Curated OER
Creating Coacervates
Students create and observe coacervates. In this origin of life lesson, students create coacervates by mixing carbohydrate and protein solutions. They observe the life-like qualities of the structures and discuss the origin of life.
Curated OER
Principles Of Flight: Wings That Spin
Students discover how flight is possible. In this physics lesson, students investigate the properties of a blimp and gyro-copter, comparing rotating wings and fixed wings of aircraft. Students create their own model aircraft...
PHET
Soda Bottle Magnetometer
Introduce learners to set of complete instructions that describe how to build a magnetometer that works just like the ones professional photographers use to predict auroras. The diagrams are wonderfully descriptive, and the written...
University of Colorado
Terra Bagga
Earth's magnetic poles switch positions about every 200,000—300,000 years. In the activity, groups create a planet with a magnetic field. Once made, they use a magnetometer to determine the orientation of the planet's magnetic field....
University of Colorado
Terra Bagga
One way to identify possible volcanic activity on other planets is by testing the planet for magnetism. A science lesson plan begins with pupils constructing their own planet from a dead battery, magnets, paper, and tape before...
Curated OER
Water Conservation
Open learners' eyes to the challenge of finding safe drinking water – something we often take for granted in our country. The PowerPoint presentation includes images, graphs, diagrams, and even a video to stimulate discussion on how we...
PHET
Iron Filings and Magnetic Field Lines
How do magnetic fields differ? Allow scholars to see the difference between 2-D and 3-D magnetic fields. They construct models of both and observe how they are similar and different. It is the fifth installment of an 18-part unit.
Mr. E. Science
Erosion and Deposition
Get an in-depth look into erosion and deposition with a 23-slide presentation that details how gravity, water, waves, wind, and glaciers cause changes to the Earth's surface. Each slide consists of detailed images equipped with labels,...
Curated OER
Using Magnetotactic Bacteria to Study Natural Selection
Students observe bacteria that are able to orient themselves using the Earth's magnetic field.They comprehend the difference between anaerobic and aerobic organisms. Students can tell the difference of the shape of magnetic force field...
Curated OER
Pangaea Puzzle: Exploring the Tectonic Forces That Shape the Earth
Sixth graders follow in the footsteps of early scientists as they put the pieces of Pangaea back together and discovered the forces that create the variety of landforms and sea-floor features of our Earth.
Curated OER
Co-evolution of Plants and Pollinators
Students explore biological evolution and natural selection and its evolutionary consequences. They also explore how organisms are interdependent on one another.
Curated OER
Our Changing View of the Earth
Students explore the theory of Plate Tectonics. They participate in a simulation in which they re-enact the debate over Plate Tectonics vs. traditional beliefs of stationary continents that were widely accepted during the 1800's and...
Curated OER
Dark Matter In The Universe
Middle schoolers investigate the concept of dark matter and how it occurs in the universe. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students use the information by reading at least two articles about dark matter. They also...
Curated OER
HABITAT for the other 90%
Learners examine the connection between the habitat needs of endemic species to the habitat needs of humans. In this habitat lesson pupils research the habitat requirements of a given family then develop an idea to improve the...
Curated OER
Ocean Currents
Pupils label the names, relative temperature, distribution, and direction of flow of major ocean currents on a world map. They also explore and model the natural forces that affect the movement of ocean currents through demonstrations in...
Curated OER
Using Magnetotactic Bacteria to Study Natural Selection
Students demonstrate that living organisms may possess incredible adaptations which enable them to survive. They observe bacteria that are able to orient themselves using the Earth's magnetic field and formulate a hypothesis as to how...
Curated OER
Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation
Students explore the nature and magnitude of gravitational forces. In this gravitation lesson students study gravity and answer questions.
University of Colorado
Happy Landings: A Splash or a Splat?
Huygens spacecraft landed on Saturn's moon Titan in 2005, making it the farthest landing from Earth ever made by a spacecraft. In this hands-on activity, the 12th installment of 22, groups explore how density affects speed. To do this,...
University of Colorado
Distance = Rate x Time
Every year, the moon moves 3.8 cm farther from Earth. In the 11th part of 22, classes use the distance formula. They determine the distance to the moon based upon given data and then graph Galileo spacecraft data to determine its movement.
Virginia Department of Education
Heat and Thermal Energy Transfer
How does radiation affect our daily lives? Answer that question and others with a lesson that discusses radiation and its use in thermal energy transfer through electromagnetic waves. Pupils investigate vaporization and...
Curated OER
The Environments of Big Sur -- Which Do We Protect?
Students investigate the geological, climatic, and biological features of Big Sur. They watch a video, conduct Internet research, and create a script and images in the form of an outline in a simulation of an environmental group.
Curated OER
A Model of Three Faults
Pupils investigate faults. In this science lesson, students explore the many stresses and strains in the earth's layers and research the types of faults in their state.
Curated OER
Erosion Deposition Review
In this erosion deposition worksheet, students fill in 36 blanks to complete sentences about the formation of soil, the forces of erosion, physical and chemical weathering, sediments and soil deposition.
Curated OER
The New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812: Shaking Our Misconceptions about Earthquakes in United States History
Students Examine how earthquakes work and what plate tectonics and fault lines are. In this earthquake lesson plan students complete an earthquake scavenger hunt.