Curated OER
Swinging on a String
Students explore how pendulums work and why they are useful in everyday applications. In a hands-on activity, they experiment with string length, pendulum weight and angle of release.
Curated OER
Seashore Limitations
Students demonstrate the movements and behaviors of creatures from different parts of the ocean.
Curated OER
Angles: Angles, Angles, Everywhere
Middle schoolers estimate and accurately measure the size of angles communicate with the appropriate geometric terms and symbols to describe and name angles, lines, line segments, rays
Curated OER
The Path of the Sun: The Ecliptic
Students investigate the celestial sphere and the paths it takes in the solar system.
Curated OER
Measuring the Diameter of Our Star
Young scholars conduct an experiment to measure the diameter of the sun. In this astronomy lesson, students construct a simple equipment to collect scientific data. They calculate the sun's diameter using a given formula.
Curated OER
Drifting Continents, Dynamic Results
Students plot earthquake and volcano data using a Compass Rose Plotting. They explain the relationship between plate movement and connection. They draw conclusions that earthquakes and volcanoes occur in predictable locations.
Curated OER
Looking into Eratosthenes' Radius of the Earth
Pupils, in small groups, research Eratosthenes and his calculations of the Earth's radius. They write a summary of the person, the experiments and his calculations to determine how accurate Eratosthenes was in his estimations of the size...
Curated OER
Life of Thomas Edison
Students research the life of Thomas Edison. For this Thomas Edison lesson, students explore major life events of Thomas Edison. Students investigate the inventions of Thomas Edison. Students discover how various fields of study...
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The Sun
Third graders examine basic information about the sun and its relationship to the solar system. They conduct Internet research and complete a WebQuest about the sun. Students then create a seven question true or false quiz using...
Curated OER
Making Waves, Making Music, Making Noise
Sixth graders watch a demonstration on how talking cans produce sounds. In groups, they compare and contrast the sounds from different sized cans. They participate in a variety of activities to discover how sounds are made and how...
Curated OER
Induction: Inquiry in Action
Students investigate the factors that affect the induced current in a loop of wire. They discuss Faraday's Law and Lenz's Law. Students identify the different variables that affect the magnetic flux and calculate the magnetic flux...
Curated OER
Roller Coasters in the Classroom
Students define kinetic energy and know the effects of weight and speed on momentum. In this investigative lesson students get into groups and design a roller coaster.
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Making Paper
Students create paper by adding a few small scraps of paper into the blender pitcher and adding just enough water to thoroughly soak paper.
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Airplane flight
Students learn the basic concepts about airplane flight. They learn the reason jetliner wings are swept back and why jet engines have replaced propellers in high-speed flight.
Curated OER
What's it Like Inside the Sun?
Learners perform experiment in which they model convection as it occurs in our Sun. They also explain that convection acts where the effect of gravity and heat are present (low density fluids can rise and cool, and high density fluids...
Curated OER
Hip Replacement
Students take a close examine animals' skeletons to see how their pelvis and femur work together for movement. By investigating their skeletons students discover the placement and functions of our own bodies. They use owl pellets in this...
Curated OER
Lincoln's Secret Weapon
Learners explore how principles of gas behavior relate to diving in order to plan safe underwater activities.
Curated OER
Density
Learners predict when an object will float or sink based on comparison of density of the object to the density of the substance in which it is placed. The access a website and sketch the object in the first column of their table and then...
NASA
Pop! Rockets
Off they go — launching rockets is fun. The lesson plan contains templates to build paper rockets that can be launched from a PVC pipe launcher. Individuals or groups build the rockets and determine the shapes for their fins. Included...
NASA
Foam Rocket
When going for distance, does it make a difference at what angle you launch the rocket? Teams of three launch foam rockets, varying the launch angle and determining how far they flew. After conducting the series of flights three times,...
NASA
Launch Altitude Tracker
Using PVC pipe and aquarium tubing, build an altitude tracker. Pupils then use the altitude tracker, along with a tangent table, to calculate the altitude of a launched rocket using the included data collection sheet.
NASA
Rocket Wind Tunnel
Using a teacher-built wind tunnel constructed from a paper concrete tube form, a fan, and a balance, individuals determine the amount of drag their rocket design will experience in flight. Pupils make modifications to increase the...
Curated OER
Parachute Drop
Learners will have fun creating a parachute to collect data with. They will construct the parachute in small groups, measure the materials, and create an observation sheet. Then they drop the parachute and make predictions about how long...
Curated OER
Vectors: How Much Force Can You Apply
This instructional activity entails the viewing of two videos to get an overview of force and its application. The instructional activity covers how vectors use force in real-world situations.