Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Weight of Things
Students explore weight. In this math lesson, students predict which item weighs more and discuss how they arrived at their decision. Students weigh several items to determine which weighs more.
Curated OER
Metric Mania
Young scholars observe how to measure in metric units. For this investigative lesson students compare different units of volume to see how things are measured.
Curated OER
The Portion is the Poison
Middle schoolers calculate the amount of everyday food products or liquids that would need to be consumed in order to become toxic. By using unit analysis, they calculate the amount of certain common food items that would need to be...
Curated OER
i-Density Crisis
Eighth graders determine the density using mass and volume. For this science lesson, 8th graders explain why some materials float or sink. They estimate the density of objects based on whether it floats or sinks in a liquid of known...
Curated OER
Drip, Drip, Drip
Students gather scientific data and be able to utilize the data to generalize results over a long period of time. They use the appropriate tools to measure quanities of liquids and analyze the data to determine the cost of a leaky faucet.
Curated OER
Keeping Warm
Fifth graders measure the temperature of water using a thermometer. They record the temperatures of water on a chart. Students use the temperature data to determine which materials are the best conductors of heat. They discuss their...
Curated OER
Making Sense of Density
Students identify the concepts of density, mass, and volume that define the property of a substance. They also determine that the properties of materials, such as, density and volume, can be compared and measured by using rulers,...
Nuffield Foundation
Making Serial Dilutions
There's no need to water down the resource. A tutorial takes learners through the process of creating dilutions for any solution. Specifically, it focuses on serial dilutions with successive factors of 10.
Nuffield Foundation
Making Up Nutrient Agars
A resource rich in information—and nutrients. Learners create agars for the purpose of cell cultivation in Petri dishes. The lesson provides instructions on how to create agars for the cultivation of different microorganisms.
Discovery Education
By All Indications
How do people determine if something is acidic or basic? Learners make their own acid-base indicators using red cabbage and then determine the acidity and alkalinity of different substances. First, they test substances of known pH and...
NASA
Cleaning Water
Give young scientists a new appreciation of fresh, clean drinking water. After learning about the ways astronauts recycle their air and water, your class will work in small groups creating and testing their very own water...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis Cookies
Learners identify photosynthesis as a process through which organisms make their own food. They practice the process for writing the formula for the photosynthesis equation.
Students describe how the processes of photosynthesis and...
Cornell University
Buoyancy
Swimmers know to float by turning their bodies horizontally rather than vertically, but why does that make a difference? In an interesting lesson, scholars explore buoyancy and the properties of air and water. They test cups to see which...
Curated OER
Tiling Tessellations
Students explore tessellations. In this shapes and geometry lesson, students describe the attributes of many of the shapes displayed on an Elmo. Students create examples of tessellations using pattern blocks.
Cornell University
Non-Newtonian Fluids—How Slow Can You Go?
Children enjoy playing with silly putty, but it provides more than just fun. Young scientists make their own silly putty using different recipes. After a bit of fun, they test and graph the viscosity of each.
Cornell University
Forensic Science: Case of the Missing Diamond Maker
Someone stole a diamond-making machine. Who done it? Scholars use forensic science at six different stations to determine the culprit. They analyze fingerprints, use their senses, and complete chemistry experiments to determine the...
Shodor Education Foundation
Estimating With Fire
Watch the damage from a forest fire in this interactive simulation activity that challenges learners to estimate the burn area using different approaches. Learners are given a worksheet to track the different burn patterns and practice...
Science Geek
Thermochemical Calculations
Viewers learn where the heat goes when phase changes take place with a presentation that explains the latent heat of phase changes, or, more specifically, the molar heat of fusion, solidification, vaporization, and condensation. The show...
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...
Sargent Art
Rainsticks
This rainstick lesson isn't just about making art; it's about understanding Native American symbols and culture. Kids read about the use of rainsticks and why specific symbols were used to decorate them. They then make their own...
Teach Engineering
Concentrate This! Sugar or Salt...
Heat up your lessons on boiling points. The resource provides a three-part activity: first, groups find the boiling point of solutions; second, they create boiling point curves for salt and sugar solutions; and third, they mix a solution...
Curated OER
Density
Learners predict when an object will float or sink based on comparison of density of the object to the density of the substance in which it is placed. The access a website and sketch the object in the first column of their table and then...
Cornell University
Sound Off!
Time to witness the effects of sound. Learners analyze different materials to determine their abilities to absorb sound waves. They use free software to monitor the amplitude of the waves to verify results.