Students examine the definitions and characteristics of plasma. After reading an article, they analyze new technologies to study plasma. In groups, they create a poster on how the different types of plasma work and write letters to their...

Fourth graders explore changes in water forms. In this water cycle instructional activity, 4th graders build a water cycle model and monitor it for 2 weeks in order to understand that water changes state as it moves through the cycle.

Fourth graders complete three activities. For this water supply lesson, 4th graders learn that water can exist in different forms and watch a demonstration of each form. Students explore the water cycle and make a water cycle using the...

As part of a unit investigating the dissolving of M&Ms® candy coating, this lesson examines whether or not the different colors combine. There are no new concepts revealed in this particular lesson, but learners will see that the...

Learners research volcanoes, storms, atmospheric conditions, etc., find information and collect facts, create a simulation of a science news broadcast, watch a video clip of an avalanche, and create an artistic rendering of one naturally...

Students explore visosity of matter. They run tests of various liquid substances to observe and compare rates of flow of different substances. In addition, they relate viscosity to distance travelled by sample substances.

Students investigate the art and science of pyrotechnics.  In this chemistry and computer lesson, students learn about the chemical basis of fire and structure of fireworks.  Students then apply their knowledge in...

High schoolers explore how all matter is made up of atoms and how they have different charges. In this current lesson students complete several word problems and see how the rate of flow of electric charges works.

Fifth graders examine polymers and how they are formed.  In this chemistry lesson students complete their own polymer experiment then discuss what they learned. 

Learners explore the Law of Conservation of Matter using effervescent tablets.  In this mass and energy lesson, students investigate how mass is conserved in the reaction of effervescent tablets and water. They will discuss and...

High schoolers will identify the factors that contribute to erosion and weathering. They will start by differentiating between chemical and mechanical weathering. They then apply what they learned by playing the online jeopardy game. Key...

Students, in groups, use given materials to devise a way to deposit a ping-pong ball into a paper cup that is located in the middle of a 6-foot diameter circle, while standing outside the circle.

Fourth graders understand the benefits of recycling. In this recycling literacy lesson, 4th graders read an article and identify the main idea. Students understand the process of transfer to the landfill and discuss how recycling helps...

Youngsters develop an understanding of how smog is produced, and how exhaust from automobiles is one of the major sources of smog. They explore the roles that engineers play in developing technologies that reduce smog, then work in teams...

Though the walrus spends roughly one third of its time on land, it eats organisms that live on the bottom of the ocean. The first in a series of five, the lesson uses a variety of plant and animal cards to have scholars build an arctic...

The sun sends the earth 35,000 times the amount of energy required by all of us on the entire planet, every day. The fourth lesson in the 10-part series looks at how light energy from the sun transfers into thermal energy. Scholars build...

A multi-part lesson opens with a review of p waves and s waves. Then scholars use a simple s wave simulator to view the way the wave travels. Next, pupils use cups and various fluids to simulate p waves moving through different...

The amount of energy Americans use doubles every 20 years. The first activity in a 10-part series teaches scholars about different forms of energy. They rotate through five stations with hands-on activities or experiments at each in...

In this coal formation worksheet, learners read and informational sheet about coal formation. Students are given 5 short-answer questions regarding what they've read.

Many types of cancer treatments now depend on nanotechnology—a big "little" discovery. Scholars begin by removing "malignant" tissue from simulated brains, one using fluorescent markers thanks to nanotechnology and one without. This...

Using spectroscopes, high school astronomy, physics, or chemistry learners observe emission spectra from several different sources. This stellar NASA-produced lesson plan provides terrific teacher's notes and a student handout. Make sure...

Pair earth scientists up to use an amazing online arctic portal mapping tool and Google Earth to analyze permafrost changes. They compare changes to data on atmospheric concentrations of methane to see if there is a correlation. Then...

First, young chemists practice polymer identification by density and flame tests. With the data collected, they propose a method of separating polyethylene from other plastics and determine what property makes it desirable for recycling....

Students use pieces of farm pictures to investigate the elements of art.  In this farm art lesson, students use pieces of pictures to create an original artwork. Students use the Internet to find images.  Students create a...