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...
Curated OER
Hot and Cold Colors
Young scholars examine how temperature effects changes in materials. In this physical science lesson, students use food coloring and cups of water of varying temperatures to observe the effects temperature has on matter. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Equilibrium: What Is It?
Tenth graders investigate chemical, physical and mechanical equilibrium. In this equilibrium activity, 10th graders participate in a physical activity to show equilibrium by some students standing and some students sitting at the same...
Curated OER
Volume of Gas
Eighth graders investigate the effect of temperature on the volume of a gas in a closed container. They measure the height of the water in their beaker/container, conduct their experiment, and create a graph to illustrate their data.
Curated OER
Establishing a Baseline Ecology of a Creek Ecosystem
Students investigate the physical, chemical and biological parameters necessary to establish an ecological baseline. Establishing an ecological baseline not only shows the ecological characteristics of a creek but makes the possible...
Curated OER
Ready, Set, Let's Dough! It's a Matter of System
Students explore physical sciences by participating in a class experiment. In this matter instructional activity, students identify the three forms of matter and their physical differences. Students utilize cookie dough to create a play...
Curated OER
4th Grade Science
For this physical science worksheet, 4th graders complete multiple choice questions about force, simple machines, communication and more. Students complete 25 questions.
Curated OER
What's The Scoop?
Students explore the properties of matter. In this cross curriculum three states of matter science lesson, students listen to the poem "Eighteen Flavors" by Shel Silverstein, and predict what will happen if listed ingredients are...
Curated OER
The Tropopause
In this tropopause worksheet, students read about the temperature of the air in the tropopause or the layer of the atmosphere closest to the Earth. They answer four critical thinking questions about this layer and the energy changes that...
NASA
Pop Can Hero Engine
Hang a soda can from a string and watch it spin by the force created by water streaming out of slanted holes. This plan provides background information, detailed materials and procedures, discussion questions, a lab worksheet, and...
PHET
Planet Designer: What’s Trending Hot?
Excite scholars to design their own planet in this first of five lessons. The instructional activity starts with a pre-activity assessment, a complete lesson plan that is easy to implement, and a post-activity assessment that would look...
Curated OER
Transportation
Engage in an 8-day study of different modes of transportation. Your students explore the concept of location and define the physical characteristics of places, such as, land forms, bodies of water, natural resources, and weather.
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....
Curated OER
Project Geode
Young geologists attempt to predict the appearnace of a geode's internal structure based on how it looks from the outside, its mass, and its physical characteristics. In this geologly instructional activity, learners use scientific...
Curated OER
What Makes Up a Healthy Watershed
Students, after observing the elements of a local watershed, explore the need to protect watersheds as water resources for the future. They examine the factors involved with a watershed: geology, ecology, and the effect of man's...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Gas Laws in Action - Propane
Using helium as an example of propane, physical science middle schoolers experiment with and graph the relationship between temperature and volume in gases. In a whole-class demonstration, they show how molecules behave under different...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Nuts! Calculating Thermal Efficiency
Oh nuts! Do macadamias or almonds produce more thermal energy? Energy enthusiasts find out with this experiment. The objective is to demonstrate to your class how the chemical energy contained in foods can be converted into useable...
Exploratorium
Hand Battery
Get hands-on in your physical science class by having learners conduct electricity with their own hands! By placing one hand on each of two different metals, a current can be generated and measured on a microammeter. Make an experiement...
Exploratorium
Polarized Sunglasses
Reflected waves of light move within a plane, and because of this, polarizing materials can reduce the glare our eyes see. This resource explains how to set up a demonstration of this effect. Consider it for use in your physical science...
Curated OER
Environment: The River Classroom
Seventh graders engage in hands-on experiments and activities dealing with rivers and greenways. They also observe lectures and demonstrations by experts in water and river restoration. Students and teachers participate in canoe trips...
Curated OER
Applied Science -Physics (2B) Pre Lab
Second graders look at different types of energy. In this energy lesson, 2nd graders define energy and the difference between kinetic and potential energy. They see examples with falling books and a slinky.
Curated OER
Effects of the Southern Pacific Railroad Causeway
Fifth graders describe the appearance of a substance before and after a physical change. They re-create the Southern Pacific Railroad Causeway across the Great Salt Lake. They determine for themselves how the water is exchanged...
Curated OER
Melting Ice
Pupils observe the melting of ice and explore the basic physical changes that occur. They gain information of how different substances change the rate of melting. Students discuss the properties of water and ice, the definition of...
Utah LessonPlans
Stomach Chemistry
Students will create a simulation of the chemical reactions that occur during the digestive process. A physical change occurs when the appearance of matter changes, but the composition of the matter does not change.