Curated OER
Soil Porosity, Moisture Content, pH, and Density
This lab activity does not have to be done with AP environmental scientists. It can also be done with middle to high school earth scientists. The procedures aren't complex. Learners determine the density of dry and wet sand in order to...
Curated OER
Turn Up the Volume
Measuring volume can be a mystery for 5th graders, but this hands-on activity gives the gift of discovery. The volume of simple rectangular solids and irregular shapes are calculated through various methods including displacing liquid in...
Curated OER
A Tree-mendous Project
Seventh graders use their observation and measurement skills to identify trees. Using a tree diagram, they label the parts and discuss the functions of the tree. They practice using a dichotomous key to identify trees as well.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
DNA Extraction
What does your DNA actually look like? Use simple materials with this experiment to find out! Geneticists of all ages can follow these instructions to extract their own DNA. For learners who are hoping to extend the activity, there are...
Curated OER
All About Me
Students examine who they are through the arts and sciences. They create a portfolio entitled, " All About Me."
Curated OER
Heat and Conduction
This simple activity is ideal for upper elementary learners when studying physical science. Using their sense of touch to describe how hot something feels, and then comparing their observations to thermometer measurements, they discover...
Curated OER
What Floats Your Boat?
This open-ended boat building exercise is meant to be part of a three-lesson series on ships. Links to the other two lessons are included. This particular part is mostly a group lab activity in which they build a boat, find its load line...
Curated OER
Look At Those Leaves!
Students collect, measure and classify leaves. In this inquiry-based sorting and classifying activity, students look at various types of leaves they have collected and measure them using a standard unit of measurement. Next, they relate...
Institute for Systems Biology
Introduction to Saline Environments & Microbial Halophiles
If you do not mind wading through unrelated headings (This is not for a physics or STEM course, as it states.) and content (The instructional activity opens with an article about neurology, not halophiles.), then you will find a valuable...
Curated OER
Processing Satellite Images
Students comprehend the meaning of "pixel." They recognize patterns using pixels. Students observe how land use can be determined from a pixel. They measure off a 30 x 30-meter area to show the size of the surface area of one pixel....
Curated OER
Centripetal Force
In order to investigate cetntripetal force and angular momentum, youngsters compare the motion of erasers hung from a string. It is not clear what type of Amish toy is needed in the warm up activity, so you may not be able to use it. The...
Curated OER
temperature and the Scientific Method Lesson Plan
Sixth graders study heat, temperature, and heat transfer. Using probeware, the teacher demonstrates boiling points. Students participate in experiments and record the beginning and ending temperatures and mass of objects. After...
Curated OER
Blast Off
In this physical science exploration, small groups place a piece of antacid tablet into a film canister and step back to time how long it takes for the top to pop. They repeat the activity, altering either the amount or temperature of...
Curated OER
Properties of Matter
Ninth graders explore the molecular structure of matter and how it can affect the physical characteristics of a specific material. They demonstrate that isotopes of an element have different masses. Students demonstrate that the rates of...
Curated OER
Earthquake
Young scholars view a video and conduct a problem solving activity to explain the effect different waves have on the earth's structure and what effect they have on different structures.
Curated OER
Human Fingerprints: No Two The Same
Students will be offered numerous opportunities to further enhance their observational skills as well as the integration of math with their continual exposure to the metric system, measurement, and graphing to represent their data....
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students observe and discuss what happens when water turns to ice and when ice turns into water. For this freezing and melting lesson plan, students observe ice and water and complete hands on activities that change their properties.
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students explore water and how it changes forms. In this investigative instructional activity students participate in an activity that shows them how water changes form and what it looks and feels like.
Curated OER
Layers of the Atmosphere Foldable
Aspiring meteorologists make themselves a tool for reviewing the characteristics of each layer of the atmosphere. The procedure for this little project divides the paper into five sections, but many earth science teachers opt for the...
Curated OER
Introducing Ideas about Inheritance
Is it nature or nurture? In an easily adaptable kinesthetic activity to introduce genetics, learners group themselves based on a variety of categories. They will quickly find that some characteristics are easy to put in order, while...
Curated OER
Carbon Cycles
Students examine the carbon cycle and how carbon atoms travel through it. In this energy cycles lesson students describe how human activities affect the carbon cycle.
Curated OER
And You Thought Gasoline Was Expensive!
Students carry out a cost analysis. In this comparative math instructional activity, students compare the cost of equal measures of gasoline to mouthwash, house paint, fruit juice, white-out, and other liquids.
Curated OER
Looking Back in Time
Young scholars construct a timeline that records the birthdates of several scientists. They calculate a relationship for distance and years and then compare their timelines to the use of light years as a measurement unit.
Curated OER
Introduction to the Mole
Students are introduced to the mole concept using a discovery-based method. Lesson includes activities with candy that allow students to discover the rules for mole-item, item-mole, mole-mass, and mass-mole conversions.