Curated OER
The Scientific Method
In this scientific method instructional activity, students read about the steps of the scientific method, ways to measure mass and volume and how to read a meniscus. Students use the scientific method to determine if an object is a...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Solutions
Aqua regia, or royal water in Latin, is a solvent that can dissolve solid gold and platinum into a solution. Activity nine in a series of 36 allows classes to learn, through readings and answering questions, what a solution is and the...
Teach Engineering
Aerogels in Action
Model an oil spill cleanup. An engaging engineering lesson has groups using aerogels to simulate an oil spill cleanup (vegetable oil in water). Along the way, they learn about nanotechnology and hydrophilia/hydrophobia.
NOAA
Currents
Learn how ocean currents are vital to humans and marine life. The eighth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program, focuses on ocean currents and how they affect global climate. The...
Teach Engineering
Surface Tension Lab
What constitutes a good soap bubble? In the second installment of a nine-part series, scholars apply their understanding of surface tension to soap bubbles. They experiment to determine the best solutions to use for the...
University of Colorado
Happy Landings: A Splash or a Splat?
Huygens spacecraft landed on Saturn's moon Titan in 2005, making it the farthest landing from Earth ever made by a spacecraft. In this hands-on activity, the 12th installment of 22, groups explore how density affects speed. To do this,...
NEED Project
Calibrating Thermometers
Engage young scientists in the upper-elementary and middle school grades with this collection of simple experiments. Whether you're teaching about heat transfer, density, or potential energy this resource has a lab for you.
Pyro Innovations
Beach Exploration
Little ones will absolutely love this lesson plan. It's all about the beach and what they can find while sifting through the sand. A large bucket of sand filled with hidden items is brought into the classroom. Learners will discuss what...
Curated OER
Properties of Materials- Leaky Pipe
Students are presented with a problem of an industrial site is losing water through a pipe leakage. They need to find an appropriate material to seal the joints. Working in groups, they analyze the situation, collect additional...
Curated OER
Just Passing Through
Middle schoolers explore how water moves through soil. They experiment with different soil types and record their findings.
Curated OER
Loud or soft?
Send this cute activity home with kids, to increase family involvement. They'll consider what would happen if rice was bounced in a tambourine, and then they'll complete a sound activity by makings an instrument out of wax paper and a...
Curated OER
Rising Water!
Young scholars observe water change from a liquid to a gas state when heated and then return to its liquid stage when cooled. They learn that gas molecules move faster than liquid molecules. They discover physical properties that...
Curated OER
Sense of Place
Students identify the major folk regions of Louisiana and the relationship between folklife, geography, and ecology. They give deeper thought to what makes their own community unique, what their sense of place actually is. Students...
Curated OER
Rain Formation
First graders investigate the different water formations by conducting an experiment. For this water properties lesson, 1st graders examine jars filled with ice, rain water, air and snow in their class. Students predict what...
Curated OER
Water Cycle
Students investigate, develop inferences, and differentiate between different elements of the water cycle. They investigate the observable characteristics of evaporation and condensation over specific time periods
Curated OER
Bellwork for Week 4-Geology and the Periodic Table
In this geology and the periodic table worksheet, students answer nine questions about specific minerals, the patterns in the periodic table, and properties of rocks and minerals.
Curated OER
Structure of the Earth
Sixth graders define atmosphere and hydrosphere, explore through experimentation how the atmosphere was formed, and describe the layers of the Earth's atmosphere and their distances.
Curated OER
Groups 1 & 2, the Alkali Metals and the Alkaline Earth Metals
Giving a clear review of the basic properties of the metals in groups one and two on the periodic table, this slide show would be useful for early learners of chemistry. Your class will learn about the trends down the groups, such...
Curated OER
Rusting and the Scientific Method
Students observe the oil can scene with the tin man from a clip from "The Wizard of Oz" and answer the question, "What can we learn about rust from this scene?". They take 2 tubes and 2 nails, adding 1 salt packet to 2 ml of distilled...
Curated OER
Science: Water States
First graders investigate the various forms of water. They discuss the properties of water. They discover examples of water's various states and locate other solids, liquids, and gases in their homes.
Curated OER
Properties of Materials
In this material properties worksheet, students complete 6 activities in which they learn about and explore the differences between materials and properties. They collect objects and list off the materials and properties, answer...
Curated OER
Typical Conceptual Questions for Physics I - Waves, Electricity, and Magnetism
This wave and electromagnetism assignment is so thorough, it could be used as a unit exam. The first section of it covers wave concepts. The next section addresses static electricity. There is a section that deals with electric circuits....
Curated OER
Ocean Murals
Students identify characteristics of water. They describe the process by which light decreases and pressure increases as water depth increases. They demonstrate the principle of water pressure in a small group experiment.
Curated OER
Making Ice Cream
First graders create ice cream in class. In this matter lesson plan, 1st graders discover solids, liquids and gases and the properties of each. Students produce a batch of ice cream in class using household items.