Curated OER
Photosynthesis and Respiration
Eighth graders differentiate photosynthesis and respiration. In this biology instructional activity, 8th graders draw a diagram explaining these two processes. They answer a quiz after the instructional activity.
Curated OER
Latex Helium Balloons: Any Alternatives?
Students discuss the latex balloon release controversy and review suggested alternatives to the latex balloon.
Curated OER
Set the Stage
Students observe evaporation in a controlled environment. Evaporation is the change of liquid water into water vapor (a gas). The rate of evaporation is determined by many factors such as air temperature and humidity, liquid temperature...
Curated OER
Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano
Learners construct a volcano using baking soda and vinegar. In this earth science instructional activity, students explain the reaction that takes place when these two chemicals combine together.
Curated OER
Food & Science - How Healthy is Your Diet?
Learners experiment with various foods to determine fat and starch content. They rub jam, peanut butter, bananas, and other foods in a small circle on a piece of paper, and observe the results. If there is a high fat content in the...
Virginia Department of Education
DNA Extraction from Strawberries
Has your class ever been astounded by the complexity of DNA analysis? Have they ever asked why genetic engineering has become so important to our daily lives? Young scientists perform DNA extraction on strawberries and explore how the...
Curated OER
Acids and Bases
Students use supporting evidence to predict if common household substances are acids or bases. They determine the pH of the substances and describe the results of the investigation and characteristics of each substance.
Curated OER
Radioactivity Experiments
Students study the difference between types of ionizing radiation and how elements are transmuted. They determine that radiation is normal and surrounds us. They calculate the amounts of alpha, beta and gamma radiation emitted from a...
Curated OER
Crystal Growing
Young scholars explore the different phases of a crystal. In this mineral instructional activity students grow their own sugar crystals using a sugar recipe.
Curated OER
Polymerization Experiments
Students study the concepts of polymerization and the function of crosslinkage. In this polymer lesson plan students complete a lab activity and write down their observations.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Climate and Forest Ecosystem Services
Forests, through sequestration, capture excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and store it, aiding in climate change. The third installment in a four-part series on how climate impacts forests explores carbon sequestration. Classes...
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...
Cornell University
The Making of Macromolecules
Compare and contrast macromolecules made from the same elements. Young scholars learn how the structure of a molecule has as much influence on a compound as the elements in the molecule. They experiment with molecular model kits to...
Curated OER
Desalination: Creating a Solar Still
To better understand how solar power can aid in creating desalinated drinking water, the class creates a model still. They will build a model of a solar still, make observations, and discuss how the process works. While the idea behind...
Curated OER
Temperature and the Tomato
You will need a photovoltaic system and monitor at your school in order to obtain all of the data required to thoroughly implement this instructional activity. Your class monitors daily temperature and insolation amounts over a two week...
Curated OER
Oxygen
Students explore oxygen and its physical and chemical propeties. In this investigative lesson students complete several experiments using oxygen.
Curated OER
The Nature Of Dissolving Processes
Young scholars examine the rule of "like dissolves like." They define and describe solutions and solubility models on molecular liquids, ionic solids, and molecular solids.
Curated OER
Teaching the Scientific Method Using Adhesives
Learners research on the history of adhesives. In this science instructional activity, students select one test to use in finding the stickiness of adhesives. They collect data and formulate a conclusion.
Curated OER
Dust in the Wind; Chemicals in the Water
Students explore mechanical and chemical weathering at stations. They articulate some mechanisms of chemical and mechanical weathering through exploration in a lab. Students stations describe how chemical weathering differs from...
Virginia Department of Education
Physical and Chemical Properties of Water
How can you effectively provide detailed concepts of water properties to your high school class in a way they find exciting and challenging at the same time? By letting them play, of course! Through a variety of experiments, pupils...
Curated OER
Snowflake Bentley
Learners explore crystals through the story Snowflake Bentley and then create crystal pictures of their own. In this interdisciplinary lesson, they create a crystal web chart on chart paper, design artificial snowflakes, and write poems...
Curated OER
Radioactive Simulations
Students simulate radioactive decay and nuclear power using an on line interactive web site. In this on line lesson plan, students monitor radioactive isotopes and record the activity of a particular element as the decay progresses. They...
Curated OER
Basic Vitamins: Water-Soluble and Fat-Soluble
An incredibly thorough lesson on vitamins, and how to keep one's body at peak health. Learners access a variety of excellent worksheets embedded in the plan that have them consider raw vs. cooked foods, a vegetable nutrition summary,...
Curated OER
Taking the Measure of the Universe
Four fabulous activities immerse amateur astronomers into measuring objects that we cannot handle. The experiences are applied to NASA's Space Interferometry Mission, which will take measurements of planets around stars other than our...