Curated OER
Science Experiments
Fourth graders work together in groups to design and complete one science experiment of their choice. Following the experimental steps, they show their experiment and the results to the class in the form of a PowerPoint. They explain...
Curated OER
What Floats Your Boat?
This open-ended boat building exercise is meant to be part of a three-lesson series on ships. Links to the other two lessons are included. This particular part is mostly a group lab activity in which they build a boat, find its load line...
Curated OER
Careers in Science
Learners learn the trends in the current job market for scientists,
find where the jobs are, the range of salaries, and the job requirements.
They discover that scientists do some very interesting things, then
write a letter of...
Curated OER
Science: Conditions for Slime Mold Survival
Students perform experiments to determine the nutritional needs and physical space requirements for slime mold to survive. After formulating hypotheses, they seal the petri dishes and set up the experiment along with two controls. ...
Curated OER
Life Science - Seeds
Fourth graders participate in a scientific experiment involving growing lima beans. Students plot information gathered on included charts and graphs. Students use the steps of the scientific method throughout this experiment.
Curated OER
Design a Paraplegic Equestrian Saddle
Students investigate a problem and background information including the typical capabilities /limitations of a paraplegic. They develop an understanding of the attributes of engineering design.
Curated OER
Science: Put Your Heart into Engineering
Students examine the heart and vascular system and the need for artificial valves. After explaining how heart valves function, they design their own heart valves for experimentation. They predict the speed of fluid flowing through...
Teach Engineering
Maximum Mentos Fountain
A messy fountain is potentially an energy experiment in disguise. Groups investigate the variables in creating a fountain from soda and Mentos. The last activity in a six-part series on energy has the class observe the fountain in terms...
University of Georgia
Splat!
What does viscosity have to do with splatter? An activity shows that the viscosity of a substance is inversely proportional to the distance of its splatter. Learners conduct the experiment by collecting data, graphing, and analyzing the...
Teach Engineering
Earthquakes Living Lab: Locating Earthquakes
There are patterns in nearly everything — even earthquakes. Pairs research current earthquakes to see if there are any patterns. They determine the mean, median, and mode of the earthquake data, along with the maximum and minimum. Using...
Curated OER
I've Got That Sinking Feeling
Students design a simple boat and predict how much weight it can carry. They should also discover why objects float or sink and how this can be determined experimentally. A great lesson on buoyancy!
Curated OER
Surveying and Assessing the Environmental Compatibility of a Building Construction Site
Students examine an area of land and assess its suitability for construction purposes. This project requires a vast amount of hands-on experimentation, data analysis, community involvement, and job shadowing/career awareness.
Curated OER
The Behavior of Ants
Students use the steps of the Scientific Method to develop and test their own ideas through experimentation with ants.
Curated OER
Skateboard Disaster
Students conduct a hands-on experiment with collisions between two skateboards of different masses. They are introduced to the concept of conservation of momentum in collisions and consider how their observations might help engineers...
Curated OER
Conceptualizing an Experiment
Students work together to design an experiment. They discover the origin of a family artifact. They analyze the data and discuss the results. They determine if the experiment is the best way to find out this type of information.
Curated OER
Brine Shrimp Hatching Experiment
Students hatch brine shrimp in a classroom experiment. In this hatching brine shrimp lesson, students participate in two-week lab in which they study how brine shrimp hatch under different conditions. They record data about the control...
Curated OER
Gingerbread Architecture: An Exploration and Engineering
Eighth graders design and build a gingerbread house. In this technology lesson, 8th graders research the important components of a house. They evaluate the strength of their design and suggest modifications when necessary.
Curated OER
Floating and Falling Flows
Students discover fluid dynamics related to buoyancy through experimentation and optional photography. Using one set of fluids, they make light fluids rise through denser fluids. Using another set, they make dense fluids sink through a...
Curated OER
Transfer of Thermal Energy
Students define temperature and heat, distinguish between temperature and heat flow, calculate amount of heat energy released or absorbed in chemical process, and design procedure, through experimentation, to gather and evaluate data to...
Curated OER
What is That White Stuff?
Fifth graders identify, through experimentation, what properties of substance are, determine what variables tested will be, identify constants and variables of experiment, conduct experiment to conclusion with measurable, recorded...
Curated OER
Magnets
Students explore how the earth is a magnet and that magnets have two "poles". In this magnetic lesson students complete an activity by designing their own compass.
Curated OER
Where Do Plants Get Their Food?
Young scholars think about the historical development of the scientific method. They design an experiment that replicates van Helmont's, using only specified materials. Pupils then improved upon van Helmont's procedure and also...
Curated OER
Floodplain Modeling
Students simulate the impact of fluctuating river volumes on structures and landforms. They experiment with table top-sized riverbed models and water. Students consider how human design can help mitigate the effects of a flood.
Curated OER
Roller Coaster Physics
Young scholars design a roller coaster that allows a marble to run the course as fast as possible. Students create an experimental roller coaster taking into account the steepness of the hills and the sharpness of the turns. Young...