Nuffield Foundation
Investigating Anti-Microbial Action
Join the fight against bacteria. An open investigation shows pupils different aspects of antimicrobial substances, such as disinfectants, deodorants, or plant oils. They design and conduct their own experiments on the effectiveness of...
DiscoverE
Water Pollution Cleanup
How do scientists determine the best method for removing pollutants from our water sources? Environmental scholars experiment with pollution clean-up options to discover which are the most cost-effective, fastest, and most thorough....
Curated OER
Investigating Mitosis in Allium Root Tip Squash
Preparing the root tip samples is the most challenging part of the mitosis-viewing lab found here, but the directions help ensure you have everything you need. There is no worksheet included; however, there is a sample data table....
Curated OER
Local Heart Rates
Students determine the type of data needed to test their inferences. As homework, they check and record heart rates of fellow students, teachers and family members. During their next class period, students enter all data into the database.
Curated OER
Growing Plants with Worm Castings
Students test worm castings for content and use them to grow seeds. They hypothesize which castings best sustain seed growth. They observe growing plants to test their hypotheses. Later they graph their data.
Curated OER
Who Turned the Lights Out?
Students discover the life cycle of butterfly by observing its growth from egg to caterpillar and the formation of its chrysalis. Students conduct an experiment in which they design housing for the chrysalises which are either in full...
Curated OER
Superbugs and Antibiotic Resistance
Students complete experiments on antibiotics and antimicrobials. In groups, they explain how antibiotics affect the evolution of microorganisms. They test various types of bacteria to discover how much resistance they have to antibiotics.
Curated OER
Chromatography of Foods
Learners complete a counter top chemistry experiment on the chromatography of foods. The experiment is based upon the relative attraction of the components of the mixture for the mobile phase (water) and the stationery phase (paper).
Curated OER
Designing An Investigation
Students will design a scientific investigation. In this engineering design instructional activity, students will set up an investigation, collect data and form a conclusion about bridge design. They will use common household items to...
Curated OER
Working with Questions
Students explore questions in a scientific context. They consider what makes questions testable. After reading short scenarios, students come up with their own testable questions about the reading.
Curated OER
Endeavor: Preparing Ourselves for Future Destinations
Middle schoolers define the word endeavor and then practice the art of self-discipline. They create character trait charts and discuss how strong character traits help students meet their future destinations.
Curated OER
Buddy, Are You Ready?-Preparing for School Emergencies
Pupils explore natural disasters by reading stories about volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. They explore safe behaviors in order to understand what to expect in a catastrophe. Students practice safe evacuation procedures...
Teach Engineering
Chromatography Lab
Groups use alcohol and chromatography paper to separate the color components of black ink. The purpose of the activity is to allow the class to become aware that mixtures exist in hidden places.
Curated OER
Recycling: The Way to Save...Fad or Fact
Students write stories about recycling and illustrate them. They examine various containers and determine whether or not they are recyclable. They make a chart about the containers and visit a recycling center.
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
Agriculture Defined
Open your Agriculture 101 course with a lesson on defining agriculture. Guide your class with thought-provoking questions and discussion. Give them time to play the card game, "Pit" in order to experience commodity exchange. This is a...
Curated OER
Fun with Electromagnets
Junior scientists work in groups to construct electromagnets. They experiment by varying number of wraps around the nail, the diameter of the nail, and the type of metal the nail is made of to see if any of these factors has an effect on...
Curated OER
Prairie, Stream, Forest for Junior High Students
Eighth graders take field trips to prairies, streams and forests in Illinois. During the field trip, they complete a worksheet to observe what they see and discuss it when they get back to school. They share their experiences through...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Eighth graders work together in groups to introduce themselves to the six types of simple machines. They are to record what the machine does, its mechanical advantage and identify real world situations in which they are used. They...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can a Dam Affect a River? Activity B
Second in a pair of activities, young ecologists continue to examine the food pyramid of a freshwater ecosystem. They take a look at the food pyramid drawn in Activity A and consider what would happen if a reservoir was created on the...
Curated OER
Plaque Busters
Students work with the scientific method; observation, hypothesis, and experimentation. They observe the effects of decay and the need of good oral hygiene during an experiment with an apple.
Curated OER
Virginia Rocks and Minerals
Students explore, via a CD-ROM, the Virginia's five geological regions and discover the rocks and minerals located in each. In stone kits, they examine samples of rocks and minerals and answer questions about them. After discovering the...
Curated OER
Acids and Bases
In this acids and bases worksheet, students review the characteristics of acids and bases, pK values, factors that change the rate of reactions, and catalysts. This worksheet has 17 multiple choice questions.
Curated OER
Behind the Mission to Mercury
Learners read an E-Sheet about the Mission to Mercury. They follow a variety of worksheets and on-line activities that follow the E-Sheet. They discuss several different scenarios regarding space exploration. They analyze one of the...