Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Trends on the Periodic Table: Metals, Non Metals, and Metalloids
In this lab activity, students will be asked to observe and then test the physical and chemical properties of several different elements.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: A Student Produced Field Guide to Neighborhood Trees
During this project, students will be working cooperatively to create a field guide of trees in the neighborhood near the school. Students will make observations of trees near the school. They will then learn about tree anatomy and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Digging for Fossils: Studying Fossils as Evidence for Human Evolution
As students dig for paper fossils, they make observations of brain size, teeth, hands, thumbs, trunks, pelvis, foot and big toes to determine characteristics of chimpanzees and humans. Then, they dig up and analyze a new fossil...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Biodiversity in Your Schoolyard
In this field lab, students will investigate the biodiversity around their school and record and document the information they find. The students will compare their information to those of their classmates, develop multiple hypotheses...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Newton's Second Law: Constant Force Applied to a Skateboarder
In this lab activity, learners will become familiar with Newton's 2nd Law of Motion. By investigating the motion of different skateboarders pulled with a variety of constant force values, they will discover that bodies acted on by a...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Balanced Forces
In this lesson the students will learn the scientific definition of force. The students will see different examples of forces on an object and will gain an understanding that there are at least two forces acting on an object at all...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Marshmallow Models
This chemistry lesson will test students' understanding of VESPR structures. They will use marshmallows and redhots to investigate molecules, acids, and polyatomic ions.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mapping Your World
This activity serves as an introduction to mapping skills and the classroom. Students will create a map of the classroom, analyze and determine qualities that make a clear, concise map, then create a database of qualities they will use...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Observing Stream Erosion, Calculating Stream Discharge
In this investigation, students will observe erosional patterns in a small stream, calculate discharge at four different points, draw depth profiles for the points where they determined discharge, and collect data on stream chemistry and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Vector Treasure Hunt
Students work in groups to find a "treasure" using directions from a map that has been torn into sections, and the directions are written as vectors.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Insect Investigations
In this lesson, young scholars will explore the life cycles of insects, how they are classified by Entomologists and their role within an ecosystem. Students will also investigate different habitats to observe the biodiversity of insects...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Chemical Reactions: Investigating Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions
In this 9th grade physical science guided inquiry, students will work in pairs to discover the indicators of chemical reactions. Each pair of students is assigned either an exothermic or endothermic reaction. Based on their observations,...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Best Amount of Water to Fly a Bottle Rocket
In this rocket experiment, learners will investigate the question, "Which amount of water will cause the rocket to stay in the air the longest?" Students will compare how long the rocket was in the air with how much water was in the...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mineral Density: Teaching Accuracy, Slope, and Percent Error
Students explore the meaning of density and use their math skills to graph mass/volume data, write an equation for a line, and interpret the slope of the line. Students also find the density of two unknown mineral samples and use those...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Exploring Energy Conservation With Rulers and Cars
For this lab, students will investigate the law of conservation of energy. The lab is designed as something of an open, hands-on assessment where students demonstrate how to maximize the conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Disasters to Nature: Sensitivity of Ground Water Systems to Pollution
Learners visit three sites to investigate the areas where there is very high sensitivity for ground-water pollution. They also test the quality of water, measuring the dissolved oxygen, pH, total phosphate, nitrates, turbidity, and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Interdependence of Life: How an Ecosystem Responds to Change
For this biology field investigation, students will investigate the site of an environmental disturbance, identify plant and animal life within that specific area, and compare it to an adjoining forested area. Students will map both...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Diversity of Life in Your Neighborhood
Students go outdoors to compare the diversity of life in two locations. Following the observations, hold class discussions on environment, diversity, kingdoms, and other related issues.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Balloon Rockets in 1 D
In this inquiry activity, students solve a 1D motion challenge in groups. Students build their own balloon rocket from the materials provided with little guidance from the instructor. They collect data and use it to prepare a position...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Changes of State: Chemical and Physical Changes
In this chemistry lab, students will investigate, observe, and describe a variety of chemical and physical changes in matter. They will understand that this is part of everyday life.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Using and Creating a Dichotomous Key
Students will investigate classification through a sorting activity and discus real-life evidence of classifying objects.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Exploring the Properties of Liquids, With an Emphasis on Density
Students experiment with liquids; comparing and contrasting, and creating a density tower leading to a beginning understanding of density.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Chromotography: An Open Inquiry
After a short demonstration on chromatography, learners brainstorm ways to change the experiment, and develop a new, testable question related to chromatography.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: "Stained Glass Glue"
In the activity, "Stained Glass Glue," students use common everyday materials to use inquiry when they mix different substances and observe the unusual result of mixing water colors, milk and common dishwashing detergent.