PhET
Beer's Law Lab
Beer's Law can be used to measure the concentration of certain compounds in samples of food. In the concentration simulation, particpants change and measure the concentration of different solutions by manipulating various types of...
PhET
Balancing Chemical Equations
Just like the old saying goes, "What goes in must come out." This simulation allows pupils to balance chemical equations. The introduction gives three examples before scholars switch to game mode, pick their level, and continue to...
Oregon State
Using Paper Chromatography
Through the analysis of paper chromatography to separate ink from the pen found at the crime scene, learners analyze the different stains and through calculations determine the thief.
PBS
Ebola Outbreak
As of April, 2016, more than 28,000 suspected cases of Ebola were recorded in Western Africa with over 11,000 human deaths. Classes discuss the Ebola virus outbreak in 2014 and then groups develop an action plan based on research,...
PHET
Simplified MRI
Cancerous tissues contain more water than normal tissue, which causes the cancerous tissue to resonate longer on the screen and be seen. High school learners can see how MRIs detect tumors in someone's head. Radio transmitters emit their...
PhET
Sugar and Salt Solutions
Ionic bonds form from electrostatic energy, allowing for higher conductivity than those seen in covalent bonds. In the simulation, learners add sugar and salt to water and see the effects on concentration and conductivity of their...
PhET
States of Matter
Water is the only molecule on Earth that can naturally exist in all three states of matter. The interactive simulation shows different molecules changing states of matter with the addition or removal of heat. Learners then see how...
PhET
Reactants, Products and Leftovers
Did you know when you mix the reactants sulfur, tungsten, and silver, you get the products SWAg? The simulation begins with making sandwiches, to show pupils reactants and products of something familiar. They then can make water,...
PhET
Radioactive Dating Game
Uranium 235 has a half-life of over 700 million years and is the fuel used in the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. Pupils see the half-lives and decay rates of Carbon-14 and Uranium-238. They also take measurements of these two...
PhET
Molecule Shapes
The shape of a molecule is determined by the arrangement of atoms around the central atom and lone pairs of electrons. Scholars build models of molecules using single, double, and triple bonds. They can then see real molecules bond...
PhET
Isotopes and Atomic Mass
Some isotopes are unstable, or radioactive, meaning they will decay over time and turn into another isotope or stable element. In the interactive simulation, participants manipulate elements to create isotopes and gather information....
PhET
Molecule Shapes: Basics
In molecules, bonds rotate about the nucleus due to the repulsion of subatomic particles. In a simulation, learners manipulate the bonds of a molecule to meet the atoms' needs. They can then see the specific molecular shapes of five...
PhET
Build a Molecule
How many different molecules can you build? In a simulation, learners make molecules from given atoms. There are numerous collections from which to build three to five molecules from given kits of atoms. Scholars can also view their...
PhET
Acid-Base Solutions
Learners, through watching a simulation, can manipulate various characteristics of different solutions focusing on acid-base solutions where pH, strength of solution, and concentration may be changed. Views may be at the molecular level,...
NOAA
Methane Hydrates – What's the Big Deal?
Have you ever tried to light ice on fire? With methane hydrate, you can do exactly that. The ice forms with methane inside so it looks like ice, but is able to burn. The lesson uses group research and a hands-on activity to help scholars...
National Energy Education Development Project
Introduction to Wind Energy
The U.S. produced enough wind energy in 2015 to power all of the homes in Alaska, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and...
Rochester Institute of Technology
Chemical Reactions and Electricity
After a discussion of chemical reactions and electricity, scholars break into groups and follow a scripted activity to discover if fruit can power a clock. After a concluding discussion, the class a presented with a challenge.
Rochester Institute of Technology
Solar Energy
Warm up to the idea of solar energy. A instructional activity includes three activities that challenge scholars to apply knowledge in new ways. First, they learn to run an alarm clock without a battery by using solar energy. Next, they...
American Chemical Society
Energy Foundations
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...
Rochester Institute of Technology
Biomechanical Joint
Discuss mechanical advantage and how the human body moves/works. Learners focus on bioengineering, working together to build a functioning mechanical arm. Additionally, they analyze an air muscle, discussing its appropriate use in humans.
Rochester Institute of Technology
Molecules and Fuel Cell Technology
A fuel cell is where the jailer keeps gas guzzlers. Scholars review chemical reactions, chemical bonds, and chemical structure in order to apply these concepts. Participants construct fuel cell kits, using electrolysis to run the car and...
Teach Engineering
Wizardry and Chemistry
No need to go to Ollivanders to buy a magic wand. In the chemistry lab activity, young magicians mix chemicals to create combustible compounds. By applying these compounds to an iron wire, they create magic wands.
Rochester Institute of Technology
Artificial Lung and Diaphragm
She had a terribly busy day converting oxygen into carbon dioxide; now she just needs a moment to breathe. In the activity, scholars review the function of the respiratory system and discuss bioengineering's role in medicine/health and...
National Park Service
Fire Ecology on the Rim
An engaging unit on wildfires includes three sections, including a background section with eight lessons and five activities, a field experience section with 13 lessons and five activities, and a conclusion section featuring an analysis...