Curated OER
Apply Scientific Inquiry and Scientific Habits of Mind
Students review the components of the scientific inquiry method. In groups, they develop hypothesis on the issue given to them by their teacher and inquiry questions. They state the data in terms of qualitative and quantitative data. ...
Curated OER
Bubble and Boyle
Middle-schoolers still enjoy playing with bubbles! In this series of eight laboratory activities, science learners explore convex and concave surfaces, angles, gas laws, buoyancy, density and more!
Berkshire Museum
Adopt a Schoolyard Tree
Help young scientists connect with nature and learn about trees with a fun life science lesson plan. Heading out into the school yard, children choose a tree to adopt, taking measurements, writing descriptions, and drawing sketches of it...
Las Cumbres Observatory
Measuring the Age of the Universe
Just when is the universe's birthdate? Pupils use previously collected spectra data to find the redshift and radial velocity of supernovas. They then calculate the distance before finally creating a Hubble diagram. Finally, individuals...
Cornell University
Splitting Water with Electricity
Explore how electricity splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Learners begin by calculating the voltage necessary to separate the water. They then perform the experiment and measure the ratio of hydrogen and oxygen bubbles.
Curated OER
Traveling at the Speed of Sound
Students discuss sound and how it's measured, and through experimentation and implementation of the scientific method, they determine the speed of sound.
Curated OER
Chew on This
Eighth graders explore and demonstrate the seven steps of the scientific method. They predict how much sugar is in chewing gum and test, analyze, and calculate the sugar content of gum.
Curated OER
Comparing the Density of Iron
Students use scientific measuring tools to collect and use scientific data. They determine the density of four different objects by using their data to explain why objects have similar/different densities even though they are both made...
Curated OER
Cookie Caper
Students determine the best chocolate chip cookie. In this comparison investigation, students create a quantitative scientific study to determine the best chocolate chip cookie using the steps of the scientific method.
Curated OER
Oodles of Poodles
Young scholars solve equations by graphing. In this algebra lesson, students differentiate between functions and relations. They use the TI to graph their equation and analyze the graph.
Curated OER
A Heated Discussion
Students compare the colloquial definition of temperature with the scientific definition. They, in groups, then explore the changes of water under different temperatures and calculate and compare their findings on three different...
Curated OER
Projectile Motion
High schoolers observe projectile motion and calculate the speed of a baseball based on the time and distance traveled. They record the time, measure the distance, and draw the path of the ball's travel on a data table.
Curated OER
Life Means Water Environment
Students investigate pH levels in bodies of water and experiment with acid/base reactions. In this water and pH lesson plan, students observe changes in pH levels of a sample solution and observe a Bronsted-Lowry reaction. Students...
Curated OER
What is the Nature of Science?
Conduct a survey about the nature of science with your high schoolers. They will record their responses in a table and then discuss the implications of scientific theory. Note: There are activity sheets, and forms included with this lesson.
Curated OER
Bubble and Boyle
Even middle schoolers still enjoy experimenting with bubbles! They execute a series of experiments enabling them to distinguish between convex and concave surfaces, explore the properties of buoyancy, surface tension, and density,...
Curated OER
Fast Fats: A Nutritional Analysis of America's Obsession with Fast Foods
How do you read a nutritional label? Help high schoolers practice reading nutritional labels on foods so they can calculate the calories in different types of foods. They will also examine the effects of fat on the body and the link to...
Curated OER
Genetics
Become familiar with the basic concepts of inheritance. Your junior high students work through mulitple examples of crosses and calculate probabilities of trait occurance. The explain the concept that each parent contributes one half of...
Curated OER
Analyzing Intertidal and Deep Sea Vent Communities
Students study how scientists measure diversity. In this diversity lesson students look at marine communities and look at data to calculate diversity in 3 different ways.
Curated OER
Survival of the Fittest -- Battling Beetles
Students experiment with traits. In this Science lesson, students test the strength of beetles using M&M candies in lieu of the insects. Students use the Hardy-Weinberg Equation to calculate possible offspring traits of further...
Curated OER
Bird Eggs
Students perform an experiment with different types of bird eggs to determine what factors make them strong and able to stay on a cliff without rolling off.
Curated OER
Why Cheerios Don't Sink
Students investigate Archimedes' Principle and show how it relates to density. In this Archimedes' Principle lesson plan, students experiment with a beaker of water, a Styrofoam "boat" and a weight. They predict what will happen when the...
Curated OER
How Tall is that Tree?
Students apply their math skills to develop an accurate estimate of the height of a tall tree. Three different methods are outlined. All grade levels should be able to perform the shadow method and the proportional method.
Curated OER
As a Matter of Fact
Elementary-aged scientists discover that all matter has mass. They are shown the difference between mass and weight, and learn how to calculate mass using the appropriate tools and methods. The scientific method is used while estimating...
Curated OER
Assessing Risks for Inhalation and Ingestion of Pollutants
Learners use a hypothetical scenario to investigate inhalation of an airborne pollutant and ingestion of a waterborne pollutant. They work in pairs, investigating differences in overall exposure to contaminants by calculating inhalation...