Exploratorium
Take It From the Top
Experiment with the center of gravity by stacking blocks in a way that appears to defy its force. This is a fascinating demonstration that you can use when teaching about gravity, forces, or balance.
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Myth or Fact
Are opioids the most abused drug after marijuana? How hard is it for young people to obtain painkillers without a prescription? Middle and high schoolers explore the growing epidemic of opioid addiction with a lesson that prompts them to...
Teach Engineering
Household Energy Audit
Do you have an energy hog in your home? Individuals pick at least one room at home to determine the amount of energy the appliances consume. Using that information, pupils fill out a worksheet to determine the cost of running each...
Curated OER
Hybrid Vehicles: Cut Pollution and Save Money
Math and science meet in this lesson on hybrid electric automobiles. This 24-page resource provides everything you need for teaching a lesson that compares the use of internal combustion engines to hybrid electric engines. Participants...
Curated OER
Mapping Meteorites
After reading an article, "Cameras Capture a 5-Second Fireball and Its Meteorite's Secrets," space science superstars use the triangulation method to determine the location of a distant object. In-class activities and homework are...
Curated OER
The Games Robots Play
Students learn about how robots are programmed to play games. They then construct robot applications (basic computer codes) for playing tic-tac-toe comprised of if-then logic sequences. Students then compete in teams using their...
Curated OER
Earth's Warming Climate: Are We Responsible
Students examine the atmospheric data for CO2. In this web-based atmospheric lesson, student follow instructions to examine and plot on-line scientific data about the CO2 levels in our atmosphere and analyze the changes found in the data.
Curated OER
A Heated Discussion
Students compare the colloquial definition of temperature with the scientific definition. They, in groups, then explore the changes of water under different temperatures and calculate and compare their findings on three different...
Curated OER
99.86% - Measuring Our Sun's Mass
Students determine just how large the sun is. In this solar system lesson plan, students follow the prescribed steps to draw a box that represents the size of the sun and its mass compared to the entire solar system.
Curated OER
Parts of a Plant
First graders discover the parts of a plant. In this science lesson, 1st graders identify and label the parts of a plant and record their findings on a word processor.
Exploratorium
Corner Reflector
If you set up a triad of mirrors into a corner figuration, they act as a kaleidoscope, bouncing light waves back and forth indefinitely, changing the light that your eyes perceive. Although the materials required are very specific and...
NASA
NASA Engineering Design Challenges - Spacecraft Structures
What kind of design challenges are there in building structures to support rocket engines? The unit takes design teams through the process of building the lightest possible thrust support structure that can withstand the necessary forces...
Curated OER
Smoses Toy Expo
Young scholars research one of the simple machines listed in the lesson and review several simple machine websites to complete their research. Students use software and a watch a video to learn more about machines. Young scholars...
Curated OER
School Yard Park/ Ecosystem
Fifth graders examine ecosystems in their schoolyard. In this nature and ecosystem instructional activity, 5th graders map their schoolyard into workable plots. They classify plants and animals found in the plot. They revisit their site...
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...
Teach Engineering
Fairly Fundamental Facts About Forces and Structures
Don't twist and turn looking for a resource. The first installment of a six-part series teaches young engineers about the five fundamental forces of compression, tension, shear, bending, and torsion. These forces help explain different...
Curated OER
Animal Science Research Report
Students research an animal. In this research lesson, students utilize various types of technology to gather information about an animal. Students create a class blog and use digital photography for their research.
Mascil Project
Parachute Food Drop
Drop a perfect project into your lesson plans. Groups use different building materials to create models of parachutes for food drops. After testing out their prototypes, they make improvements to their designs.
Curated OER
What is a Seed?
First graders identify the parts of a seed. In this plant biology instructional activity, 1st graders are given a seed and identify each part of the seed by using a hand lens. Students plant a seed and graph the growth.
Curated OER
Get to Know Snow!
Students learn about snow. In this snow themed lesson, students read a book, make a painting, and observe snow. A math activity timing how long it takes for snow to melt is included.
Curated OER
A Distant View
Students investigate the essential concepts of how lenses work to magnify vision, and then build simple telescopes to demonstrate their understanding. They write a description of how their telescope could be improved and how it works.
Curated OER
A Weighty Task
Students aim to explain the need for standardization of units of measurement. They pose their own standards for the value of a kilogram and compare them with the currently used standard.
Curated OER
Extraordinary Extrapolation
Learners study how scientists have estimated the maximum height to which trees can grow, and assess the reliability of interpolation and extrapolation techniques by making predictions with particular data sets and analyzing accuracy of...
Curated OER
Fruitvale Extension
Students determine sources and extent of ground water contaminate, apply mathematics to model in real world simulation, and use technology to present results.