors, force, and acceleration using Newton's laws. They also answer 3 questions about classification of species.
Curated OER
The Electron Microscope
In this microscope worksheet, students read about how the electron microscope was created and how it works. Based on the reading, students complete 2 short answer questions.