Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Causes the Seasons?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students conduct experiment to examine how tilt of globe influences warming caused by lighted bulb. They monitor simulated warming of their city by sun in winter and in summer by using light bulb, interpret results, and submit lab report.
Lesson Plan
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Models of the Earth and Moon

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students explore the earth's rotation and phases of the moon. In this planets instructional activity, students rotate and revolve around a light representing the sun. Students use movement and props to simulate what causes the phases of...
Lesson Plan
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Simply Circuitry and Series Circuit

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Young scholars investigate a series circuit. In this physical science lesson, students use a battery, switch, and light bulbs to build an electrical circuit. Young scholars identify the standard symbols being used in electric circuitry.
Worksheet
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Kepler Spies Five New Planets

For Students 9th - 11th
In this discovering new planets worksheet, students read about how the Kepler spacecraft detects new planets by observing the dimming of light emitted by stars as the planets pass in front of them. Students solve 2 problems using a...
Lesson Plan
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Elaine Humphrey, Gwynne Thompson

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders become familiar with the parts of the microscope and how it works.  In this microscope lesson, 2nd graders experiment with different light and settings.  Students answer questions based on their experiment.
Lesson Plan
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How Bright are the Stars?

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students observe the brightness of stars and are introduced to the concept of apparent brightness as a measure of how much light hits a detector of a surface area during a given time. In this star instructional activity, students make...
Lesson Plan
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Art as a Reflection of Society

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students write about their interpretations of "Glow of the City," discuss "Glow of the City" in terms of imagery, symbolism, use of shadows and light, and ways that it reflects life in the late 1920s in New York.
Lesson Plan
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Don't Burn, Baby, Burn!

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider products that provide protection from sunburn and other negative effects of the sun's ultraviolet rays. They develop or improve upon sun-screening products that are meant to provide protection for populations at risk...
Lesson Plan
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One Path

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars discover that charge movement through a circuit depends on the resistance and arrangement of the circuit components. In a hands-on activity, students build and investigate the characteristics of series circuits. In another...
Lesson Plan
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African American Inventors Society

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the inventions of African Americans and how their inventions contributed to the common good. In this African American inventions lesson, students research the inventions of African Americans and reflect on how that...
Lesson Plan
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Do Plants Need Sunlight?

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students investigate why plants need sunlight and what happens if they do not get the light they need.
Lesson Plan
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Completing the Circuit

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students use a battery, wires, small light bulb and a light bulb holder to learn the difference between an open circuit and a closed circuit, and understand that electric current only occurs in a closed circuit. They describe the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Greenhouse Effect: Pop Bottle Experiment

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students explore global warming by conducting a weather experiment. In this greenhouse gas lesson, students define the greenhouse effect and the impact on our ozone layer. Students utilize a soda pop bottle, floodlight bulb, thermometers...
Lesson Plan
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Ecology of the Savanna-Forest Boundaries in Central Brazil

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explore photosynthesis. In this photosynthesis lesson, students label parts of photosynthesis and take notes. Middle schoolers conduct experiments on leaves, make observations and record their findings.
Lesson Plan
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The Path of Electrons

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students engage in an interactive "hot potato" demonstration to gain an appreciation for the flow of electrons through a circuit. They role play the different parts of a simple circuit and send small items representing electrons (paper...
Lesson Plan
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Press-ing Freedom

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider how free speech applies to journalistic practices in light of a legal case involving two reporters. They participate in a fishbowl discussion about journalism codes of ethics and write response papers.
Worksheet
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Basic Logic Gates

For Students Higher Ed
In this physics worksheet, students identify the different types of logic gates shown by the schematic diagram. They write short answers to 12 questions on logic gates.
Lesson Plan
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Ecology of The Sonoran Desert Soil Crusts: Biology, Geology

For Teachers 6th - 11th
This lesson is designed after research done on the ecology of soil lichen in the Tucson Basin area during the summers of 1997 and 1998. Its purpose is to guide students into adopting the problem solving thinking of ecologists. The lesson...
Lesson Plan
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In Living Color

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore, through discussion and experimentation, colorblindness and how the color of the light passing through the eye changes how different colors are perceived.
Lesson Plan
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Ralph Ellison

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students read and analyze the novel, "The Invisible Man," by Ralph Ellison. They participate in class discussions, write an essay, and in small groups create a multimedia essay on a group that they consider socially "invisible."
Lesson Plan
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Plasma 101

For Teachers 6th - 12th
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...
Worksheet
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Surface Area of a Leaf (Grades 7-9)

For Students 7th - 9th
In this math and science worksheet, students read about the process of photosynthesis and plant growth. They determine how a plant's ability to create food is dependent on the surface area of its leaves using geometric calculations. They...
Interactive
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Optoelectronic Devices

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
For this electrical worksheet, students design and build  circuit boards using photovoltaic cells to grasp the understanding of circuit design before answering a series of 10 open-ended questions. This worksheet is printable and...
Worksheet
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Design Project: LED Stroboscope

For Students 11th - Higher Ed
In this physics learning exercise, students design and build an electrical circuit using LED as a light source. They complete 2 short answer questions about their design.