Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: The Physics and Engineering of a Trebuchet
In this simple machines lab learners investigate how the trebuchet works using their prior knowledge of simple machines. Students then build a trebuchet and analyze the physics and engineering that goes into building and launching it.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Monitoring Pollution in a Freshwater Environment
During this research project, students will choose either the direct method or the indirect method to monitor and measure pollution while manipulating one variable. They will develop a research question to work on and present their...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Modeling Valence Electrons
In this activity, students use a map of electron configuration and bingo chips to configure electrons for elements that are given on a problem card. Students will see patterns of elements and their valence electrons in relation to the...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Egg Drop
In this physics lab, students build a container to safely deliver two eggs from the top of the school. Students calculate average velocity, acceleration, momentum, and the amount of force as it hits the ground. If their egg breaks, they...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Balloon Racer Project
This project will motivate students to process and apply Newton's laws of motion to make their vehicle travel as far as possible
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Exploring States of Matter Gases
In this series of chemistry labs, students learn about the three states of matter by observing how molecules contract or expand as they change state.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Flight With Paper Airplanes
Students will experiment with different styles of paper airplanes, create questions to test, and design experiments that will allow them to gather data related to their question. They will record their data, using graphs where...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Macroinvertebrates: How Clean Is Our Lake?
In this outdoor field study, students will collect and identify as many types of macro invertebrates that they find in Lake Bemidji using an identification key. Additionally students will create investigable questions regarding the macro...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Motion: Paths of a Marble
In this activity, children will investigate the paths that marbles take once set into motion and then how to change those paths, noting if and how they change.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Recording the Weather Around Us Using a Science Notebook in Second Grade
In this investigation, students will observe the weather and use weather terminology to document data in a science notebook. They will continue to observe and record their weather data throughout the year, looking for changes due to...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Light & Sound, Light Reflection Relay
For this exploration, students will investigate how light reflects off smooth surfaces, learn about angles of reflection, and apply that knowledge in a relay experiment.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Learning Observation Skills Through Studying Solids, Liquids, and Gases
During this lesson, students will practice observing, question writing, and answer generating based on taking part in experiments. Students will work with different substances to observe changes in liquids, solids, and gases.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Getting the Lightbulb to Light Up
Students construct a simple electrical circuit using wires, batteries, and a lightbulb. From constructing a circuit the students will discover that when energy is produced there is heat.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Chemical Reactions: Was the Blood at the Scene the "Real Mc Coy"?
The activity listed below comes well into the middle of a unit study. Upon studying a "crime scene" and the evidence provided, the students are to take notes, study photos or drawings, look at suspect alibis and statements and then...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Atoms and Molecules
As part of the introduction to the Periodic Table of the Elements, students will be introduced to the idea of atoms, molecules, and chemical reactions.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Egg Experiments
Two experiments where young scholars investigate with uncooked eggs. In the first investigation, they explore how to remove the eggs outer shell while keeping the rest of the egg intact. In the second, students attempt to shrink the egg...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Precipitation: Snow
In this chemistry field/class based activity, students investigate snow and, more specifically, why snowflakes have six sides. Students will individually fossilize a snowflake and observe similarities and differences with other members...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Combustion/pollution
Through observation learners will come to a better understanding of what is required for combustion to occur, and the byproducts that are created by burning various fuels.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Changes in Gas Volume/gas Laws
In this activity students will observe how temperature affects different types of gases. First students will blow up a round balloon. They will need to measure the circumference in centimeters of the fattest part of the balloon. Then...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Does It All Add Up?
In this chemistry classroom lab activity, students use critical thinking to investigate the molecular properties of different liquids: rubbing alcohol and water.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Exploring Molecular Movement: Does Temperature Matter?
In this interactive demonstration, students observe what happens to food coloring when dropped into beakers containing different temperatures of water.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Force and Motion: Gravity and Wind Resistance
Students investigate the effects of force on objects in motion particularly as it relates to gravity and wind resistance by performing a classroom egg-drop activity.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Starch in Foods
This lesson would be used during our nutrition unit when discussing carbohydrates. For this classroom activity students investigate which foods have starch in them by using iodine, as well as investigate the result of iodine and lemon...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Projectile Motion and Gravity
In this lab, students will investigate how gravity affects an object that falls from a state of rest and how it affects an object that is projected outward from the same level at the same time. Students will observe the objects and...