Curated OER
Exploring Simple Machines
Students investigate simple machines. In this simple machines instructional activity, students study how simple machines work. Students determine the function of various simple machines.
Curated OER
Circle of Life
Students consider why we eat and where our food obtains its energy. They illustrate food chains that might be found on an open field, dissect owl pellets, identify the remains of animals in the pellets, watch videos and participate in...
Curated OER
Looking into Surface Albedo
Young scholars demonstrate how the color of materials on Earth affect the amount of solar energy that is absorbed. In this solar energy lesson plan students complete a lab to explore how the color of materials on the Earth's...
Curated OER
They Don't Just Eat Grass
Students explore and examine different types of feed used for livestock. They discuss types of feed, the need for energy and health, and create graphs of food compared to categories. Students organize data and complete worksheets on...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Students are introduced to the components and importance of the water cycle. They are shown how groundwater moves using a model. Students list 9 places on earth where water is found. They define the terms cycle and water cycle.
Curated OER
Transforming Energy
Sixth graders study about alternate energy sources and discuss with their neighbor how alternative energy sources affect environmental conditions so that an entire species could be affected.
Curated OER
Glass Transition in a Rubber Ball
Learners illustrate the changes in the properties of a material at its glass transition point. They gather data which they use to construct graphs regarding elastic modules versus absorption modulus, tangent delta, and the effect of...
Curated OER
The Rifting of Pangaea and the Gettysburg Battlefield
Eleventh graders analyze and interpret an animated model of Earth’s rifting processes. In this Earth Science instructional activity, 11th graders connect Earth’s rifting processes with the Earth’s surface in the Gettysburg...
Curated OER
The Life Cycle of a Star
In this stars worksheet, students read about the different stages in the life cycle of a star. Then students complete 3 short answer questions.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Climate and Forest Ecosystem Services
Forests, through sequestration, capture excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and store it, aiding in climate change. The third installment in a four-part series on how climate impacts forests explores carbon sequestration....
Curated OER
Ring Around the Rosie
Students examine the concept of angular momentum and its correlation to mass, velocity, and radius. They listen to a teacher-led lecture, conduct an experiment with rotational inertia, angular momentum, and rotation speed by making...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Pupils investigate how water changes state. For this water lesson, students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state. This lesson includes extensions which can be accessed via the provided web links.
Curated OER
The Learning Bottleneck
Students identify and analyze what energy is and how they feel after moving around a lot. They identify other ways that they can acquire heat and if there is some sort of mechanism for storing energy. Finally, students construct their...
Center Science Education
Looking Into Surface Albedo
How does the color of a surface affect the heating of the earth? Middle school science classes experiment with color and surface albedo to determine the relationship. The website has tabs for an overview, teacher's instructions,...
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Sensing the Invisible: The Herschel Experiment
Learners of light will construct a contraption in which light is passed through a prism and shone into a box. The temperatures at different points along the path and outside of the path of light. The intent is to imitate William...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis: Life from Light and Air
All aspects of the photosynthesis process, and the way that plants have adapted with specializations are detailed here. The diagrams and info-graphics will be useful to your AP biology class. It could also be used as a review...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Understanding the Greenhouse Effect
Dive into the power of the sun with a two-part activity. Budding scientists model the greenhouse effect in a hands-on activity, and then participate in a skit that explores the earth's energy balances and what really occurs in the...
Curated OER
it's Lonely At The Top
Students explore the differnences between food producers in food webs and food consumers in food chains. Behavioral choices of primary and secondary consumers such as herbivores, vegetarians, carnivors, and omnivors are analyzed.
University of Colorado
Can Photosynthesis Occur at Saturn?
In the 19th activity of 22, learners determine if distance from a light source affects photosynthesis. Participants capture oxygen in straws and find that the amount of water the gas displaces is proportional to the rate of photosynthesis.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Are Global CO2 Levels Changing?
According to the Mauna Loa observatory, carbon dioxide levels increased by 3 ppm in our atmosphere between 2015–2016. Individuals analyze carbon dioxide data from around the world and then share this with a home group in lesson...
Curated OER
Slam On the Brakes!
Fifth graders study the concept of momentum and its application by Newton in his studies. They view a demonstration and complete an experiment with toy cars on a racetrack that shows them the properties of momentum and how velocity and...
PHET
AM Radio Ionosphere Station
Tune in! Young scientists use an AM radio at home to monitor solar output. The long-term project would be ideal in a flipped classroom or as an out-of-class project.
University of Colorado
Using Spectral Data to Explore Saturn and Titan
Saturn's rings are made of dust, ice, and solid chunks of material. Individuals use spectrographs in this final installment of 22 lessons to determine the atmospheric elements. They analyze spectrums from Titan's atmosphere and...
PHET
CME Plotting
Young scientists build on their previous knowledge and apply it to coronal mass ejections. By plotting the path of two different coronal mass ejections, they develop an understanding of why most don't collide with Earth.