American Chemical Society
Using the Combining Test to Identify Unknown Liquids
Once investigators have learned how their mystery liquids interact with water during the preceding activity, they now use their observations to identify them. This is an ideal conclusion to the mini unit on the properties of water.
Discovery Education
Sonar & Echolocation
A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...
American Chemical Society
Look-Alike Liquids
Here is the first of four experiments to differentiate among unknown liquids by their behaviors and properties. Pupils observe how different liquids respond to being placed on plastic and paper, and they take notes about their...
Baylor College
Why Circulate?
Lub-dub, lub-dub. Why does the heart beat? Why does blood circulate throughout the body? Life scientists find out how important circulation is for dissolving and dispersing materials by timing how long it takes for food coloring spread...
Curated OER
Ice Ice Baby! The Design and Preparation of A Reusable Ice Pack
Students explore polymers by designing and preparing an inexpensive and effective reusable ice pack. They develop and test a design for a reusable ice pack in the science lab. Students apply chemical and physical properties of polymers...
Curated OER
Corrosion/Plating/Electrolysis
Students familiarize themselves with half cell reactions, potential circuits, etc. They participate in a lab that includes a worksheet that guides them through an inquiry pertaining to the content. They complete a series of questions...
Curated OER
Physical and Chemical Changes
Students examine the different changes in matter. In this chemical change instructional activity students determine the amount of reactant made in a reaction using the law of conservation.
Curated OER
What Can We Do To Change These Materials
First graders perform experiments to investigate property changes that occur in materials or matter. In the science lab, they use heat to explore changes in rice, sand, gelatin, baking soda and more. Learners observe and record the...
Curated OER
Salt and Water Divorce by a Physical Change
Students discuss the definitions of physical and chemical properties and changes. They vaporize a solution of salt and water, observing the sodium chloride that is left behind.
Curated OER
The Phantom of the Computer Lab
Learners calculate the power consumption of computers in school. In this physics lesson, students design an experiment to determine whether the school should unplug computers at the end of the day. They collect data and report findings...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Built Environment (5) Pre Lab
Fifth graders look at the impact of sound and noise. In this sound lesson, 5th graders review the decibel and common sounds along with their noise levels. They complete a worksheet about the different sounds that one might hear during...
Curated OER
Types of Chemical Reactions Lab
In this chemical reactions activity, students experiment with several different reactions and identify each as a single replacement, double replacement, synthesis, decomposition or combustion reaction. Students observe the changes in...
Curated OER
Density as a Unique Physical Property
Students find the density of objects by finding their mass and their volume. In this density lesson plan, students determine the mass of objects, the find the volume by using formulas or by water displacement and they calculate the...
Curated OER
Fossil Lab
In this fossil worksheet, learners are given fossils and an identification key. They write their scientific names and common names. They also answer questions about fossils.
Curated OER
Applied Science - Technology (KA) Pre Lab
Students explore tools. In this tool instructional activity, students see how tools and machines were invented to help people work easier. They see different types of simple machines such as wheel and axle, lever, and wedge.
Curated OER
Roller Coaster Physics
Students design a roller coaster that allows a marble to run the course as fast as possible. Students create an experimental roller coaster taking into account the steepness of the hills and the sharpness of the turns. Students use a...
Curated OER
Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Not many lessons on states of matter can hold a candle to this one! Junior chemists gauge the density of paraffin in both liquid and solid phases. They fill 60 mL syringes with different materials to experiment with compressibility and...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Powers of Ten with the Blue Morpho Butterfly
Explore the powers of ten while examining a Blue Morpho butterfly wing. Learners discover there is a lot more than meets the eye when one looks close enough.
Center for Learning in Action
Introduction to Matter
Begin your states of matter lessons with a demonstration designed to introduce the concept that all matter has properties. Reinforce this concept through vocabulary exploration, and the creation of atom models; salt, water, and carbon...
NOAA
Oceans of Energy
Are the earth's oceans really just giant batteries, waiting for their energy to be harnessed? Middle school mechanical engineers will be shocked by the amazing amount of energy that forms around them after diving into part four of a...
Urbana School District
Vectors
I don't always make vector jokes, but when I do, IJK. Vector addition using multiple methods, scalar multiplication, vector subtraction, vector components, relative velocities, free body diagrams, and so much more Are covered in this...
Curated OER
Gauss' Law
Students derive the equation of Gauss's law. In this physics lesson, students investigate the factors affecting the strength of the electric field. They perform simulation on Gauss's law.
Curated OER
Ohm's Law
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 activity on Ohm's law. Each lab group investigates the relationships among...
Curated OER
Properties and Perfectly Polymeric Sodas
Students examine physical and chemical properties of plastics, interfaces of plastics, and forms of plastics. In three lab activities, students discover the two characteristic responses of plastics to heating, thermoplastic or...