Curated OER
Use of Lasers
Students explore the use of lasers. In this "lasers" science and career education lesson, students search the Internet to find uses for lasers and make a list of companies that use or produce lasers. Students complete a lasers and making...
Curated OER
Strawberry DNA Extraction
Students explore the DNA of strawberries. In this science lesson, students extract the DNA of strawberries. Students complete a lab report.
Curated OER
Chemical Reactions and Balancing Equations
Students perform various laboratory activities involving chemical reactions. They write balanced chemical equations for all reactions observed using computer software.
Curated OER
Murder Mystery
High schoolers examine how to capture foot prints while they simulate a criminal investigation. They discover how the clues are needed for identifying or eliminating murder suspects.
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.
Towson University
Looking Into Lactase: Structured Inquiry
Why is lactase important? Biology scholars explore enzyme function in a structured inquiry lab. The activity tasks lab groups with observing how temperature and pH affect enzyme activity, as well as determining which milk products...
Texas State University
Earth: Deposition and Lithification
Geology geniuses analyze sediment samples with a hand lens and sort according to physical characteristics. They also learn about the processes of cementation, compaction, and lithification within the rock cycle. The lesson plan is...
Curated OER
What are Metamorphic Rocks and How are They Formed?
Even though the student handouts are not included in the write-up, this lesson plan contains the instructions for terrific activities to use when teaching middle schoolers about metamorphic rocks. First, they compare granite to gneiss...
Curated OER
Semipermeable Membranes and Bioaccumulation
Beginning biologists place a drop of food coloring into water of differing temperatures to observe the effect on the diffusion rate. They remove the shells from raw eggs and then experiment with osmosis over the remaining membranes....
Curated OER
Freshwater Fish Anatomy & Taxonomy
Tenth graders use a classification key to identify organisms. For this classification lesson students identify freshwater species of fish and document their observations.
Cornell University
Exploring Rocks and Minerals
Investigate the properties of rocks and minerals through a rockin' hands-on activity. Learners test rocks for various properties and, using a guide, attempt to identify different samples. They use various properties including hardness,...
Curated OER
Dinosaur and DNA Days
Biology stars extract DNA samples from beef thymus and then examine its properties. They use enzymes to digest the DNA samples, and then use electrophoresis to separate fragments. Finally, they discuss methods and principles of...
Pingry School
Flame Tests
Light a fire in your pupils! Scholars conduct a flame test and observe the emission spectra of several different salts in an enlightening hands-on investigation. They use their observations to make comparisons and conclusions about the...
It's About Time
States of Matter: Solid, Liquid, and Gas
Solid, liquid, and gas: they all matter. Scholars create an animation of the various states of matter, experiment with the temperature of water as it changes states, and observe carbon dioxide as it changes states. The lesson also...
American Chemical Society
Energy and Entropy of a Stretched Rubber Band
Stephen Perry invented and patented the modern rubber band in 1845. Young scientists put his discovery to work as they use rubber bands to observe entropy and enthalpy. They determine the change in free energy to figure out if it...
Science 4 Inquiry
The Yin and Yang of Photosynthesis: Day vs. Night
Floating fragments of elodea can grow even without roots. Young scientists use eldoea plants to observe the oxygen production from photosynthesis. They study the difference between having access to high amounts of light and low amounts...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating the Effect of Concentration of Blackcurrant Squash on Osmosis in Chipped Potatoes
Model and explore osmosis using squash and potatoes. Young scientists expose chunks of potatoes to different concentrations of a squash solution. They compare the weights of the chunks before and after exposure to the solution and use...
Curated OER
What is the Rock Cycle and Its Processes?
Geology beginners examine three different rock samples and determine their origin by their characteristics. By making and recording observations, they become familiar with features of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock types....
Curated OER
Authentic Assessment/ Lab Practicum (Video format)
Learners are given this authentic assessment format after the study of any laboratory activity (or group of labs). It's purpose is to replace the lab practicum when it is not possible to do a real set-up and /or to serve as a make-up...
Curated OER
Heat of an Unknown Metal
Eighth graders complete labs to find the specific heat of many different types of substances, and use characteristic property to identify an unknown metal. CBL be used to determine energy lost or gained, and students complete a...
Curated OER
"Graphing Your Motion"
Students study the concepts of motion, velocity, and acceleration through graphing their own movement using LoggerPro. They explain the difference between speed and velocity using the weather vane example. They discover the difference...
Curated OER
STRAINING FOR SOUND
Sixth graders use a laser along with computer microphone probeware and the appropriate software, 6th graders determine the speed of rotating objects.An audio amplifier is connected to a solar cell to change the laser light signal into a...
Curated OER
Funky Fomites and Aseptic Microbiology Techniques for Bacterial Isolation
Students listen to a lecture on the purpose of practicing aseptic technique as well as an explanation of how to practice them. They practice aseptic technique by plating bacteria in order to isolate individual colonies of bacteria. They...
Curated OER
Infectious Disease Detectives
Learners participate in a simulation of how diseases are transmitted. Each student holds a test tube, with only one containing the "disease" while the others have water. They move around the room until told to stop. Using droppers to...