Curated OER
Glacier Flow
Students investigate how glaciers flow through valleys. They answer discussion questions, and in small groups create a simulation of a glacier using a plastic shoe box, water, cornstarch, and pebbles, evaluating their results on a...
Curated OER
What Floats Your Boat?
Students discover the Archimedes principle through a buoyancy experiment. They measure the water displacement of a lump a clay which is denser than water then reshape the clay into a bowl which floats but displaces more water.
Curated OER
The Air Up There!
Students create a model of a column of air and discover one of the reasons why low and high pressure systems exist and why low pressure is often associated with bad weather.
Curated OER
The Buoyancy Factor
Students examine why some objects float in water while others sink and the ability of something to float does not depend entirely on its weight. Archimedes' principle is introduced and buoyant force is discussed. Practice calculations...
Curated OER
Physical Properties of Ice
Students explore the different properties of ice. They make predictions and experment with ice. Students discover that ice melts faster under pressure. Students create a flipbook what what happened after each experiment. This lesson...
Curated OER
Glacier Climbing
Students discuss glaciers and the current distribution of glaciers around the Earth. They create simulated glaciers using cornstarch, shoeboxes, water, and pebbles.
Center for Precollegiate Education and Training
Buoyancy Boats
What did the sea say to the boat? Nothing, it just waved. An inquiry-based lesson starts with a simple concept on the Archimedes Principle and challenges pupils to make something out of clay that floats. Then, they design an object out...
Curated OER
Rocket Me into Space
Students engage in a lesson that reinforces rockets as a vehicle that helps us explore outside the Earth's atmosphere by using the principles of Newton's third law of motion. Also, the principles that engineers deal with when building a...
American Museum of Natural History
What is Marine Biology?
A marine environment covers the majority of the earth but is arguably the least understood. Teach young scientists about the characteristics of oceans and ocean species using an interactive online lesson. The in-person or remote learning...
UT Southwestern
Osmosis Demonstration Lab
Even though they were written for upper-level high schoolers or college pupils, the labs herein are possible to use even in middle school. In the activity, kids observe osmosis in both potatoes and elodea plants, then record and graph...
Curated OER
Bottle Rocket Lesson
Students design a rocket that stays on air for the longest period of time. For this physics lesson, students research the function of different rocket components. They test their design and make necessary modifications.
Curated OER
Out Of Sight Air; Weather
Fourth graders conduct an experiment to get them thinking about the invisibility of air, and to prove that air has weight.