Micron Technology Foundation
Early - Weather and Seasons
Young scientists from any region can take a scientific journey and be exposed to weather changes that include rain and snow.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis and Spectroscopy
Certain materials do not always maintain the same physical properties when they exist in the nanoscale. Help your classes to explore this idea through an experimental instructional activity. Scholars use spectroscopy with samples of...
Center for Learning in Action
Gases
Explore the properties of gases through one activity and two investigations in which super scientists observe the changes gas makes when encountering different conditions.
Curated OER
Water, Water Everywhere
Pupils are introduced to the complex issues of water resources around the globe. In groups, they take on the role of a country and map out the location of water sources. They barter, sell or take over other groups to have access to more...
Curated OER
Ice Cream Blizzards
Fourth graders explore whether the making of homemade ice cream is a physical change or a chemical change in a lab experiment. Students identify states of matter, describe the physical properties of states, and collect temperature data...
Curated OER
Mountains of Erosion
Learners study the change in land formations due to water erosion. They work in groups to build a model of a mountain that will be composed of materials that will best withstand water erosion.
Curated OER
The Physical Geography of Southeast Asia
Students access information from the Destination Indonesia Web site to explore the island nation of Indonesia. They answer four questions and then write two full-page journal entries about one or more travel destinations in Indonesia.
Curated OER
The Physical Environment
Fourth graders use damp sand, a baking pan, and water to simulate erosion. In this erosion lesson plan, 4th graders participate in a simulation to show what moving water does to land.
Curated OER
Properties of Matter
Second graders investigate how objects can be described, classified and compared by their composition. They recognize that the same material can exist in different states. Students verify that things can be done to materials to change...
Curated OER
Exploring the Physical and Chemical Properties of Polymers
Students identify the physical and chemical properties and explore the differences. In physical and chemical property lesson students test polymers for the differences between the physical and chemical properties, record their...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students observe what happens to water as it goes from a solid to a liquid. In this exploratory lesson students gain an understanding for the water cycle while working in groups observing what happens to water as it changes...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students examine the relationship between water and ice. In this physics lesson, students read the book Amazing Water and participate in an experiment where they freeze water into ice cubes. Students observe the changes in the water when...
Creative Chemistry
Physical Properties of Group 1 Elements
For this elements worksheet, students complete a graphic organizer by filling in the symbol and atomic number for the given elements. Students plot a graph of melting point against atomic number. Students write the electron arrangements...
Curated OER
Climate Shifts
Eight slides of information related to shifts in the climate make up this presentation. The vocabulary and concepts displayed are geared toward high school meteorology learners. Content is not cohesive from slide to slide, but the...
Curated OER
Putting the Ice in Hockey
Eighth grade physical science classes examine why the ice on which hockey is played is slippery. They do so by discussing phases of matter and the molecular motion in each. They read an article on a website and write out answers to...
Curated OER
Take-Home Midterm Exam #3
The University of Hawaii has published a vast collection of midterm and final exams for their Physics 152 course. This particular exam offers a variety of assessment methods, and covers the topic of electromagnetic radiation....
Colorado State University
What Is a "Model"?
Model the transfer of energy during a typical 24-hour period. Young scholars use a game-like approach to learning the patterns of heat transfer through the day and night. Groups of four exchange different tokens as the energy...
Science Matters
Peanut Energy
How do humans get energy since they aren't mechanical and can't photosynthesize? Learners explore this question by relating potential energy in food to human energy levels. Scholars measure the change in mass and a change in...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Kinetic and Potential Energy
A well-developed lab sheet guides physical science learners through an investigation of kinetic and potential energy. In small groups, collaborators discover whether or not the ramp height or mass of an object has an effect on the...
Curated OER
Changing States of Matter - Making Ice Cream
Students make ice cream as a result of viewing changes of states of matter. In this matter lesson plan, students learn how heating and cooling can effect a state of matter to change.
Curated OER
Calibrating a Thermometer
Students calibrate an alcohol thermometer using the boiling and freezing point of water. In this physical science lesson plan, students explain what happens to boiling point of water as altitude increases. They calculate their...
Curated OER
Reflect and Refract
Students explore light. In this properties of light lesson, students define the terms refract, reflect, and diffract after listening to the teacher's description. Students listen to the book Light Magic and observe a spoon in a glass of...
Curated OER
Fizzy Pop
Fifth graders compare and identify variables that affect the rate of a chemical change using Alka-Seltzer, water, ice, and hot water. They time how long each variable takes to pop the canister into the air, and record the results on a...
Curated OER
Ice Floats
Students explore the changing density of water. In this physics lesson plan, students investigate how an object's density determines whether it will float or sink in water. They explain why this unique property of is important to living...