Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Car Series: during What Part of the Day Can the Most Sun Power Be Collected?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
In preparation for solar car races, middle schoolers attempt to discover what time of day the most solar energy can be collected. Begin by demonstrating the use of a voltmeter for measuring solar cell output. Take them outdoors to take...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Elements Commercials

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Student teams use a digital camcorder and iMovie to create a commercial about an element. They also use the Internet and their textbook to gather the following information about their element: the name, the symbol, the atomic number, the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building Bridges

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Provide a comprehensive exploration of bridges and civil engineering. First, learners discuss the different types of bridges. Then, they identify the characteristics of a suspension, beam, and arch type of bridge. In addition, they learn...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ohm's Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th
If your future physicists know how to construct simple circuits, include resistors, and use a multi-meter to measure voltage, then you might employ this instructional activity on Ohm's law. Each lab group investigates the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Off the Grid

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Young scholars examine the advantages and disadvantages of renewable and non renewable energy sources.  In this engineering lesson students explain what it means for a house to be "off the grid".
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reversible and irreversible changes

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students define the words "reversible" and "irreversible." They complete a worksheet that shows a number of changes. Students must decide which are reversible and which are irreversible.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Magneto-hydrodynamic Drives

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine how electric and magnetic fields can be used to force water out of a chamber to move a vehicle forward.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Attract or Repel?

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students explain why some objects attract and some do not. In this physics instructional activity, students investigate the magnetic properties of objects using CEENBoT. They give some important applications of magnets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wind Power! 2

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore how engineers transform wind energy into electrical energy by building their own miniature wind turbines and measuring the electrical current it produces. They see how design and position affect the electrical...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wind Power

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders develop an understanding of how engineers use wind to generate electricity. They will build a model anemometer to better understand and measure wind speed. They discover that engineers design wind turbines that generate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lemon Batteries Revised

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate how chemical energy in food and batteries is potential or stored energy. They discuss how batteries function, and create a class list of different forms of energy. Students then create a lemon battery that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating a Simple Telegraph Machine

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students experiment and discuss circuits and how they work. In this science instructional activity, students construct a telegraph machine using cardboard, wires, battery, electric tape and masking tape. They investigate what happens as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Wonderful World of Waves (Wave Basics)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students define amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and period, calculate period given frequency, and calculate frequency given period, define crest and trough and locate both on diagram of wave, differentiate between latitudinal and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Historical Development of Magnetism

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Students discuss the history and importance of magnets to the world. In this magnetism lesson, students write an essay of a world without magnets.  Students may research addition information to add details about uses of magnets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Maglev Trains

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore how Maglev trains work. In this technology instructional activity, students discuss the pros and cons of Maglev compared to conventional trains. They build a simple Maglev train model.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eating your Energy's Worth

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students calculate the amount of electrical energy used in a week in food units. They create ways to reduce energy use. Students discuss the different forms and sources of energy. They discuss how people use electrical energy to power...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Powering a Green Earth

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students compare and contrast renewable and nonrenewable energy. In this environmental science lesson, students discuss the importance of going green. They identify the different components in a power grid system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Circuit City

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders are introduced to the concept of circuits and how electricity works. In groups, they design their own subdivision with houses in which they have inside and outside light sources. To end the lesson, they make the circuits...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Global Warming – More or Less

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders identify the factors that contribute to global warming. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders evaluate the impact of global warming on the planet. They discuss their views within the group.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gravity

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders progress through the Science Court: Gravity CD-ROM program. They read about and discuss how gravity was discovered. They complete review worksheets in preparation for the test.
Lesson Plan
Discovery Education

Cushion It!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Sugar cubes, collide! Groups design protection systems using bubble wrap to protect sugar cubes from being destroyed by falling batteries in the STEM lesson. They consider how the experiment relates to collisions in real-world...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carbon Cycles

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars examine the carbon cycle and how carbon atoms travel through it.  In this energy cycles instructional activity students describe how human activities affect the carbon cycle. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Properties of Metals

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders study the properties of metals and use them to identify different properties.  In this metal properties lesson students complete a demonstration .
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Environmental Studies: The Power of Wind

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Investigate the prospect of wind as a renewable resource. Second and third graders make a pinwheel, answer critical thinking questions, and then attempt to use wind power to wind string. I would be more apt to use this activity in a 1st...