Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: The Optimal Bottle Rocket Launch
Students build rocket models designed for gaining the maximum height. They use a compressed air rocket launcher and 2-liter plastic bottles. They will also use an online simulator to help them make predictions and adjustments to their...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Matter: Identifying Properties and States of Matter
In this activity about matter, students investigate the three states of matter by participating in a small group lab. Students will observe, question, and investigate the properties of solids, liquids, and gases.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Centripetal Force Activity
In this physics activity, students will simulate a race car on a circular track. Velocity, acceleration, and force vectors will be analyzed at various places along the track. As the students progress in the activity, prompts for student...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Newton's Second: Having a Ball With Motion
Students will create a gravity ball launcher to demonstrate their understanding of mass, force, momentum, and motion. The students will use critical thinking, measurement, and observation and analysis of data to make changes and improve...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc:calculate the Molarity of Lemonade Solutions
For this lab activity, young scholars taste different samples of lemonade - rate them and then determine the molarity of sugar and citric acid in the lemonade.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Discovering What Plants Need for Photosynthesis
This activity will be used prior to any direct instruction for photosynthesis. In this inquiry lab, students design and conduct simple experiments using elodea and Bromthymol blue to determine whether plants consume or release carbon...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: From Seeds to Plants
In this primary unit on plants, students use observational skills to compare and discuss the changes in plants. They identify plant parts, where seeds come from, and how they grow.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Drawing Atoms
This activity serves as an introduction to chemistry, and can be used to help students draw a two dimensional image of the atom.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Macroinvertebrates and Indicators of Water Quality
During this field activity, learners will examine different aquatic habitats, collect and identify macroinvertebrates from each and use an index to determine water quality. They will also be able to explain the meaning of tolerant and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Snails: Population Calculation in an Aquatic Environment
A 3-day field investigation where students visit an aquatic area and collect snails. These are examined, the species identified, and the body parts and characteristics studied and recorded. Then the snails are returned to their homes....
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Rainbow Milk
This activity is designed for students to learn that primary colors mixed together make secondary colors. They will also experiment with how fat and soap molecules repel each other in water.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Bubbling Blobs
In this chemistry lab, students investigate how oil and water don't mix. They will work on their observation skills and their ability to follow directions to ensure they get the correct results. Students can then develop a new, testable...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: How Enzymes Work
For this biology lab, students use pineapple juice as an enzyme, and jello as a substrate to illustrate an enzyme/substrate complex.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Inertia
In this investigation, students will perform a simple ordering activity and demonstration to determine what inertia is and recognize how inertia affects objects. They will compare and contrast the masses of objects to predict the...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Ecosystems:determining Feeding Relationships Among Organisms
In this lab, students will complete a field study about feeding relationships between organisms and present their findings in a food web as well as in a written narrative.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Chemical Changes and Healthy Bodies All From Snot!
In this demonstration, learners observe the properties of "snot"; determine any changes within the "snot"; record and discuss their findings. This demonstration is done within a unit on the respiratory system. It leads to lively...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Observing Stabilizing and Directional Selection
In this biology lab students will compare two sample populations of sunflower seeds. Comparison of the two populations will be done through the generation of a histogram for each population. One population will be black oil sunflower...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Differentiated Tiering Food Web and Chains Activity
Two differentiated tasks about food chains and webs. In the more challenging task, students construct a food web to show the relationship of the animals and plants in a given environment. In the lower level task, students create a food...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Schoolyard Bio Blitz
For this activity, students visit a small section of the schoolyard and record observations in a scientific journal. They will observe different things as the school year progresses, including ecological relationships, human impact on...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigate Effects of an Oil Spill
This lab is designed so that students will understand the effects of oil spills on plants, animals, and the environment and investigate clean up methods through a simulated oil spill. They will understand the risks associated with...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Air Is Matter
It's difficult at times for younger students to realize that air has mass. Matter is something that has volume (takes up space) and has mass (*can be weighed). Air does take up space, even if we can't see it, and air has weight, even if...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Ecology/geography Classification
This outdoor lesson helps students better understand ecological and geographical classifications by teaching it simultaneously in science and geography class. Presenting the two classifications together will help reinforce the idea of...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Do Water Molecules Have Space Between Them?
For this chemistry lab, students investigate whether water molecules have any space between them by filling a glass with water, and adding salt without the water overflowing. They will also experiment with the temperature of the water.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Polymers: Comparing Two Liquid Glue Based Polymers
For this experiment, students will work in small groups to create two different polymers, similar to Flubber and Silly Putty, using Elmer's glue, liquid laundry starch, and Borax. They will then compare the properties of the two...