Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating the Water Cycle: Using Plants to Study Evaporation
In this science activity, students investigate the water cycle by testing the water evaporated from leaves (transpiration). They investigate concepts of evaporation and the movement of water through the different states of the water...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigations Based on the Rock Cycle
In this lab investigation, students will study different types of rocks and formulate questions about the conditions under which they formed. This lab requires students to use the concepts learned about the rock cycle to develop a...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating the Ecology of Goldenrod Galls Through Biological Sampling
In this biology field lab exercise, students conduct a stationary population study of goldenrod galls. They examine a host of factors including goldenrod plant density, goldenrod gall density, gall height, gall mass, larval exit hole...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Rotation: Why Is There Day and Night?
In this rotation activity, young scholars investigate what causes day and night by participating in a classroom activity. Students will observe, question, and investigate how the relationship between the earth and sun causes day and night.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Minnesota Rocks: The Properties of North Shore Rocks
Students will investigate rocks from the North Shore of Minnesota. Students will begin by forming questions that they have about the rocks. They will use observation skills to identify attributes of the rocks. The students will use...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: On the Move
An activity where students observe water moving by the process of diffusion.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Water Molecules: Adhesion and Cohesion
An activity where students observe the properties of water. During this lab, students will see the nature of waters property by observing both the adhesive and cohesive properties.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating the Rock Cycle: Looking at Similarities and Diff in Rocks
In this activity students will be given three rocks representing the three main rock types in the rock cycle. They will make observations on those rocks and develop a hypothesis on how each rock formed. We will meet as a class and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Plastic Polymers: Building a Model
Students will use their prior knowledge about changes of matter including physical and chemical changes from the Houghton Mifflin science curriculum. Students will create a hypothesis to test the physical properties of materials such as...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Three Main Ingredients Needed to Create a Cloud in a Bottle
In the science lab, students will create and observe the conditions necessary to make a cloud in a bottle.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Penny in Cup: Bernoulli's Principle
A demonstration that will grab students' attention to learn about Bernoulli's principle and Newton's Laws of Motion.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Osmosis Eggs
A lab activity where students learn the concept of osmosis by observing an egg in different solutions. Included is a procedure for students to follow.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Lab Investigation Mixture Separation
An inquiry lab where students try to separate as much as the pure substance they can in a set time period. This lab helps students understand that physical means can be used to take apart a mixture.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating South Crow River: Discharge, Turbidity, Erosion, Sediments
In this field investigation, small groups of students will observe and measure characteristics of the South Crow River near Mayer, Minnesota. Data collection on these characteristics will include but not be limited to: speed of current...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Our Big Backyard
An activity for students to fine tune their observation skills using their senses in their own backyard. During this activity, students will record their observation to compare and contrast living things over a period of different seasons.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Matter, Solid or Liquid: Barthlomew and the Oobleck
Background information: This activity is an extension of the children's exposure to states of matter in the Scott Foresman science series for Grade 2. This lesson has a Literacy component. Using the book by Dr. Seuss, "Bartholomew and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Chromatography: Who Wrote the Note?
Students investigate who stole the class pet by testing the chromatograph of different markers as a way to find the evidence that points to the perpetrator.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Leaves: October Leaf Collection
In this activity, young scholars use observational skills to compare and discuss the changes in leaves from September to October. *Adaptations will also be described for special education students.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Learning About Bird Migration
A lesson plan where students get a better understanding of where birds go in winter months by learning about migration. During this lesson plan, students will also explore life cycle of birds.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Trees: Using a Dichotomous Key to Identify Local Tree Types
Using their own classification methods students will identify the types of trees found around their school and neighborhoods. Students will then present their classification methods to the class. Later students will use dichotomous tree...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Microbes in a Nature Center
In this Nature Center activity, students will identify microbes found in the pond and creek in the Eden Valley-Watkins Nature Center. They will collect samples using a Petri dish.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating the Difference in Geology
In this inquiry based field investigation, students will be observing our school campus's topography, soil, and plants and comparing them with the Fertile sand dunes' topography, soil, and plants. They will make detailed observations and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Identifying Evidence for Volcanism in Waite Park Quarries
By looking on the diabase dikes, fractures, rock textures, and composition of the granite bedrock, students in this field investigation will be looking for evidence of volcanism. This particular investigation was written for students to...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Planets Made Real: Creating Size and Distance Scale of Planets
An activity where students build a scale model of the solar system based on a marble they pick from a bowl. After choosing a marble that represents Earth, students must calculate the size of the other planets and the sun. Site includes...