Curated OER
My World is Upside Down
High schoolers observe a demonstration on light. They construct a pinhole viewer, and explore and discuss the concept that light travels in a straight line.
Curated OER
Photosynthesis
Young scholars recognize the importance of plants as they perform an experiment involving photosynthesis. Students determine the optimum wavelength of light for photosynthesis by exposing plants to different colors of light, collecting...
Urbana School District
Magnetism
The compass was first used in 206 B.C., but we didn't discover magnetic poles until 1263 A.D. Presentation begins with the history of magnetism before continuing on to magnetic fields, magnetic forces, electromagnets, currents,...
NASA
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Did you realize the visible light spectrum is less than three percent of the electromagnetic spectrum? A hands-onlesson includes five activities and experiments for scholars to explore and discover many advanced science concepts. They...
Curated OER
Marine Fisheries Management
Almost 200 slides make this a vast collection! It is a quirky collection, titled "Marine Fisheries Management," but having little to do with that occupation. What you will find are two-toned blue backgrounds with no pictures, but a few...
Curated OER
Lenses and Mirrors
Young scholars investigate lenses and mirrors showing how they bend and reflect light waves.
Curated OER
Light
Fifth graders sit in their seats with the lights on and then the teacher turns off the lights. After their eyes have adjusted, they vote on what colors of construction paper are being held up. The lights are then turned back on and...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore water. In this water lesson, students explore the physical properties and states of water. They observe how water changes states and document what they see.
Curated OER
The Physics of Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air
Learners study hummingbirds and how they use Newton's law. For this motion lesson students complete several activities and view videos of hummingbirds.
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...
Curated OER
Diversity: Using Light to Filter Prejudices
Young scholars use physics to discuss diversity. In this social interaction lesson, students use their knowledge of colors and filters to relate it to stereotyping and prejudices.
Curated OER
Differential Thermal Calorimetry
Students access prior knowledge of infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, gamma rays, x-rays and cosmic waves. In this electromagnetic waves instructional activity, students hold a mock trial electromagnetic spectrum. Students present...
Curated OER
Reflection, Refraction & Lenses
Students are able to describe what happens to light when it strikes different materials. They describe the law of reflection. Students are able to explain why a mirror froms a virtual image. They are able to describe diffuse reflection.
Curated OER
Measuring Star Temperatures
In this measuring star temperatures, students find the temperature of a star using Planck's curve and the Wein Displacement law. Students also find the peak wavelengths for given stars using Planck's curve.
Curated OER
Aurora to Magnetosphere Global Exploration
In this magnetosphere global exploration learning exercise, learners read about the instrument on board a satellite launched by NASA called the Radio Plasma Imager. This imager detects echoes from plasma clouds. Students calculate the...
Curated OER
What's the Frequency, Roy G. Biv?
Introduce starting space scientists to the electromagnetic spectrum, expecially the portion of visible light. Teach them about wavelength and frequesncy. Then give them a roll of adding machine tape and a manila folder to make a...
Curated OER
Point of View to Ponder
Students view (or read) The Ponder Heart by Eudora Welty. They
discuss other literary pieces that include the misleading first person narrator. They
role play fictional characters from literature and present a short anecdote in a...
Curated OER
Jeopardy 8th Grade (Science)
There are so many topics touched upon in this Jeopardy-style science game, that it is difficult to classify! The categories include electricity, matter, ecology, earth and space, and scientific investigation. This would best be used at...
Teach Engineering
Beating the Motion Sensor
I bet I can cross the room without having the lights come on. Class members set up an experiment in which they try to determine what materials will mask motion detected by a sensor. Groups predict how materials will interact with...
Teach Engineering
The Amazing Aerogel
Introducing ... the aerogel. The first of a two-installment series teaches young engineers about the properties and uses of aerogels. A PowerPoint presentation provides information about this unique material to help solidify the concept.
Curated OER
Sound
Fifth graders explore and examine the basic properties of sound. In pairs, they speak through a balloon and listen to the sound vibrations, and listen to a ticking clock or watch through a variety of materials and identify the...
Curated OER
Introduction to Gases
Students are introduced to gases. In this science lesson plan, students demonstrate that gases are a state of matter, generate a number of gases, discover some properties of gases, compare some of the properties of different gases, and...
Teach Engineering
Quantum Dots and Colors
Introduce teams to quantum dot solutions with an activity that has them expose solutions to a blacklight, observe the colors, and take measurements. Groups graph the data and analyze the dependence between particle size and...
Curated OER
Introduction to Light
Students study the basic structure of the atom. In this chemistry lesson, students explain how colors relate to energy that electrons emit. They calculate energy of the emitted photons.