Curated OER
How Atoms Work
Students explore the concept of atoms and how they combine to form molecules and compounds. In pairs, they read an article on how atoms work and discuss the main points. They draw atoms and write a paragraph about their elements.
Curated OER
Matter: Atoms and Molecules
Students investigate how information about the atom has been determined. In this atomic structure lesson, students draw what they think an atom looks like. They conduct Internet research about the types of atomic models and how...
Curated OER
Elements And Atoms
Students investigate the concept of elements and atoms. They conduct research using a variety of resources and use the information in order to create a class presentation. The lesson includes specific dialogue and steps for the teacher...
Curated OER
Atomic Models
Students explain scientists' ideas about the structure of the atom over the last century. They develop a pictorial history of the changing ideas about the atom and write a caption describing the scientific thinking behind the model.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
List of Chemicals in Space
What is space made of? It turns out that there are many compounds found in space! The 10th lesson of a science series provides a list of the compounds found in space and asks young scholars to research the characteristics of these...
Curated OER
What's Matter?
Students explore many of the basic properties of matter including atoms, ions, elements, molecules, and density. The class explores an interactive flash-animated Web site to answer questions and clarify misconceptions they might have had...
Curated OER
The Elements
Students watch video, The Elements, research information about elements using both the Internet and CD-ROM program, and create atoms out of gumdrops and licorice.
Curated OER
Matter: Build a Word
Fourth graders examine matter and the periodic table of elements. In this matter lesson, 4th graders discuss atoms and their composition. Students explore the periodic table of elements and use it to spell words out of the elements.
Curated OER
Chemical Formulas
Learners examine the structure of molecules, their formula, and percentage composition of each element in the compound. They construct an organic compound with different functional groups using a modeling kit, and draw a 3-D structure...
Curated OER
Balancing Chemical Equations
Ninth graders explain how atoms and molecules form different substances during chemical reactions and how these processes require losing, gaining or sharing electrons. They correctly write chemical formulas and show how a balanced...
Curated OER
Molecular Structures or Visualizing Molecules
Learners identify and describe the molecular structure using the terms of Valance Shell Electron Pair Repulsion. Students predict simply molecular structure in various forms, as well as predict bond structure between atoms of a molecule....
Curated OER
Succession in the Classroom
Students investigate their environment by growing plants in class. In this botany activity, students discuss the lifespan of plants and animals and how they must be cared for continuously over time. Students grow a plant in...
Columbus City Schools
What’s Up with Matter?
Take a "conservative" approach to planning your next unit on mass and matter! What better way to answer "But where did the gas go?" than with a lab designed to promote good report writing, research skills, and detailed observation....
Curated OER
Matter and Energy
Students explore energy by completing a science worksheet in class. In this principles of matter lesson, students define the vocabulary terms force, gravity, nuclear, and electromagnetic before reading assigned text about energy....
Curated OER
Physical Changes to Matter
Pupils explore matter by conducting an in-class experiment. They experiment with water's various forms by melting and freezing water, identifying its new shape. These observations are recorded to supplement later discussion. They also...
Curated OER
Heat and Matter
Students explore liquids and solids by conducting in class experiments. In this matter lesson, students define the properties of matter and how heat can change those properties. Students experiment with heating objects such as butter and...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle/States of Matter
High schoolers engage in a lesson that is concerned with the water cycle and different states of matter. They conduct research using a variety of resources in preparation for taking a quiz. Then students take the quiz in correlation to...
Curated OER
Carbon: Structure Matters
Young scholars read the Who We Are Section on Calfee Designs Webpage and discuss carbon usage. They work in pairs to look up the minerals diamond and graphite then create a chart on the properties of each mineral then compare how they...
Curated OER
Water Chemistry
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of water chemistry. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students also consider an experiment to observe how water has the abiility to exist as three different...
Curated OER
Jupiter's "Monstrous" Magnetosphere
Students explore Jupiter's magnetosphere. In this Jupiter lesson, students examine a diagram of the magnetic field that surrounds Jupiter.
Curated OER
Foucault's Pendulum
Students investigate how the motion of the Foucault pendulum proves that the Earth is rotating. They research the Internet about pendulums and conduct an experiment online. They view a multimedia presentation about pendulums and read...
Curated OER
When Things Start Heating Up
Students develop a clearer understanding of how and why heat is produced from things that give off light, from machines, or when one thing is rubbed against another.
Curated OER
Go To The Head of the Cloud
Students pretend they are water droplets traveling through the water cycle. Using their text, they discover the steps in the cycle and the different paths water can take. They write a report about their journey through the water cycle...
Curated OER
Static Electricity 4: Static Electricity and Lightning
Middle schoolers explain concepts related to static electricity, based on a single example: lightning.