University of Minnesota
Virtual Neurons
It's electric! Young anatomists use Virtual Neurons software to build, control, and analyze complex nerve circuits within the body. Colorful and packed with content, class members enjoy interacting with the nervous system...
Teach Engineering
Microbes Know How to Work!
Scholars harness the power of microbes with an engaging activity that uses yeast to break down sugar in water. Multiple setups of the same experiment lets learners determine which temperature results in the fastest rate of...
Curated OER
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Even though volcanoes look alike, they can be very different based on the types of lava that erupts from their surface. Learn about strata volcanoes, shield volcanoes, and the varying viscosity of lava with an engaging hands-on...
Serendip
Homeostasis and Negative Feedback – Concepts and Breathing Experiments
More asthma attacks happen at higher altitudes, but why? Scholars complete worksheets, learning about homeostasis and feedback related to breathing. Then, they work in small groups to experiment with breathing in limited amounts of...
Teach Engineering
Swinging Pendulum
Get into the swing of things. Pupils use a pendulum to demonstrate the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy and back. After measuring the speed of a pendulum and compare it to the calculated theoretical speed, they...
Curated OER
# 18 Gas Chromatography: Introduction and Application
Learners are introduced to a gas chromatography using a discovery-based approach. They are presented with a scenario/industrial application where their job is to verify that the company's mouthwash contains a specific percentage of...
Mascil Project
House Insulation
Make sure your house is warm in the winter. Pupils analyze graphs of heating costs for two similar houses and make hypotheses for why the costs differ. They then build models of houses with appropriate insulation to reduce heating costs.
Cornell University
Catapult
Studying levers couldn't be more exciting! Learners build their own catapults and test the results as they make adjustments to the fulcrum. They compete against other groups to create the most accurate apparatus.
Curated OER
Classroom Archaeology
Students, in groups, receive a box of artifacts. They record their findings and discuss what the items would have been used for. They come together at the end of the lesson to share their findings.
Serendip
UV, Mutations, and DNA Repair
How effective are cells at repairing UV damage? An inquiry-based lesson has learners experiment with organism by exposing them to various levels of UV light and then examining their DNA after a period of time. Pupils test different...
Teach Engineering
Rock Candy Your Body
Candy rocks! A sweet lesson offers a different take on the rock candy experiment. Groups use a supersaturated sugar solution to create rock candy. Pupils then add other ingredients to the solution to test their effect on the...
Serendip
Should You Drink Sports Drinks? When? Why?
New research proves even rinsing your mouth with carbohydrates without swallowing improves performance of the central nervous system. While some think sports drinks are amazing, others say they are a waste of money. Scholars learn about...
Curated OER
# 02 The Aspirin Shelf-Life Scenario
Students work for a company that produces acetylaslicylic acid, aspirin. They have been assigned the task of determining if different packaging materials and/or environmental storage procedures can increase the shelf-life of the product.
Curated OER
Alka-Seltzer Cannons
The scientific method is emphasized in this engaging and exciting chemistry lesson plan. Learners get to create Alka-Seltzer cannons out of film cannisters, water, and Alka-Seltzer tablets. Carbon dioxide gas builds up inside the...
Curated OER
Light and Elements
Here is a full-fledged investigation of light waves, the electromagnetic spectrum, and element spectra. Physicists research a scientist that contributed to our understanding of the behavior of light. They take notes on your lecture, and...
Curated OER
Genetics
Comprehend that many human characteristics-all physical traits and possibly many personality traits-are determined by our genetic makeup. These activities demonstate that all physical traits are genetically determined, some evidence...
Curated OER
Sink It
Introduce your class to the concept of sinking and floating. In groups, they classify objects after making predictions about which materials will sink or float. They record their results and create graphs and charts to share with the class.
Curated OER
Bacteria in Drinking Water And Water Purification
Young scholars explore how sewer systems can contribute to water pollution and perform an experiment to see how well a water purification technique can protect against water-born microbial illnesses. They compare the bacterial growth...
Curated OER
Towel Testing
Learners examine how to design and implement experiments. In this paper towel experiment lesson students test the strength of paper towels.
Curated OER
Aphids and Ladybirds
Pupils record observations of ladybird beetles and aphids. They develop questions concerning the behavior of ladybird beetles and aphids that are testable by a classroom experimentation. Students develop an investigation.
Curated OER
Plants 'n' Bugs
Second graders experiment to find if pollinators have color preferences. For this plant and bug lesson, 2nd graders gather information about how flowers pollinate. Students participate in a pollination experiment using...
Curated OER
Curds and Whey
In this chemical reaction worksheet, students investigate the reaction that makes curds and whey. They mix milk and vinegar and run it through cheesecloth to collect the solid. Students make observations, read about curds and whey, and...
Curated OER
One, Two, Three. TMV
Students, in groups, design their own experiments to determine how the mode of application of the virus extract affects the various plants that students have grown from seed.
Curated OER
Scientific Inquiry: Periodic Motion
Students construct their own pendulum. In this physics instructional activity, students design an experiment to find the factors affecting its period. They formulate a conclusion based on experimental data.