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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physical Principles in Living Systems

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders experiment with white light, plane mirrors, and curved mirrors in order to demonstrate the physical principles of living systems. In this physical principles lesson plan, 7th graders take 3 days to discover what happens...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Online Exploration: Telescopes From the Ground Up

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore a web-based illustrated text and interactive graphics to determine the relationship between the operation of telescopes and light. optics. They work in small groups to become an expert on one of the ten eras of telescope...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Communication Methods

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore communications by participating in a science class activity. In this communication technology lesson, students discuss the process of morse code, its history, and the electromagnets used to create the device. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Black Holes Revealed

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Learners explore the concept of black holes through an interactive program. They explore how they form and what materials form them. They can also visit websites in which they can research radio transmission between the Earth and space.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Applied Science - Built Environment Pre Lab (Morse Code)

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students study communication. In this telegraph lesson, students examine Morse code and the composition of an elementary telegraph circuit. They listen to a presentation and try to create Morse Code messages on a worksheet. This lesson...
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Lesson Plan
TryEngineering

Infrared Investigations

For Teachers 2nd - 10th Standards
Students examine how infrared works with everyday items. In this investigative lesson, students examine how we use infrared in household items. They will conduct an experiment to create an infrared remote that works around corners as...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Particle Man and the Photon

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students simulate photon transmission, scattering and absorption. In this physics lesson, students explain why some objects appear bright while others appear dark. They define photon and radiation in their own words.
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Worksheet
Yummy Math

Curiosity Landed on Mars

For Students 5th - 8th Standards
Out of this world math and science are mixed together on a activity that would be a great enrichment activity classrooms that are studying our solar system. The information presented is best suited toward middle school math, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Transmitter Hunt

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students experiment with radio transmitters. In this transmission of waves lesson, students use an FM radio, an attenuate, and the frequency to locate a radio transmitter. Students discuss outcomes. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fiber Optics

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the uses of optical fibers, are exposed to the principles of refraction and total internal reflection, solve problems relating to the design of fiber optic cables, and compare them to copper transmission lines.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Looking Blue

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students participate in a research project that is exclusively using the internet. The author states that traditional labs are hard to conduct for a light lab. This one uses the internet with the intention that students can manipulate...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spectral Surprise

For Teachers K - 8th
Young scholars create spectral colors. In this hands-on science lesson, students examine the electromagnetic spectrum as they follow steps to create a model that separates and displays light.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Frozen Film

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars discover how light reflects off surfaces. In this hands-on demonstration, students examine how variations in color are produced by light interference.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electromagnetic Wave Spectrum

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine electromagnetic wave spectrum. In this science instructional activity, 5th graders discuss the aspects of the electromagnetic wave spectrum and complete a worksheet identifying the parts of the spectrum.
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Characterizing a Solar Cell

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Young classes are sure to get a charge out of this lesson! Learners experiment with circuits of a solar cell. They practice determining current, voltage, and power for the circuit and maximize the voltage and current of the cell.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Get the Picture!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Astronomers practice downloading data from a high-energy satellite and translate the data into colored or shaded pixels. As a hands-on activity, they use pennies to simulate high-energy satellite data and they convert their penny...
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Lesson Plan
Nuffield Foundation

Investigating Factors Affecting the Heart Rate of Daphnia

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed Standards
What variables change heart rate? Young scientists observe the beating heart in Daphnia to understand these variables. They make changes in temperature, chemicals, and other factors as they graph the heart rates. Analysis questions help...
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Lesson Plan
Discovery Education

It's Getting Hot in Here

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Class members engage in a STEM experiment and investigate how materials affect heating in a house by creating models of houses and using different top surface materials. They record the temperature inside the models and consider what the...
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Lesson Plan
Code.org

Sending Bits in the Real World

For Teachers 9th - 12th
A bit optional. How do computers transmit in the real world? Pupils research a device that is used in transmitting bits, then individuals create a poster that presents the information they have learned about their device. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Frozen Film

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students are introduced to the topic of light interference through this hands-on activity. They observe how light reflects off two surfaces and then meets to form an interesting variation of color on a film surface.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Projecting Spectra

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students use two methods to show and study the colors in the visible spectrum.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spectroscope

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine how to apply conservation of energy and properties of matter to a spectroscope.  In this energy lesson students build their own spectroscope and observe three kinds of spectra.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Telegraph System

For Students 10th - 12th
For this telegraph system worksheet, students design a telegraph station and answer 4 questions about the voltage, the resistor values and various modifications made to their design.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build a Tesla Coil

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners explore tesla coil through various experiments. In this physics instructional activity, students build their own tesla coils based on a given procedure. They discuss its real world applications.