Chicago Botanic Garden
Carbon, Greenhouse Gases, and Climate
Climate models mathematically represent the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, land, sun, surface, and ice. Part two in the series of four lessons looks at the role greenhouse gases play in keeping Earth warm and has participants...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Splitting Atoms
In a simple activity, physical scientists model nuclear fission using a droplet of oil. This can be used alone in a unit on different types of energy, or as part of the energy conservation unit produced by the Texas State Energy...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Kinetic and Potential Energy
A well-developed lab sheet guides physical science learners through an investigation of kinetic and potential energy. In small groups, collaborators discover whether or not the ramp height or mass of an object has an effect on the...
National Science Teachers Association
Paper Car Crash Design
High school physical scientists collide with motion. They work in pairs to design a paper car that will protect a raw egg during a head-on collision. Measurements of distance traveled, time of run, vehicle specs, and photo gate flags are...
Curated OER
pH Potential
Students experiment to determine the positive and negative impacts of human activities on environmental change. They examine how physical and biological processes such as decomposition affect soil characteristics while looking at the pH...
Curated OER
Laboratory - Density of a Material
Students conduct a lab (with water, guar gum and sodium borate) and carefully record physical and chemical properties and changes throughout the session, and experiment with weighing by difference.
Curated OER
World Geography: Postcard from the Rim
Students are able to identify the areas of the world that are affected by arsenic contamination of the water supply. They are able to describe the ways in which various societies deal with the problem of arsenic contamination. ...
Curated OER
Plants
First graders explore the specific needs, characteristics, and uses of plants. They discuss the needs of plants as they grow. Students observe plants in various settings as they grow and note the changes they see.
Curated OER
When Things Heat Up
Ninth graders investigate relationship between the temperature and concentration of dissolved oxygen in water. They examine how pollution and other natural influences can cause the parameters to change. In groups, 9th graders collect...
Curated OER
Waterworks In Braintree
Students examine how water affects the community of Braintree. Using a map, they locate main resevoirs and rivers in the area and research the history of one of the resevoirs. They use charts and graphs to show how land use has changed...
Curated OER
Flight Home
Students experiment to investigate the role in fixed-wing flight. They watch as air and water flow around surfaces to examine the dynamics of airflow around an aircraft wing.
Curated OER
Rain Drops
Students examine drops of water on several materials used on the outside of buildings. They make selective observations on and compare plastic, wood, brick, metal, roof tiles and glass.
Curated OER
Location of Cities 201
Students work in pairs to locate the ancient cities on a world atlas using the longitude and latitude measurements. They examine the physical and human futures that explain their locations.
Curated OER
Would You Drink This?
Students examine how they affect water quality of those who live downstream after identifying rivers and river basins in Kansas.
Curated OER
Calibrating a Thermometer
Students calibrate an alcohol thermometer using the boiling and freezing point of water. In this physical science lesson, students explain what happens to boiling point of water as altitude increases. They calculate their experimental...
Curated OER
Interpreting Your Data
In this water quality sampling learning exercise, students organize and analyze their data from samples they have collected. After analyzing based on 9 guide questions, they complete 18 short answer questions about fish, benthic, and...
Curated OER
Exploring the Properties of Matter in the Preschool
Students study the properties of the physical and natural world. In this properties of the physical and natural world lesson, preschool students work at discovery tables to see how simple machines work, what happens when items are put...
Curated OER
Correlation Chapter 1
Middle schoolers compare ways in which people form different cultures think about and deal with their physical environment and social conditions. They identify examples of change and recognize examples of cause and effect relationships....
Curated OER
Hot Stuff
Students investigate if heat can change the form of matter. In this physics instructional activity, students use heat sources to observe the changes in an ice cube. Students graph which heat source changed the matter the fastest.
Curated OER
Chemistry E3 Lesson Plan
Ninth graders perform a series of experiment to investigate heat transfer and phase changes. In this physical science lesson, 9th graders identify and calculate the different subatomic particles. They explain the importance of scientific...
Curated OER
Introductory Learn to Swim
Students perform introductory swimming techniques. They review water safety rules. Students blow bubbles and put their head into the water. They touch designated body parts while standing in the water and finally touch the bottom of...
Curated OER
Properties of Matter
Second graders investigate how objects can be described, classified and compared by their composition. They recognize that the same material can exist in different states. Students verify that things can be done to materials to change...
Curated OER
Matter and Energy
Students investigate the effects of air pressure on humans by utilizing the Internet. In this physical science instructional activity, students research the Internet to discover altitude sickness and air pressure. Students prepare...
Curated OER
Light and Laser
Twelfth graders investigate the refractive index of water. In this physics lesson, 12th graders explain the operation of laser. They write a lab report about the activity.