What characterizes a living thing? Scholars explore the concept during a differentiated instruction unit on living things. They perform lab experiments to determine how animals adapt to stimuli, watch videos and learn about...

Is your class in the dark about photosynthesis? Shed some sunlight on an important biological process with a thoughtful activity. After answering questions to help determine their level of knowledge, learners work with chemical equations...

Scholars relate each of the colors in the spectrum, except indigo, by comparing their frequencies, wavelengths, and energy levels. Then, they compare each section of the electromagnetic spectrum when considering the same three variables.

Car crashes provide a good method for studying kinetic energy transfer. Scholars explore energy through hands-on simulated crashes. They work together to design their own experiments and apply the knowledge gained to a situation that...

As part of a larger series, an informative video introduces the concept of perpetual motion machines and the science proving they don't work. The narrator then shares machines that appear to work and highlights the hidden sources of energy.

Energy has many forms ... but very few sources! How do we present this to young scientists? Explore the Definitions of Energy, PS3A, in a video about the Next Generation Science Standards. The narrator keeps it simple by relating each...

Build a strong foundation for your teaching of stability and change! The video addresses the Next Generation Science Standards Cross-Cutting Concept through insightful examples. The narrator includes ideas for introducing the standard in...

Entropy, often misunderstood yet easily proven through mathematics, caused confusion for many years. A video explains entropy through simple models. It demonstrates the mathematical proof behind the phenomenon.

Why do athletes load up on carbohydrates the evening before a competition? The lesson helps answer this question as it relates the type of food to the amount of energy it contains. After a discussion, scholars perform an experiment to...

Which electricity pioneer made the largest contribution to where we are today? Pupils select a scientist or inventor to research and present to the class. From Celcius in 1701 to Ed Hammer in 1976, many scientists contributed to the...

Schools spend more money on energy than computers and text books combined. Pupils divide into five groups to learn about the energy used by your school. Each group researches a different aspect related to electricity such as appliances,...

Keep calm and half pipe. An exciting simulation teaches pupils about energy transfer from potential to kinetic and thermal as a skater moves through a half pipe or other track. After a brief introduction, scholars can build their own...

Apply the concepts of conservation of energy to a skater to introduce a fun way the concepts apply to real life. Scholars build tracks, ramps, and jumps then analyze the various types of energy and friction. For an added challenge,...

Is the ice cooling down the water or is the water melting the ice? Here is a simulation that explores thermal energy transfer with iron, brick, and water. It demonstrates the flow of energy and what happens when each material is either...

Alia-Seltzer tablets cause a very obvious chemical change, but do they also cause a temperature change? Each class member explores hot/cold packs, discussing how these temperature changes occur. Groups then design and carry out their own...

Only 10 percent of an incandescent bulb's energy is used to create light; the remaining 90 percent is heat. In the unit of activities, young chemists examine energy through hands-on activities, videos, discussions, and readings. Scholars...

Are you a koalafied biologist? The lesson begins with research about human survival and our ecosystem. Then, an online training module simulates the effects of changes to the plants and animals in an ecosystem. Finally, scholars research...

Gummy bears are tasty, but did you know they are also used to determine color and light properties? Use the activity as a way to demonstrate light absorption, light reflection, and refraction with high schooler. Pupils conduct small...

Provide high schoolers with their own indoor gardens! Emerging scientists discuss the process of photosynthesis and germinate seeds before growing plants in multiple lighting conditions. The hands-on application allows pupils to see...

Planning an elementary science unit has never been simpler! These twelve lessons guide young scientists through an exploration of simple machines and their many uses in the real world before asking them to apply their learning in the...

Don't lift another finger, this physical and environmental science unit has everything you need to begin teaching your class about energy. Starting with a look at the greenhouse effect, these lessons and activities take young scientists...

Planning a unit on simple machines? Save some time and energy with this collection of lessons and activities that explores how these devices are used in the real world to make life a little easier. 

Trying to plan a physical science unit on forces and motion? Make your work a little easier with this comprehensive collection of simple machines resources. Offering a wide variety worksheets, activities, and projects, these materials...