Nuffield Foundation
Investigating Transport Systems in a Flowering Plant
Some weddings have flowers in a unique, unnatural color to match the theme. Young scientists take part in this process to learn about the function of the xylem as they observe colored water moving through a flower. Then, they experiment...
Royal Society of Chemistry
A Giant Silver Mirror Experiment
Mirror, mirror, on the wall ... who's the best chemistry teacher of them all? You'll get the vote for certain after your class completes the Silver Mirror experiment! Partnered pupils use Tollen's reagent and glucose to silverplate a...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Albert Sabin and Bioethics: Testing at the Chillicothe Federal Reformatory
Do the ends justify the means? Getting a drug approved in the US is a long and involved process. But at some point out, it involves testing on humans. The ethics of such testing is the focus of a resource that uses Dr. Albert...
American Chemical Society
Temperature and the Rate of a Chemical Reaction
Putting glow sticks in the freezer makes them last longer, but why is that? Lesson focuses on how temperature impacts the rate of a chemical reaction. It begins with a teacher demonstration, then scholars design their own experiments...
Towson University
Mystery of the Crooked Cell
Can your class solve the Mystery of the Crooked Cell? Junior geneticists collaborate to learn about sickle cell anemia in a fascinating lesson plan. The included materials help them to examine the genetic factors behind the disease...
Serendip
How Do We Sense the Flavors of Food?
We taste with our taste buds, so why do flavors change when we have a stuffy nose? Scholars experiment with taste testing while holding their noses and then while smelling. They record their observations in pairs and come together to...
Curated OER
How to Float an Egg
Use the scientific method to experiment with an egg. Your class can examine buoyancy and density by finding how many spoons of salt are needed to float an egg. They can predict, experiment, record data, and analyze results.
Royal Society of Chemistry
Halide Ion Tests
Young chemists love it when colorful solid products appear in a reaction vessel! Scholars discover the products that form during halide ion tests through a hands-on activity. Users go online and apply chemistry knowledge and reasoning...
Teach Engineering
Design a Flying Machine
Wrap up the unit in one final design. Pairs use their knowledge of aviation to design new flying machines and record how their designs take into consideration the forces that act upon airplanes. The pupils determine whether their designs...
Nuffield Foundation
How Much Energy Is There in Food?
People associate calories with food, but what is a calorie? Young scientists measure the number of calories in samples of food to better understand the concept. They test a variety of samples, take measurements, and compare their results...
KOG Ranger Program
How Much do I know?
Camping trips can be so fun with the right safety knowledge. Learners take a short survey of statements about fire safety and erosion in the forest, answering true or false to each one based on their prior knowledge
Curated OER
Genetic Testing
Complete a variety of activities to examine the pros and cons and ethical issues behind genetic testing. Your high school students will role play and examine various scenarios to determine if genetic testing is justified.
Royal Society of Chemistry
A Reversible Reaction of Hydrated Copper (II) Sulfate
How can removing water change the color of a substance? Lab partners remove the water of crystallization from hydrated copper (II) sulfate, record their observations, then rehydrate the solid. The resource is printable and contains ideas...
Nuffield Foundation
Making a Calibration Curve for Starch Concentration
How well can your class concentrate on solutions? Scholars use colorimeter absorption to explore a starch concentration calibration curve. They add iodine to different starch solutions to see how the concentration of the solution changes.
Teach Engineering
Designing a Spectroscopy Mission
In this mind-bending activity, young engineers explore this question of whether or not light actually bends. Using holographic diffraction gratings, groups design and build a spectrograph. The groups then move on research a problem...
Curated OER
Creating Genetic Counselor Pamphlets
The information included here will guide your students to research a particular genetic disorder and then work in groups to create a pamphlet about the disorder from a genetic counselor's point of view.
American Chemical Society
Chemical Reactions and Engineering Design
Construction leads to habitat loss and local wildlife suffers. Scholars must build a reptile egg incubation device that meets many constraints. Various experiments help them discover the chemical reaction needed to reach...
WindWise Education
How Can I Design Better Blades?
Small groups use information they have learned about blade construction to design, build, and test their own concepts. The teams compete in order to determine which design has the best average power output.
DiscoverE
Build a Bridge
Cost overruns are unacceptable—in the real world and in an engaging activity. Groups of pupils get together to build a bridge out of straws, paper cups, and tape. They keep track of costs ($1,000 for each material) and must stay within a...
Curated OER
Listening to Learn: Podcasting as an Assessment Tool
Students use podcasting and iPods to take tests rather than reading. In this podcasting lesson plan, students learn how to use a podcast rather than have a test read to them.
Captain Planet Foundation
Help a Sister Out: Garden Companions
Explore Native American gardening traditions with a lesson on companion planting. Based on the concept that certain crops grow better when planted near other specific crops, kids research the gardening method with background links and by...
American Chemical Society
Look-Alike Liquids
Here is the first of four experiments to differentiate among unknown liquids by their behaviors and properties. Pupils observe how different liquids respond to being placed on plastic and paper, and they take notes about their...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating How We See Colour
Can you eyes be fooled into seeing colors that aren't actually there? Budding scientists view a presentation that addresses this topic. They explore how their eyes interpret color through the retinas and messages sent to the brain. They...
Virginia Department of Education
Genetic Variation and Mutations
Young scientists demonstrate their creativity while completing several activities, to assess genetic variations and mutations. Instructors provide a list of options and scientists choose to write a comic strip, create a book,...