University of Notre Dame
Safe Science Lab Safety Awareness
Prepare young scientists for the ins and outs of lab safety with a thorough list of symbols, icons, and rules about staying safe during experiments. Additionally, the resource provides several assessment pages for kids to reflect on what...
DiscoverE
Aviary Architect
New ReviewGroups of two to four work collaboratively to engineer a birdhouse that will stay cool in the summer heat. Teams examine several different-colored roofs, testing the efficiency of each with a heat lamp. Then, groups sketch their ideas,...
Curated OER
Electricity: Will It Conduct?
Students build conductivity testers and investigate which solids and solutions conduct electricity. Working in groups, they predict which items will conduct electricity and record their answers on worksheets.
Curated OER
Electric Gameboards
Young scholars explore the properties of electricity. In this electricity lesson, students construct an electric game board circuit using their knowledge of a series electrical circuit. Young scholars develop game ideas based on current...
Curated OER
Busy Otters
Students prepare for a trip to an aquarium by identifying otters, their body parts and behaviors as they read "Pup's Supper", do an otter pantomime and make a puppet. After their field trip, they complete a Venn Diagram of Otter behaviors.
Curated OER
Typical Conceptual Questions for Physics I - Waves, Electricity, and Magnetism
This wave and electromagnetism assignment is so thorough, it could be used as a unit exam. The first section of it covers wave concepts. The next section addresses static electricity. There is a section that deals with electric circuits....
Teach Engineering
The Amazing Aerogel
Introducing ... the aerogel. The first of a two-installment series teaches young engineers about the properties and uses of aerogels. A PowerPoint presentation provides information about this unique material to help solidify the concept.
Curated OER
Crafting Models of Efficiency
Learners build and compare models of both an energy inefficient and efficient classroom. In this energy efficiency lesson, students creatively use recycled materials to build two separate classroom models. They factor in concepts such as...
Curated OER
Bringing Climate Change Into the Classroom
Students investigate the greenhouse effect and examine the potential effects of climate change in the Arctic. They construct a mini-greenhouse and test its effect on temperature, analyze historical climate statistics, and conduct an...
Curated OER
Considerations in Heating a Home
Emerging engineers discover how important it is to conserve energy as fossil fuel supplies are being diminished. This is accomplished by working through a handout that explains energy requirements for heating a home during the winter....
Curated OER
Containers
Students investigate the effect of different container materials on heat transfer; draws a conclusion about the best insulator; and applies concept to a new, seemingly quite different problem.
Curated OER
How Does Climate Affect Our Shelter Needs?
Fourth graders investigate how weather influences shelter choices. They explore the concept of insulation and discuss some traditional Native American shelters. They discuss the shelters used by the Okanogan people during the various...
Curated OER
A Hair Raising Experience
Students rotate through various lab stations in groups as they experiment with the concepts of conduction, induction and friction. They use a generator, aluminum pie pans, paper, plastic, styrofoam and other materials to complete their...
Curated OER
Heat Misconceptions
Third graders determine that gloves do not provide heat, but rather, they insulate or hold in any heat that is in their hand. They discuss the different temperatures found in ecosystems around the world. What do animals that live in...
Curated OER
Student Exploration: Circuit Builder
In this circuit builder worksheet, students use the Circuit Builder Gizmo to answer 15 questions and complete charts about different kinds of circuits. Students will need to have access to the online Gizmo to complete the worksheet.
Curated OER
Keeping Warm
Students investigate how different types of objects act as thermal insulators. In this online lesson plan, students hypothesize how particular objects act as insulators and then complete the online activity to determine which materials...
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
"Cereal" Comic Strip
Students discuss how wheat is important to our everyday lives, from food to insulation, focusing on how wheat grains are processed into food items. Students then create a comic strip of the steps of processing grain to demonstrate...
Curated OER
Van der Graaf
Four demonstrations with the Van der Graaf generator are delineated for you to share with your science classes. Instructions, explanations, and safety precautions are included. However, a background explanation of the static electricity...
Curated OER
Blubber Gloves
The ways that animals adapt to their environments is quite remarkable. In this life science lesson, fifth graders take a look at some of the ways that aquatic animals that live in Arctic or Antarctic waters survive. They perform an...
Discovery of Sound in the Sea
How to Build a Hydrophone
The materials and procedures for building a hydrophone, an underwater sound collecting device, are provided in this resource. Have high school oceanographers construct the underwater microphone to pick up sound waves. Then take them out...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Build a Charge Detector
Students examine how electrical force takes place between two objects by building an electroscope. They apply the electroscope to determine an objects' charge intensity and to see what factors influence electric force.
Curated OER
Animal Adaptations to the Cold
Student's explore the concept of animal adaptations. In this animal science lesson, learners create insulated mittens and conduct an investigation with cold water. Students discuss the results and make connections to animals in the wild.
Curated OER
Whale Blubber
Students examine the purpose and characteristics of whale blubber. They work together to complete an experiment to test the fat as an insulator. They discover how humans use materials to protect them from the cold.