Captain Planet Foundation
Solar Cooking Race
Study heat transfer with activities that focus on how heat energy works. Using a solar cooker, ice cubes, and heat transfer bracelets, kids experiment and record what they find by keeping ice cubes cold and vegetables hot.
Towson University
Mystery Tubes
How do scientists know they're right? Truth be told, they don't always know. Explore the scientific process using mystery tubes in an insightful activity. Young scientists discover how to approach and solve problems in science, how ideas...
Curated OER
A Black Box Problem: How Do I Hear?
Young scholars assemble a diagram of the hearing pathway using information about its parts and their function, and predict the changes in hearing that might result from specific changes to the pathway.
Baylor College
What Is the Water Cycle?
Small groups place sand and ice in a covered box, place the box in the sunlight, then observe as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation occur. These models serve as miniature water cycles and demonstrations of the three phases of...
Discovery Education
Sonar & Echolocation
A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...
Curated OER
Albedo and Irradiation of Surfaces
Here is a physical science activity where pupils place thermometers inside of a white and a black paper pocket and place them under a lamp. They record and compare the temperature increase over a ten-minute period. Have your class...
Science Matters
Thermal Energy Flow in Materials
The sun sends the earth 35,000 times the amount of energy required by all of us on the entire planet, every day. The fourth instructional activity in the 10-part series looks at how light energy from the sun transfers into thermal...
Curated OER
Count Marsili & the Mediterranean Current
Young scholars integrate history and science while discovering how salinity affects the density of water. After a lecture/demo, students work in groups to complete a lab activity that demonstrates how salinity affects the density of water.
Curated OER
Touch and Feel Box
Students investigate their sense of touch to help become more descriptive with their observations. For this sensory lesson, students reach inside a box to feel an object then guess what it is. Students then use both senses of touch and...
Curated OER
Picture Scramble Puzzle- Puff Adder, African Black Crane, Barbary Sheep
In this picture scramble puzzle worksheet, students arrange the numbers in the lettered boxes to create the image on the left. They see the picture of a puff adder, African black crane, and a Barbary sheep next to the puzzle.
American Chemical Society
Curious Crystals
Crystals are more than meets the eye! Can learners tell them apart simply by observation? As they examine five samples with a magnifier, they find that appearance alone is not enough. This serves as an introduction to a mini unit on...
Curated OER
Picture Scramble: Black-winged Damselfly, Balsam Poplar, Yellowjacket
In this science and visual discrimination worksheet, students examine images of a damselfly, balsam poplar and a yellowjacket. Next to each picture is the same image which has been divided into 9 pieces and scrambled. Students place the...
Curated OER
Energy Efficient Homes
Students observe and gather data from a model simulated home. In this efficiency lesson students examine the factors that influence energy efficiency, complete a lab activity then draw conclusions from their data.
Curated OER
The Scientific Method Using Mystery Powders
Students use the scientific method to determine physical and chemical properties of unknown substances. In this scientific method lesson plan, students discuss chemical and physical properties of substances as a class after a...
Curated OER
Wind Provides Electricity for Homes, Schools
Students complete a KWL chart, then read a news article about the comeback of windmills. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a KWL chart and vocabulary activity, then students read the news report and...
Curated OER
Surgical Resident for a Day
Middle schoolers simulate the job of surgical resident by using surgical instruments to complete a task inside of a black box using a webcam and flashlight. They complete the task and complete a worksheet.
Curated OER
Touch N' Feel Box
Students are encouraged to use senses other than sight to record observations. They explore scientific questioning, observations and human senses (touch, hearing and sight). Students describe objects using their sense of touch and then...
Curated OER
Capturing Light: The Science of Photography
Students create their own cameras to understand how artists use light to capture an image in a photograph. In this light lesson plan, students use tape, wax paper, rubber bands, and more to create their cameras.
Curated OER
The Ghost Particle
Students collect evidence to make inferences about a object hidden inside a sealed box. They think critically and logically to raise questions. Students identify questions that can be answered through investigation. They formulate and...
Curated OER
Day and Night in the Desert
Students illustrate scenes showing day and nighttime activities in the desert. They include plant and animal life including predators and prey.
NASA
Photons in the Radiative Zone: Which Way Is Out? An A-Maz-ing Model
Can you move like a photon? Young scholars use a maze to reproduce the straight line motion of a photon. The second in a six-part series of lessons on the sun has learners measure angle of incidence and refraction to determine the path...
Dick Blick Art Materials
“Gawu” — African-influenced Tapestry
Here's a great way to combine environmental science with art. Kids use recycled materials to create their own Gawu, a tapestry made of discards. Although designed for special education classrooms, the activity is sure to engage all...
Curated OER
Flowera of the Prairie
Young scholars with severe disabilities view pictures of flowers in a scanning box and identify them. Outside, they locate flowers on the school's property, label and care for them. Students use flower pictures to aid identification.
Curated OER
Penguins
Young scholars read books, learn about the letter p, and eat goldfish crackers all to learn about penguins. In this penguins lesson plan, students also color black and white pictures of penguins.