Curated OER
Wind Effects on Model Building: Building Project Overview
Students design their own building according to certain criteria. In this semester long physics lesson, students calculate forces, compression and tension. They present their finished model in class.
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Phases of Matter
Students describe the motion of solids, liquids and gases. In this chemistry lesson, students describe how temperature affect motion of the particles. They determine the physical properties of each phase.
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Animal Life Histories Derived From Morphology
Students learn the mechanisms of natural selection by deducing information from the physical appearance of the animal.
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Mussel Identification Activity
Students identify given species of animals, such as various
mussels, by sets of physical characteristics as they use a key. They also read about mussels on the Illinois River and look at mussel species in the online database. Finally,...
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Up, Up, and Away
Second graders observe the changes that water has when there is a change in a state of matter. In this instructional activity they observe the results of applying heat to water with the end result of conversion to a gas.
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Accelerated Frames of Reference: Inertial Forces
Students examine how when applying the laws of motion to an object in an accelerating frame, using coordinates defined in such frame, one must always add an "inertial force", representing forces caused by the frame's acceleration.
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Creating a Salad Dressing
Learners investigate how the scientific process can be applied to making a new salad dressing recipe.
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Hang Time
Students discuss how all objects fall at the same rate and vertical motion is independent of the horizontal motion. Students apply this information to center of mass activities before solving equations.
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Determining Momentum and Energy Loss of Balls Colliding Against Different Surfaces
Students experiment with the bounce of balls on various surfaces. In this physics instructional activity, students use various surfaces to bounce balls to study the momentum. This hands-on activity with the concepts of elasticity of...
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Principles of Flight: Bernoulli's Lift
Students discover how air pressure effects flight. In this physics lesson, students create two types of airplane wings so they can observe the way air pressure creates lift. Students utilize a printout to create the airplane...
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Balloons: Math with the Montgolfier Balloon
Students discover the history of hot air balloons by watching one ascent. In this physics lesson plan, students utilize a Montgolfier Hot Air Balloon from an earlier lesson plan and record the temperature, rate of ascent and the...
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Staying Up
Students will explain the Archimedes's Principle. In this lesson on plankton, students will describe three factors that can affect the buoyancy of plankton. This lesson contains extensive background information, extensions, and multiple...
Center of Excellence for Science and Mathematics Education
A Sick Astronaut
Aspiring astronauts graph, interpret, and analyze data. They investigate the relationship between two variables in a problem situation. Using both graphic and symbolic representations they will grasp the concept of line of best fit to...
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Attributes of Renewable Energy: From Nanopossibilities to Solar Power
Students explore solar energy, why we use it and how we use it. In this renewable energy lesson students compare active and solar techniques.
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You Are Here
Middle schoolers determine the relative size and distance of the planets in the solar system. They use ratios in their mathematical calculations to make models of the planets after discussing the relative sizes of the planets. They keep...
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Welcome to Love Canal
Students engage in a variety of activities that address the ethical issues surrounding the Love Canal case study.
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Eggs: A Practical Application
Apply food selection and preparation guidelines related to egg products. National Standard 14.3.3 Identify functions of eggs: binder, thickener, coating, leavening agent, emulsifier Identify egg cooking temperatures, techniques/methods:...
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Floodplain Modeling
Students simulate the impact of fluctuating river volumes on structures and landforms. They experiment with table top-sized riverbed models and water. Students consider how human design can help mitigate the effects of a flood.
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The Solar System: Go Green with the Sun!
Third graders learn how to use solar power. In this sun, technology and energy lesson, 3rd graders learn how the solar power from the sun can give off energy, learn about solar panels, discuss their uses and benefits, and design a...
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The Great MPA Debate
Students study the 'Marine Protected Areas' process. In this ocean instructional activity students work in groups, conduct research and present it to the class.
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Construction Technologies: Construct the Strongest Bridge
Students investigate how engineers use different types of bridges for different places. In small groups they design and construct bridges for three different scenarios, and answer a series of investigating questions applied to the...
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Mixed Media Landscape Design
Seventh graders create mixed media representations of landscape designs in Africa and Asia. The lesson is great for cross-curricular projects with the Social Sciences and/or Literature, or can be used as a self-contained project. ...
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Dead Body Math
Students solve the mystery of dead Mr. Potato Head using physics and algebra. They discuss Newton's Law of cooling as it applies to the mystery scenario involving a cooling baked potato as the "victim". They manipulate algebraic...
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Charles’s Law
High schoolers describe the relationship between temperature and volume. In this chemistry instructional activity, students perform an experiment and record their their results. They use Charles' law to explain their observations.