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Light and Optics
Middle schoolers discover the relationship between lens shape and the formation of images in an experiment. They use three different size converging lenses and a diverging lens to calculate and compare the focal length of each. They...
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What is electrical energy?
Students distinguish between items with and without energy. In this energy activity, students understand that natural resources power electrical apparatus and that energy needs to be saved.
Curriculum Corner
Learning Fun with Hershey Bars
Compiled of 18 task cards and five worksheets, young mathemmaticians practice solving fraction word problems and other fraction-based activities with a Hershey Bar. The packet comes with sheets to record and keep track of all of the task...
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Snow Goggles
Middle schoolers assemble snow goggle models and discuss how snow goggles change the amount of light shining in their eyes.
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Energy Transformations
Students investigate energy and energy transformations. They compare the various forms of energy, create the circuit and sketch the connections. In addition, they label the circuit to identify areas where energy transformation is present.
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Electrical Circuits
Students compare series and parallel circuits. In this electricity and circuits instructional activity, students roleplay as a "wire" passing an energy ball to demonstrate how a series circuit works and how the circuit can be broken....
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What Orbital Dynamic Variables are Responsible for Earth's Weather?
Learners explore the changing of the seasons. In this astronomy and seasons lesson, students construct a model of the revolution of the sun and the moon. Learners compare the recorded solstice/equinox orbital positions and explain the...
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Conservation of Energy
In this energy worksheet, students read about the Law of Conservation of Energy and compare the 6 forms of energy. Then students complete 20 matching, 2 short answer, and 6 word problems.
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Appliance Energy Use and Cost
In this energy usage activity, students use a chart comparing the average monthly kilowatt-hour use of different household appliances to complete 4 short answer questions.
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Exothermic vs. Endothermic
The PowerPoint opens with video footage of the decomposition of nitrogen triiodide and then explains it with diagrams. Graphs of exothermic and endothermic reactions are exhibited, as well as one for the effect of a catalyst on reaction...
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Electrical Circuits And Switches
Young scholars design and draw circuits with batteries, small light bulbs and common household conductors. They build and test the circuit then modify it so someone who couldn't use their hands could turn the circuit on and off.
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Greenhouse Effect: Pop Bottle Experiment
Students explore global warming by conducting a weather experiment. In this greenhouse gas lesson, students define the greenhouse effect and the impact on our ozone layer. Students utilize a soda pop bottle, floodlight bulb, thermometers...
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Parts of a Solar Panel-Part I
Students examine electrical contacts, solar cells, and rechargeable batteries and compare and contrast the characteristics of a solar cell to a rechargeable battery in a hands-on activity. Students complete a worksheet as they...
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How Hot Is Hot In Namib?
Students research and demonstrate the temperatures of the Namibian Desert. They watch and discuss a video, conduct an experiment to demonstrate the desert temperatures, record their results in the form of a graph, and compare/contrast...
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Energy Efficiency Ambassadors
Young scholars consider how to cut their energy use. In this physical science lesson, students investigate the connections between energy use and climate changes. Young scholars compute the actual electrical energy consumption of 2 bulbs...
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Energy Efficiency Ambassadors
Students compare two products that provide the same function but require different amounts of energy. In this energy efficiency lesson students research and demonstrate energy efficiency in action and how it applies to different...
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African American Inventors Study
Students learn about African American inventors. In this inventing lesson, students are assigned an African American inventor to research. Students work in pairs to complete their research. Students write a compare and contrast paragraph...
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Colored Shadows
Students explore how different colors are seen through the cone cells in our eyes. In this light lesson students complete a lab activity with light and record their observations.
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Series and Parallel Circuits
Pupils study simple circuits. After a demonstration of parallel and serial circuit designs, students work in teams to predict the difference between two circuit designs. They build examples of two different circuits and test...
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Greenhouse Gas Lab
Pupils compare the ability of a sample of carbon dioxide gas to
absorb thermal energy compared to a sample of air. They build a visual representation of the greenhouse effect to illustrate the heat-absorption of
atmospheric carbon dioxide.
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A Tour in Sustainability
Students explore two LEED certified green buildings. They examine what is the LEED certification process and what constitutes a green building. They tour via the internet two LEED certified green buildings, while comparing and...
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Generate a Calibration Curve for Chlorophyll a
Students measure and graph the absorbance of light by chlorophyll at a specific wavelength versus chlorophyll concentration. They are given an unknown and determine its concentration from their calibration curve. Students become familiar...
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Energy Efficiency Ambassadors
Students research and compare two products that provide the same function but require different amounts of energy to do the job. They examine and demonstrate energy efficiency and discover how it applies to different technologies and...
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Learning Lesson: Moonlight Serenade
Students complete experiments as they act as the earth. They observe how different angles affect the phases of the moon seen by us. They discuss the differences in light and dark.