Polar Trec
Plankton Parents
Plankton are so abundant in the ocean they outweigh all of the animals in the sea. In this three day activity, groups discuss and become familiar with plankton, capture females, and look for egg production on day three.
Curated OER
Areology: The Study of Mars
Students use Oreo candy bars to explore how surface core samples call tell people about the history and make-up of Mars.
Concord Consortium
Intermolecular Attractions and States of Matter
Need a solid resource for teaching about states of matter? Science scholars go with the flow in a simple interactive that shows how intermolecular attractions determine a substance's phase. Pupils take control of the level of attraction...
Concord Consortium
Pendulum
Add some zing to your swing! Explore pendulum motion through an engaging interactive. Physical science scholars specify the pendulum's mass, rod length, and starting angle before they observe the resulting angle graph.
Teachit
Life Cycle of a Penguin
Celebrate the circle of life with this fun hands-on activity. After cutting out, gluing together, and assembling this visual model, students are able to spin through and observe the life cycle of penguins.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Seasons of a Plant
Reading the cues from nature can be as much an art as a science. The second installment in a six-part unit on climate teaches learners that environmental and biological events have significance. They first learn the difference between...
Google
Erosion?
What's the difference between wind erosion and water erosion? Perform an experiment to study the effects of air on soil, as well as water and soil, and how effective it can be to place rocks on the soil.
Baylor College
Air and Breathing
Blow some bubbles and learn how living things need air in the eighth lesson of this series. Young scientists investigate this important gas by observing bubbles and monitoring their own breathing. A simple and fun activity that raises...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Ocean Drifters
Take a drift in the ocean. Class members watch a video on plankton, the drifters of the ocean. Scholars find out about the different types of plankton and sea jellies. To add a little variety, they use the aquarium webcams to study sea...
American Chemical Society
What is a Chemical Reaction?
When a candle burns down, what happens to the mass that appears to be shrinking? Lesson begins with a demonstration of the chemical reaction of a candle burning. Then scholars use atom models to observe conservation of mass...
American Chemical Society
The Energy of Evaporation
Do all liquids evaporate at the same rate? Young scientists observe the evaporation rate of three different liquids. They measure the time, the temperature, and the change in energy. After comparing the chemical formulas, scholars...
Concord Consortium
The Temperature-Pressure Relationship
Turn up the heat! What happens to the pressure in a closed system as temperature changes? Enhance your chemistry class' understanding of the gas laws with an illustrative interactive. Pupils change the Kelvin temperature before observing...
Concord Consortium
Seeing Intermolecular Attractions
Ahh, the rules of attraction...intermolecular attraction! Introduce your chemistry crew to the other forces that influence the behavior of atoms and molecules alike with a simple interactive. Pupils push and pull polar and non-polar...
Colorado State University
Why Is the Sky Purple?
The color of the sky depends on the time of day. Young scholars experiment with scattering different wavelengths of light to recreate the color of the sky. They observe both the longer blue wavelengths and the shorter red and orange...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating Factors Affecting the Heart Rate of Daphnia
What variables change heart rate? Young scientists observe the beating heart in Daphnia to understand these variables. They make changes in temperature, chemicals, and other factors as they graph the heart rates. Analysis questions help...
University of Waikato
Ocean Acidification and Eggshells
Eggshells and seashells have a lot in common. Learners use the similarities to conduct an experiment that models the effect of ocean acidification on marine animals. Using varying levels of acidic liquids, pupils make observations on the...
National Wildlife Federation
Box Turtle Interview
Imagine life as a box turtle. Learners study the characteristics of box turtles and then assume the role in an interview. They show their understanding of how a box turtle lives by responding to a series of questions.
National Wildlife Federation
Fill the Bill
The structure of a bird's beak lends itself to specific functions. Using an assortment of everyday objects, learners mimic the behaviors of bird beaks. They learn about the habits of different birds by studying their beaks.
National Wildlife Federation
Butterfly Life Cycle
Caterpillars and butterflies each have their own unique challenges. While studying the life cycle of butterflies, learners focus on the threats to each stage. While some threats will be the same, each stage has its own unique...
National Wildlife Federation
Prairie Chicken Pageant
Diminishing habitats is a real concern that is threatening endangered species. Learners examine these concerns by studying the prairie chicken. Groups get a card with characteristics and threats to the species that they turn into skits.
Baylor College
Food for Kids
Immediately capture the attention of your class with the smell of freshly popped popcorn in the sixth lesson of this series on the needs of living things. Young scientists first use their senses to make and record observations of...
CK-12 Foundation
Balancing Equations
Make the microscopic world of chemical reactions come to life. An engaging video demonstrates a methane-oxygen reaction. Learners see the reaction take place and observe the chemical equation being balanced.
University of Minnesota
Balance: The Ears Have It
Don't go around and around with the same concept! A hands-on activity explores the vestibular system and circular motion. After spinning a group member, lab partners examine their eye movement. Making observations allows the group to...
PBS
Student Helioviewer Data Tool
Scholars use current satellite data to view solar events, solar features, and so much more. It allows them to make videos over time to observe patterns and visually understand the sun at a much higher level using the interactive that is...