California Academy of Science
Be Prepared for an Earthquake
Earthquakes can be frightening and dangerous, but being prepared can make a world of difference. Perform an earthquake simulation during which the class practices how to drop, cover, and hold on as you read a script...
Curated OER
How Big Is That Star?
Aspiring astronomers study stars. They compare stars and explain the relationship between radius, mass, and diameter. By creating a star simulation, they discover how a binary star system's orbit can cause changes in the observed...
Kenan Fellows
Isotopic Pennies
Many people confuse atomic mass and atomic numbers. The sixth of seven lessons in a unit requires scholars to find the weight of different groups of pennies. Then, they must solve how many of each type of penny exists in a closed system...
media.yurisnight.net
Science Lesson Plan: Our Solar System: I Wonder?
Ever wonder why Pluto isn't considered a planet? Or how large the Earth is compared to the other inner planets? Explore the universe with a series of projects that simulate different aspects of our solar system. The activities require...
NASA
Lights on the International Space Station
Groups explore illumination with NASA's Lighting Environment Test Facility (LETF) as a context. Using the TI-Nspire app, groups determine the lux equation that models their simulation. They then use the lux equation to...
Curated OER
Questioning NASA
Space science and math collide in this inquiry that investigates launching times for antacid-tablet rockets! Upper elementary or middle school learners collect data as they launch these mini rockets. They apply concepts of place value...
Cornell University
Math Is Malleable?
Learn about polymers while playing with shrinky dinks. Young scholars create a shrinky dink design, bake it, and then record the area, volume, and thickness over time. They model the data using a graph and highlight the key features of...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Climate Change Around the World
Look at climate change around the world using graphical representations and a hands-on learning simulation specified to particular cities around the world. Using an interactive website, young scientists follow the provided...
Curated OER
Shake, Rattle, and Roll
Young scholars make an earthquake simulator and test their structure to see if it lasts through the earthquake. In this earthquake lesson plan, students make a structure and test and record the results from an earthquake simulator made...
Curated OER
Range, Mean, Median, Mode
Students research the impact of craters. In this range, mean, median and mode lesson plan, students complete an experiment with a marble to simulate the effects of a crater. Students collect and analyze data finding the range, mean,...
Curated OER
Earth's Age: The Dating Game
Students conduct a simulation to determine radioactive decay and half-life. Using pennies, dice or sugar cubes as isotopes placed in shoe boxes simulating rocks, they hold five trials representing 1000 years each to find the theoretical...
Curated OER
Aqua-Thrusters!
Students construct their own rocket-powered boat called an "aqua-thruster." These aqua-thrusters will be made from a film canister and will use carbon dioxide gas - produced from a chemical reaction between an antacid tablet and water -...
Curated OER
Flight Dreams - Flight Factors
Students investigate the physics of flight by experimenting in class. In this history of flight lesson, students define terms such as gravity, lift, and drag in order to better understand how a plane is able to stay in the air....
Curated OER
Archaeology: Digging in the Classroom
Students explore how an archaeologist works and makes discoveries. In this archaeology lesson, students participate in a simulation in which they excavate broken pottery. Students use measurement, geometry, and observation skills during...
Cornell University
Magnetic Mad Libs
Examine the science behind computer communication. After defining the properties of magnets, learners simulate how a computer hard drive works by sending each other binary codes using the magnets. They use these communications to...
National Wildlife Federation
Massive Migrations
Turn your students into flocks of migratory birds for this fun lesson plan on animal migration. Prior to the activity, the teacher creates four different migration routes in the classroom or any available open space,...
Curated OER
Where's the Water? Stream Side Science
After a whole-class discussion of water reservoirs, ten liters of water are given to each lab group to represent Earth's total amount of water. They divide the water into smaller containers, each representing one of those reservoirs. The...
NASA
Lava Layering
Take the old baking soda and vinegar volcano to the next level by using it to study repeated lava flows over time, examine geologic features on Earth and Mars, and speculate about some of the formations on Mars.
Intel
What Does This Graph Tell You?
Students choose natural phenomena to research. They design and conduct experiments or simulations. Students predict, gather, and analyze data. They graph the results using a spreadsheet software.
Curated OER
Boyle's Law
Students create a piston/cylinder assembly using SolidWorks. In this technology lesson, students calculate volume, pressure and Boyle's law constant. They simulate equalizing air pressure by moving the piston out of the cylinder.
Curated OER
Trouble in the Troposphere
Young scholars Use data sets from MY NASA DATA to produce graphs comparing monthly and yearly ozone averages of several U.S. cities. They analyze and evaluate the data and predict trends based on the data. In addition, they discuss and...
Curated OER
Coral Reefs: Gardens Under the Sea
Students discover the wonders of coral reefs while listening to a book about them. In a Reading Rainbow video activity, they simulate a dive, check equipment and explore a reef. Role-playing as marine biologists, students uncover...
Curated OER
Lift Equation Problem Set
Students, after reading an explanation from a NASA Web-based textbook, demonstrate an understanding of the text by using it, along with FoilSim, to complete an activity to graph and interpret the lift equation.
Curated OER
Wing Area Effects Problem Set
High schoolers read an explanation from a NASA Web-based textbook on lift and an explanation on the FoilSim software package given below. They use FoilSim to evaluate the relationship between wing area and lift.