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Truss Strength
Students are introduced to the design of Old Faithful Lodge at Yellowstone Park including its use of trusses. They work in groups and use straws and modeling clay to design and test a variety of building supports.
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Design Your Own Rube Goldberg Machine
Students participate in a culminating activity for a unit on Energy and Simple Machines. They are challenged to incorporate simple machines in to a complex mechanical system. While designing and testing their machine they will also...
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Ziplock Chemistry
Students investigate various chemical reactions when creating mixtures in ziplock baggies. In this chemistry instructional activity, students will recognize various chemical reactions and cite evidence. Safety and assessment strategies...
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What's In Our Backyard?
Eighth graders investigate the importance of an ecosystem by studying their own backyards. In this environmental activity, 8th graders examine a schoolyard or backyard by marking quadrants and recording any animal or plant findings on...
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Luz: Poetry and the Physics of Light
Students explore color, light, refraction and reflection. In this light activity students measure solar position and compare it to time.
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Balloon Rocket Race Track
Students discuss "How can we measure (or make it easier to record) the speed, distance or acceleration of the balloon?" They told that they are going to make a balloon racetrack. Pupils use meter sticks to accurately measure length and...
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Kinetic Molecular Theory
High schoolers analyze and evaluate evidence that matter is made of tiny particles. They observe a series of phenomena involving solids, liquids, and gases to make inferences about the spacing, interactions and relative kinetic energies...
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Designing and Building Catapults
Seventh graders complete a challenge to create a catapult that projects a marble or other projectile at least one meter. While experimenting they apply the Four Question Strategy to answer the question, " How can I make one modification...
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Disappearing Rocks
Students explore the causes of erosion and observe how different surfaces erode differently. They recognize erosion and predict what type of erosion caused it. In addition, they predict the outcomes of erosion on different materials.
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Sharks: Fact or Fiction
Second graders discover the truth about sharks. In this shark lesson, 2nd graders use different resources to help distinguish between fact and fiction with what they have heard about sharks. They complete an attached activity sheet.
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The Solar System
Third graders investigate Newton's law of Motion. In this chemical reaction lesson, 3rd graders participate in an experiment with rockets to study Newton's law. Students observe the effects of a chemical reaction made by combining...
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Aquifer Model
Students, after researching and brainstorming about aquifers and locating aquifer maps of Texas, participate in the building of a model of an aquifer complete with a pumping station. They also answer a variety of questions at the...
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Learning To Look
Sixth graders investigate a flower plant and the plant cycle. They extend observational skills when looking at a tree by observing, questioning and sharing ideas. They observe a living and nonliving flower and compare and contrast how...
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The Solar System: Go Green with the Sun!
Third graders learn how to use solar power. In this sun, technology and energy instructional activity, 3rd graders learn how the solar power from the sun can give off energy, learn about solar panels, discuss their uses and benefits,...
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Teaching about the Effect of pH on Aquatic Organisms
Students perform experiments to determine the PH, acidity, and buffering qualities of a lake that make them sensitive to acid deposition.
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Variables and Controls in an Investigation
Seventh graders identify variables and controls in a paper airplane investigation. In this scientific method lesson, 7th graders conduct an experiment to determine the variables that affect the flight of paper airplanes. They design an...
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Tree Seedling Planting- My Relationship and Responsibility to our Forests
In this trees lesson plan, 4th graders read the book, A Tree is Growing and complete a KWL chart on how trees grow and how they are used. Students research the symbiotic relationship of humans and trees, create tree collages, plant a...
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Stuck On You
Fifth graders, after completing a K-W-L-H Chart on electricity, discuss and illustrate the four ways lightening can move.
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Flambe Elements
Eighth graders discuss atoms and electrons as well as atoic structure. They view atomic structure via the computer. Students watch a demonstration in which the teacher demonstrates glass tubing turning yellow in a Bunsen Burner flame....
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Funny Putty
Learners are introduced to the properties of solids, liquids and gases. They see that colloids are mixtures which display the properties of more than one of these states. They engage in an excellent experiment which demonstrates this fact.
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Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion
Fourth graders describe the difference between minerals (composed of the same substance throughout) and rocks (composed of two or more minerals). They recognize that there are three classes of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
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Destructive Impact of Environment on Artifacts
Students recognize that artifacts are destroyed over time. In this environmental factors on artifacts lesson, students experiment and observe through the microscope to find the environmental impact on artifacts. Students make a list of...
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Fishing
Learners explore the techniques and basic needs of the fisherman. In this fishing lesson plan, students view a demonstration of the use of fishing equipment. Learners research Iowa farm ponds and design a class mural from their...
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Follow Those Tracks
Students observe a picture containing patterns of animal tracks, infer what might have happened based upon the pattern of tracks, and write a story describing what might have happened.