Curated OER
Electric Field Mapping / Equipotential Lines
Students determine the equipotential lines surrounding a charged object. In this physics lesson, students draw lines to identify areas. They relate the spacing of the field lines to the strength of the charge.
Curated OER
Chemistry - Atoms and Elements
Students perform varied activities as part of a layered curriculum unit: They write and perform a skit that outlines the evolution of the model of the atom. The script is submitted to the teacher for review before performance.
Curated OER
The Chemistry of Hair Care
Students do hands-on activities and read information online in order to answer the central question of this lesson: How does understanding the chemistry of hair care, including the role of pH, help in the development of better hair-care...
Curated OER
Golf Station Lesson
Middle schoolers explore physical education by participating in a sport with their classmates. In this golf swinging lesson, students discuss the different golf clubs and their specific uses. Middle schoolers participate in a golf...
Curated OER
Aeronautics: Bernoulli's Principle
Students explore physics by participating in a science activity in class. In this flight properties lesson, students identify Bernoulli's principle of flight and his theory of statics and motion. Students conduct a demonstration by...
Curated OER
Learn DNA Replication
Students explore physical science by participating in a science role-play activity. In this DNA structure lesson, students discuss the different parts of the code that makes up our DNA and instructs our cells. Students utilize the...
Curated OER
Shine On, Moon
Students explore space science by conducting an experiment in class. In this Moon lesson, students define a list of space science vocabulary and read the book The Moon. Students utilize shoeboxes and string to conduct a sunlight...
Curated OER
Glacier Presentations
Young scholars research news articles relating to global climate change. In this earth science instructional activity, students create a news broadcast using the information they gathered. They present this in class and each student...
Curated OER
Charting The Planets
Students conduct different activities in order to unlock the secrets of the universe. They answer different questions that are written to assess knowledge of the planets. Information can be found on the internet to help.
NorthEast Ohio Geoscience Education Outreach
Carbon Cycle
Using a jigsaw approach, earth science experts teach each other about the physical, biological, and geologic components of the carbon cycle, with a specific focus on the ocean.
Curated OER
Erase Inactivity!
Students explore and discuss what they do in their free time, what nutrition means and how to participate in physical activity to keep themselves healthy. They list as many ways as they can think of to increase their physical activity...
Curated OER
Was Kepler Correct?
Students are introduced to Kepler's 2nd law of Planetary Motion. The lesson plan reinforces the understanding of focal points. They calculate the sector area of an ellipse.Students expand understanding by modeling Kepler's 2nd Law of...
Virginia Department of Education
Hurricanes: An Environmental Concern
Hurricanes, typhoons, and tropical cyclones are the same type of storm, but their names change based on where they happen. Scholars use a computer simulation to learn about hurricanes. Then they hypothesize ideas to prevent hurricanes...
Cornell University
Catapults
Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome.
University of Colorado
Planetary Distances on the Playground
Earth is 149,600,000 km, or 92,957,130.4 miles, from the sun. Young astronauts create an interactive model to learn the distances between planets. Nine groups, each representing a different planet, are spread around at class-calculated...
Kenan Fellows
What Element Would You Be?
Primo Levi wrote a collection of short stories comparing his life from Italy to Auschwitz to elements in the periodic table. Pupils read an excerpt from his book and research the characteristics of various elements. Then, they make a...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
A Classroom Solar System
Create a scaled model of our solar system in your classroom! Scholars work collaboratively to build paper mache planets and hang them in their proper position to showcase each planet's location in the solar system.
Beyond Benign
Puzzler
Are some packaging materials superior to others? Using sustainability as a guide, scholars analyze different packing materials to describe their life cycles. They create puzzles to communicate their findings.
University of Colorado
Strange New Planet
The first remote sensors were people in hot air balloons taking photographs of Earth to make maps. Expose middle school learners to space exploration with the use of remote sensing. Groups explore and make observations of a new...
Cornell University
Electroplating
Silver pennies and copper nickels are made possible by applying some chemistry. Learners use electrolysis to coat a penny with zinc sulfate and a nickel with copper sulfate. Their investigation builds an understanding of electroplating...
Wild BC
Is Climate Change Good for Us?
Is it really that big of a deal if the global climate undergoes a little change? Young environmentalists consider this very question as they discuss in small groups the impact of different climate change scenarios on their lives,...
PHET
Planet Designer: Kelvin Climb
It's time to get those creative juices flowing! This second lesson in a series of five continues allowing pupils to design their own planets. It the same format as the first, but, this time, allows students to alter greenhouse gases...
Stanford University
Solstice and Equinox Season Model
How can December 21 be the shortest day of the year when all days are 24 hours long? Pupils see how to build a model showing the differences between winter and summer solstices and equinoxes. Using this model, classes can then discuss...
University of Colorado
Astro-Chronology
Class members play a version of the game Chronology to determine when certain scientific events occurred in history. Teams play until someone has 5-10 events in the correct order.