Curated OER
Why Is It Hotter At the Equator?
Students investigate the different heating effects of sunlight. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the way sunlight strikes the equator, the poles and other parts of the globe.
Curated OER
The Electric Hookup
Middle schoolers determine the wattage of appliances found in the home. They identify ways to conserve energy and calculate the number of kilowatt-hours that appliances use. They also discover the costs per kilowatt-hour for the appliances.
Curated OER
Inspiring Change At Home and At School
Students explore energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. They conduct a home energy audit, a transportation campaign, and an investigation in the school. Students develop a plan to conserve energy and reduce emissions.
Curated OER
Heat Transfer
Students examine heat transfer using energy efficient houses. In this heat transfer lesson students calculate the heat that is transferred between a system and its surroundings.
Curated OER
Transference of Energy
Sixth graders create a simple airplane to show energy. In this energy lesson, 6th graders make an airplane from a pencil, thumb tacks, and a plastic lid. They make the propeller spin by pressing on the thumbtacks with a ball point pen.
Curated OER
To Go Solar or Not to Go Solar!
Middle schoolers imagine that they are on a panel to consider if a solar energy system would be advantageous to a new school as it is being built. They read the included handout and then each play a role as a participant in a community...
Curated OER
Off the Grid
Students examine the advantages and disadvantages of renewable and non renewable energy sources. In this engineering lesson students explain what it means for a house to be "off the grid".
Curated OER
Things That Glow
Third graders study the concept of light as an energy source. In this energy lesson students participate in a lab that show them the concept of light as an energy source.
Curated OER
Grass as Biomass
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....
Curated OER
Solar Car Races: Build and retrofit for speed
If you have solar car kits for your junior high schoolers, they can experiment with photovoltaic cell angle, light intensity, and aerodynamic design to discover what makes their car move more quickly. This is a classic activity to use...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How Can Work Be Done with Water Power? Activity A
Environmentally friendly engineering teams construct a water wheel and experiment with its speed and the resulting amount of weight it can lift. Consider following this activity with two more of the same title by the same publisher when...
Anchorage School District
Roller Coaster Project
Emerging engineers work in teams to design pipe insulation roller coasters for marbles that meet specific parameters. They are required to label along the track the areas where kinetic and potential energy are highest and lowest, where...
Curated OER
Power Crisis in California
Students read an online CNNfyi.com article related to the energy crisis in California. They calculate the monthly cost of running household appliances. They develop a list of alternative methods of energy sources.
Curated OER
Double Toss
Students experiment with potential and kinetic energy. They design a device that will toss a ball at least 30 centimeters, catch it and to the ball up again.
Curated OER
Our Amazing, Powerful Sun
Middle schoolers examine where energy comes from and how it can be used. In this solar energy lesson students explore different aspects of the sun.
Curated OER
Ice Cube Experiment
Students explore the rate at which ice melts. In this science lesson plan, students place ice cubes on colored index cards and place them in direct sunlight. Students observe which ice cubes melt fastest and slowest.
Curated OER
An Exploration of Wind Energy and Wind Turbines
How is wind produced and is it a good source for energy production? Get some air moving in your class. Learners take a pre-test, watch a demonstration of how electricity can be generated by wind energy, test different turbine factors for...
Curated OER
Striking a Balance
Students participate in an activity that demonstrates the principles and dynamics of food chains. They discover that the sun's energy is captured by individual plants and transferred to animals.
Curated OER
Kinetics
In this kinetics worksheet, students review activation energy, rate of reaction, and reaction mechanisms. This worksheet has 13 multiple choice questions.
Curated OER
Heat Problems
In this heat worksheet, students calculate the heat energy required to raise the temperature of a liquid based on its specific heat. Students calculate specific heat. This worksheet has 7 problems to solve.
Curated OER
Nuclear Reactions: Fission and Fusion
These nicely designed slides work through the processes of nucelar fission and fusion with very clear, labeled diagrams that almost act as animations when you progress from slide to slide. Facts behind the process are summarized well....
APlusPhysics
Generate an Argument: Indian Point Nuclear Plant
Small groups in your physics class collaborate on researching and forming an opinion on whether or not to continue operating the Indian Point nuclear power plant in New York. Once the information is gathered and an argument developed,...
Curated OER
Electromagnetic Spectrum Worksheet
These six multiple-choice questions ask pupils to evaluate the energy, wavelength, and frequency of particular electromagnetic wavelengths. Further questions then require them to apply their knowledge and convert certain values or give...
Curated OER
Thinking about Energy
Young scholars examine their understandings about energy concepts by completing an online survey. Students participate in a class discussion about their uses of resources and the differences between perpetual, renewable, and...