Curated OER
What Contains Carbon?
Students explore elements by analyzing everyday objects and materials in class. In this carbon lesson, students define several vocabulary terms such as carbon dioxide, hydrocarbon, and carbonate. Students view a group of items,...
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Solid, Liquid, and Gas
Delve into the differences among solids, liquids, and gases with this PowerPoint. It is both applicable and attractive. Large, colorful diagrams display the molecular arrangement of each state of matter and their properties are arranged...
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Easy Tie Die
Perfect for summer camp, an after school program, or your classroom, these instructions will make tie-dying a breeze! Simple instructions and helpful images make tie dying a fun and easy project. Tip: Have learners predict the outcome of...
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The Mighty Elements: Using the Visual Thesaurus to Investigate Chemical Elements
Pupils create trading cards for elements in the Periodic Table. Initially, they are introduced to the Periodic Table of Elements and the concept of elements in the world around us. After dividing into groups, learners use the Visual...
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Metric System Basics
Do your learners know that there are different systems to measure length, volume, and weight? Explain metric measuring and its base ten decimal system using this comprehensive set of worksheets! For all three types of measurement,...
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Oobleck
Here is a good activity which aptly describes how to do the classic "Oobleck" lab with your young scientists. Unfortunately, the "Oobleck Investigation Sheet" in the plan doesn't open. However, this is a very clear description about how...
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Dry Ice: Simply Sublime
A fascinating lesson on states of matter is here for your young scientists. Dry ice is used to challenge learners preconceived notions about how solids work. They discover all sorts of interesting facts about states of matter from...
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Atomic Structure
This is a basic presentation that can be used to introduce your budding chemists to the structure of an atom. It gives step-by-step examples of a few atoms, showing their particles as well as their chemical formulas and the associated...
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The Periodic Table Game
First, beginning chemists assemble a large periodic table of elements. Then, they play a game in which they roll dice, move a marker along the elements, and collect pennies according to the number of valence electrons of the element that...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Corals and Chemistry
After demonstrating the use of cabbage juice as a pH indicator, have your class experiment with their own breath, exhaling into the indicator, to show that carbon dioxide is acidic. As learners work, they also watch a video about coral...
BBC
Sorting and Using Materials
First and second graders see that everyday objects are made from a variety of materials. They interact with objects such as keys, plastic spoons, a wooden ruler, a towel, and a plastic bag. A discussion ensues which leads them to...
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Colds and Germs
Learners determine how diseases are spread from one person to another. They investigate the importance of hand washing to reduce the spread of common colds and other diseases. They listen to teacher read alouds and complete an inquiry...
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Acid (and Base) Rainbows
Students are introduced to the differences between acids and bases and how to use indicators, such as pH paper and red cabbage juice, to distinguish between them. They make predictions that can be answered through scientific...
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Ice Cream
Open this instructional activity by giving a brief history of ice cream. Using liquid nitrogen to lower the temperature, preteens make their own confection. The accompanying activity sheet queries learners about freezing point, the...
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Picture Yourself in an Ornament
Learners create an ornament with their photo inside of it. To create the personal memento, students observe demonstrations and follow directions. Learners experience making a craft and giving the memento to a family member.
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Ink
Here is an interesting lesson that has learners make ink from two common food items. First, they make ink from beets, then they make ink from onions. The recipes necessary for each are present in the plan. The special thing about the ink...
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Ice Cream in a Bag
Here is a good version of this classic chemistry activity. Learners are given a simple recipe for how to make home-made ice cream by putting all of the ingredients into a ziploc bag. Before doing the activity, I would recommend having a...
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What's Cooking?
Students investigate solar energy by making sun tea. For this ecology and solar energy lesson, students prepare traditional tea and "sun" tea, then record and graph data comparing color, clarity, smell and taste.
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Grass as Biomass
Young scholars explore energy properties by listening to a sustainability lecture in class. In this biomass lesson, students identify what biomass is, how it can be transformed into a usable energy and how it complements the energy...
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Lipstick Chromatography/Ink Chromatography
Junior crime scene investigators are instructed in two different chromatography exercises. For female suspects, they separate and compare lipstick pigments. For male suspects, they separate and compare ink samples. A data sheet is...
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Identifying Matter by Sound and Feel
In this identifying matter by sound and feel worksheet, learners participate in an experiment to identify a wide variety of different types of matter in film containers supplied by each student.
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Fossil Fuels: Facing the Issues
Students explore energy by researching fuel usage on Earth. In this fossil fuel lesson, students define fossil fuels, the energy created by burning them, and the impact on the environment when using them. Students conduct pollution...
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Selected Elements
This collection consists of a slide on each of the following unrelated, but fascinating elements: einsteinium, curium, radium, radon, nobelium, seaborgium, silicon, magnesium, and postassium. You will not find detailed information on the...
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When the Fly Flew In by Lisa Westberg Peters
The students will listen to the story When the Fly Flew In, and be able to identify the main idea of the story and many of the (supporting) details. Students will also develop an appreciation for the humor and illustrations. After...