Curated OER
Get a Half-life!
Young scholars use m&m candies as their sample set. They begin by counting the total number of candies to determine their sample size. Students put the candies into a cup and shake them gently before pouring them onto a paper plate....
Curated OER
Get a Half-life!
Students explore decay functions and the half-life of a substance. Through an M&M activity with calculators, students collect and graph data. They determine the linear, quadratic and exponential functions of the graph. Students...
Curated OER
The Nucleus / Nuclear Reactions and Elementary Particles
Students describe how radioactivity relates to alpha and beta particles. Using their properties, they write a descriptive paper about the gamma rays and alpha and beta particles. They calculate q-values and the half-life of a given...
Curated OER
How Does Probability Relate to Radon?
Middle schoolers read an article about probability and radon. They practice using a hand held geiger counter to understand the properties of radiation and radioactivity. They identify the harmful and helpful effects of radiation as well.
University of Colorado
Spacecraft Speed
Space shuttles traveled around Earth at a speed of 17,500 miles per hour, way faster than trains, planes, or automobiles travel! In the 13th installment of 22, groups graph different speeds to show how quickly spacecraft move through...
Cornell University
Isotope Rummy
Thanks to this game, teaching isotopes will never be the same. Physical science scholars work their way toward understanding isotopes in an entertaining game. Pupils play rummy in groups while practicing good sportsmanship and creating...
Curated OER
Galileo's Battle for the Heavens
Students examine the nature of sunspot cycles and define solar minimums and maximums. In this sunspot lesson plan students construct and evaluate graphs of the current sunspot cycle.
Curated OER
Excavating the Past
Students discover how palaeontologists conduct a dig for fossils and how they interpret the age of the fossils. In small groups, they prepare a "dig site" consisting of bones, rocks and soil layered in a cardboard box. They switch boxes...