Cornell University
Chemical Reactions
Investigate the Law of Conservation of Mass through a lab exploration. Individuals combine materials to initiate chemical reactions. They monitor for signs of reactions and measure the masses before and after the reactions for comparison.
Polar Trec
What Is My Footprint?
How do one's habits and lifestyle choices affect the environment? Through a short online survey, learners will calculate their own carbon footprints then determine how to reduce their impact on the environment through simple steps, such...
Science Matters
Peanut Energy
How do humans get energy since they aren't mechanical and can't photosynthesize? Learners explore this question by relating potential energy in food to human energy levels. Scholars measure the change in mass and a change in temperature...
Curated OER
Conservation at a Crossroads Lesson 1: What Is Conservation and Why Does It Matter?
High schoolers explore the concept of conservation. In this conservation instructional activity, students read articles and primary documents about the Conservation Movement in the United States and compare the movement to today's...
Curated OER
Matter and Energy
In this matter and energy worksheet, students identify substances as solids, liquids or gases, they use the kinetic theory to describe the motion of particles and they explain the conservation of mass and energy when a substance changes...
Curated OER
Chemical Changes in Matter
In this matter and chemical changes activity, students write symbols and formulas for 2 chemical reactions. They write words for 1 chemical reaction given in symbols and formulas. They draw a diagram representing a chemical reaction and...
Curated OER
Money Matters to Me
Fourth graders explore economics by identifying financial goals. In this consumerism instructional activity, 4th graders discuss money matters and how to conserve an income when they get older in order to achieve their goals. Students...
Curated OER
Spectroscope
Young scholars examine how to apply conservation of energy and properties of matter to a spectroscope. In this energy lesson plan students build their own spectroscope and observe three kinds of spectra.
Curated OER
Properties of Matter
In this properties of matter worksheet, high schoolers answer 6 questions related to matter. They classify and categorize given statements as chemical or physical properties, they identify chemical and physical changes and they find the...
Curated OER
Why Does Evolution Matter Now?
Students examine how natural selection creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria,
recognize applications of evolutionary principles for medicine, agriculture, and conservation, and discuss how science contributes to decisions in context of...
Curated OER
Energy Conservation
Class is divided into groups of 2-4 students. They then are given a list of 36 items that are found in our homes and which use electricity. They are going to pretend that because of an energy shortage, they have to pick only twelve items...
National Park Service
Reduce Our Carbon Footprint, Let’s Compost!
Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost lesson. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and you're ready to start...
SF Environment
Sort and Color!
Sorting is a very important skill that can be used in math and even science. Learners get familiar with some environmentally friendly vocabulary terms as they practice separating objects that can be recycled from those that can't. They...
CPO Science
Potential and Kinetic Energy
Here's a resource ideal for independent learners who need extra reinforcement or would like to work ahead. These textbook chapters and practice problems cover many basic physics concepts, starting with potential and kinetic energy and...
Curated OER
Balancing Bottles
Students explore the Law of Conservation of Matter using effervescent tablets. In this mass and energy instructional activity, students investigate how mass is conserved in the reaction of effervescent tablets and water. They will...
Curated OER
Melting and Freezing
Learners explore how various substances change from a solid to a liquid or from a liquid to a solid and how temperature, pressure and nature play an important role in this process. In this melting and freezing instructional activity,...
Curated OER
The Mole
Students explore the concent of using the mole to solve problems related to counts small particles of matter. Students work individually and in groups to complete conversions of substances from moles to matter.
Curated OER
Physical and Chemical Changes
Students examine the different changes in matter. In this chemical change lesson students determine the amount of reactant made in a reaction using the law of conservation.
Curated OER
No Creation-No Destruction--All in a Baggie
Students investigate the concepts of conservation of mass and simple chemical reactions. Students complete lab experiments and record all observations as well as conduct experiments on their own to determine which reactions created...
Curated OER
Chalkboard Challenge
In this PowerPoint, students compete in a quiz show game similar to Jeopardy in which they generate questions to match science facts in a number of categories. Science concepts covered include plants, animals, and matter. Due to the vast...
Curated OER
Kinetic Theory
Students describe how molecules of the different phases of matter move according to the Kinetic Theory. In this chemistry instructional activity, students observe and participate in teacher demos. They give real world applications of the...
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Desalination: Turning Salt Water into Fresh Water
How does San Francisco supply its citizens with enough water, even during a drought? Learn about reservoirs and why desalination could be a good solution with a reading passage about water conservation. After kids finish the...
Curated OER
Chemical Composition of American Coins
High schoolers investigate the chemical composition of pennies dated 1983 or later. In this chemical composition of American coins lesson plan, students scratch the surface of the penny to expose the zinc core. They put the penny in...
Curated OER
Chalkboard Challenge
Here's a terrific Jeopardy-style game that's designed for 3rd and 4th grade students of science. The topics include living things, animals, plants, matter, and "hodge-podge." The questions are all age appropriate, and there is an...