Curated OER
The Heart of the Matter
Upper elementary pupils learn about the blood transportation system and anatomy of the human heart. They fill in an outline of the human heart (not included) focusing on the flow of blood to and from the heart. Using stethoscopes,...
Curated OER
Novel Ideas: History of the American Novel
Explore the history of the American novel in the contexts of literature and US history. How does a novel or piece of writing from a particular time showcase the mood during that historical period? After conducting research and discussing...
Teach Engineering
Understanding Elements
Nothing says organization quite like a table. The third lesson in a six-part Mixtures and Solutions unit teaches young scientists about elements and the periodic table. They learn how the periodic table is organized and about the...
Curated OER
Force and Motion
Learners experiment with force and motion. In this force and motion lesson, students test gravity using a variety of objects. Learners rotate through a series of stations which use force, motion, friction, and inclines. Students predict...
Curated OER
Flag Day
Students describe the symbolism, tradition, honor and power that flags bear and explore the stories of Civil War battle flags.
Curated OER
Inter-State Matters
Learners explore the six phase transitions between gases, liquids and solids for a variety of elements. Each group of students focuses on a different element, investigating its physical properties during each of the six phase transitions.
Curated OER
Science: Solids
Second graders investigate the properties of solids and discover how to classify them. Using rulers, they measure various solids on display. In groups, they play an identification game where one students names a location, such as the...
Curated OER
Sweet Twinkies, Density and Sugar Chomping Yeast: A Look at Physical and Chemical Reactions in the Kitchen
Students investigate matter. For this physical science lesson plan, students will learn about matter, physical states, and reactions. There are a series of four lab activities that will be conducted.
Curated OER
Plasma 101
Students examine the definitions and characteristics of plasma. After reading an article, they analyze new technologies to study plasma. In groups, they create a poster on how the different types of plasma work and write letters to their...
Curated OER
Chemistry is Crystal Clear
Students observe crystals and their shapes and formation. In this crystal formation instructional activity, the teacher prepares crystal gardens for the students to observe, then the class finds examples of crystals in nature and observe...
Curated OER
United States Entry into World War I: A Documentary Chronology of World War I
Eleventh graders reconsider the events leading to U.S. entry into World War I through the lens of archival documents.
Curated OER
Sorting and Using Materials
Students explore materials and their properties. For this matter lesson, students identify objects and describe their properties. Students test and sort materials using an interactive whiteboard, followed by a group discussion of what...
Curated OER
Change the World, One Month at a Time
Students complete monthly acts of kindness using the given instructions. In this acts of kindness instructional activity, students follow the directions for each month to create and give an act of kindness to their classmates or other...
Curated OER
The Physics of Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air
Students study hummingbirds and how they use Newton's law. In this motion lesson students complete several activities and view videos of hummingbirds.
Curated OER
Holocaust Remembrance Week and the Chain of Causation
Here are activities and lessons for examining the "chain of causation" leading up to the Holocaust.
Curated OER
Keep Your Eye On the Prize
High schoolers learn about citizens who were actively involved in the civil rights movement, and the strategies they used to overcome the Jim Crow laws that were so prevalent in the 1960s. They investigate the voting amendments of the US...
Virginia Department of Education
Charles’ Law
Searching for a relatively interesting way to demonstrate Charles' Law? Here is a lesson in which pupils heat air inside a flask and then cool the flask to quickly cool the air. They make observations about what occurs during the...
Personal Genetics Education Project
DNA, Crime and Law Enforcement
Civil rights meets biotechnology in a instructional activity that scrutinizes the collection of DNA of citizens who have been arrested, but not yet convicted of a crime. Real-life cases are examined in which the DNA of a relative was...
Virginia Department of Education
A Crystal Lab
Young chemists grow ionic crystals, metallic crystals, and supersaturated crystals in three different lab experiments. Observing these under a microscope allows pupils to compare the various structures.
Curated OER
Water Chemistry
Learners 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
Water and Ice
Students study the water cycle and states of matter. In this water cycle activity, students observe ice for a period of time and record their observations. Students create a Venn Diagram comparing water in solid form and liquid form....
Curated OER
ZIPPLY Delicious Ice Cream
Second graders explore states of matter when they change a liquid to a solid. Working students make ice cream in a zip-lock bag.
Curated OER
Matter
Fifth graders investigate the nature of matter and of the scientific processes associated with them in this series of lessons.
Curated OER
Discovering Physical Changes
Fourth graders determine what is meant by a physical change, and they demonstrate how they can make physical changes. They complete activities at stations that entail changes in color, size, texture, hardness, or state of matter. Using...