Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigation of Heat Capacity and Specific Heat
A lab experiment where students use different temperatures of water and solids to study specific heat and heat capacity. By applying mathematical equations, students can use their data to calculate specific heat and heat capacity. Lesson...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Speed and Acceleration Using Tornado Tubes
In this activity, students will use a plywood ramp and various tornado tubes (made from tornado tube connectors and 2 liter pop bottles) to calculate the average speed of the tornado tubes. They will set up 4 investigations filling the 2...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Physics Motion Activities for Second Grade
A lesson plan for stations that allow students to explore how a push or pull affects motion.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Outdoor Light Sources and Their Attractibility to Nocturnal Insects
A field investigation where students experiment with whether incandescent, fluorescent, or a no-light situation will attract the most nocturnal insects. Working in teams, students create a hypothesis and procedure to complete this field...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating the Effects of Density and Volume of a Cartesian Diver
In this lesson, students will investigate why the Cartesian diver dives and rises in a 2 liter bottle. They will also, through their own discovery, come up with a question and then change one variable and record their results. Students...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Newton's Third Law Through Film Canister Cannons
In this physics lab (best done outside), learners will explore Newton's Third Law - 'For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction'. Students will fill empty 35-mm film canisters with water and part of an Alka-Seltzer tablet,...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Is It an Insect?
In this activity, students will explore the characteristics of insects by sorting a collection of organisms found in pond water. Students will sort insects from non-insects. Lesson plan includes basic procedure for activity.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Rotational Inertial Using Tops
For this inquiry or guided inquiry (depending on grade level) investigation, young scholars will examine factors affecting rotational inertia. Students will keep a science journal of their investigation.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Launching a Ping Pong Ball With a Dropper Popper
An activity where students demonstrate elastic potential energy and gravitational potential energy by looking at the travel height of a ping pong when dropped vs a ping pong dropped with a "dropper popper".
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Phenology and Weatherguide Calendar
An activity where students observe the grounds around their school to study the plant and animal life cycle. Students will make a map of the school to keep track of their observations. Students will also compare their phenology calendar...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating P H of Common Household Substances
Middle schoolers investigate the pH level of household substances by testing a variety of common compounds. Substances are tested with pH strips and placed on the continuum of the pH scale range of 1 to 14. After testing a solution, the...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Learning About Dimensional Analysis and Stoichiometry
Help your learners learn the skill of dimensional analysis and the importance of mastering that skill. In this activity, students will work on their critical thinking by solving dimensional analysis problems. The lesson is formatted on...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Paper Chromatography: These Colors Do Run
An lab experiment where students see how molecules move by doing paper chromatography. Site includes student handout and teacher presentation.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Oobleck: What State's the Matter
A lab activity where students determine the state of matter of the "oobleck". Students will create a lab procedure to investigate the state of matter. Site includes handouts for the activity.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Layering Liquids
A lab activity to show students how different densities of liquid layer on top of each other by using four different colored liquids that contain different levels of salinity. This activity can also be used in an ocean unit where...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Irregular Shaped Object Lab Test
Students will determine what an unknown substance is by finding mass, volume, displacement, and density of an object. Students will also create a report which will require them to read a graph, interpret data, calculate averages, and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Phenology and the Weatherguide Calendar: An Introduction
A lesson to introduce students to phenology and the Weatherguide calendar. Actvities include stories, journaling, and worksheet completion.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigation of Semiconductors
Using a web quest, simulations, and hands on activity, students will gain a basic understanding of semiconductors, diodes, and photovoltaic cells. In these activities students will learn how electrons migrate in semiconductors and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Trees
In this investigation, learners will record an observation (drawing) of a tree in their science notebook. Following the observation, students will discuss what they observed and a list will be created by the classroom teacher. Based on...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Leaf Walk: Observing and Investigating Leaves
Using trees around school, students will collect and observe leaves so they can compare them in their science notebook.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating What Living Things Need: Space
A lab experiment where students study what living things need to survive. Students will observe plant growth over several weeks.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Is All Ice Created Equal? A Density Lab
A lab experiment that shows students that different molecules melt in different ways. This lab also allows students to practice calculating and finding density, mass, and volume. Lesson plan includes lab handout for students.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Observing,comparing and Classifying Rocks
An activity where students in teams observe and classify different types of rocks.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigation Erosion in Our World
In this lab activity, students will look for evidence of erosion in river or streams. This activity should take place after students have observed erosion in a model.