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...

Just a swingin'! Introduce physical science scholars to the energy forms associated with a pendulum using a simple interactive. Learners adjust the height from which the pendulum starts, then observe changes in potential, kinetic, and...

Use the accompanying presentation and colorful technology sheets to introduce your class to the 10 different energy technologies. Connect kids to an interactive computer tool that allows them to combine different types of power...

Students are "Energy Detectives" working for an engineering firm that does energy evaluations at schools. In teams, they locate energy sources around the school, and record their findings on an Energy Detective Worksheet.

Take young scientists on a trip through the water cycle with this interactive science activity. After setting up a series of ten stations representing the different places water can be found, children use the included printable dice...

Third graders examine plate movements and boundaries with a lab that demonstrates how volcanoes and earthquakes are formed. It presents different types of stresses an object can withstand through a hands-on...

How can organisms light up in water? Bioluminescence is light produced in a chemical reaction that can occur in an organism's body. First, learners determine what happens to light/color as you move into the deep ocean. In groups, they...

Students 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 cycle....

Third graders observe light as a form of energy, that it can be reflected/bounced, refracted/bent and absorbed. They explore how different types of light affect our lives as a whole. Songs are researched that involve light (ex. "You...

Fifth graders research energy sources used in the United States. In this energy sources lesson, 5th graders work in teams to research various energy sources. Students complete a worksheet for the research and make a short video of a...

If the majority of our planet is covered with water, why do we need to bother conserving it? With a thorough and varied investigation into the location and types of water on the earth, learners will gain an understanding of why this...

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...

Students complete a KWL chart describing their knowledge or renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. They examine the Stirling Engine which is an external combustion engine and compare it to a Hero's Engine. They participate in a...

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...

How does examining an ice core tell us about weather? Learners set up and explore fake ice cores made of sugar, salt, and ash to represent historical snowfall and volcanic eruptions. From their setups, scholars determine what caused the...

Learners explore renewable and non-renewable energy sources, discuss how each source was created, and identify and sketch out the cycle of energy for each renewable source.

Young scholars study the concept of food chains and create a physical forest food chain pyramid. In this balance of nature pyramid activity, students identify the ingredients needed on each level of the pyramid then make connections...

Students conduct lab activities, computer visualizations, and other various forms of research in preparation for a role-play activity in which they assume the identities of advisors to various heads of state on the subject of global...

Make sound waves visible with an experiment that asks middle schoolers to build a model ear drum using plastic bottles, rubber bands, plastic wrap, and sand-like substances.

Students compare series and parallel circuits. In this electricity and circuits lesson, students roleplay as a "wire" passing an energy ball to demonstrate how a series circuit works and how the circuit can be broken. Students construct...

Students explore energy by categorizing rocks. In this British Columbia geology lesson, students define many different vocabulary terms associated with mining such as sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. Students utilize sample rock...

Students identify various electrical equipment and safety signs and the importance and dangers associated with each. They use cards of power equipment and create a presentation that includes the name of the power equipment that they...

Tune into C-Span and tape politicians delivering testimony before congress. Class members view these tapes, formulate a rubric for rating the effectiveness of such a speech, and then emulate best practices and include them in their own...

Students examine the phases of the water cycle and water's different forms it can have. They work in groups to create pantomimes to illustrate the water cycle to their classmates.