Curated OER
Estimation Task
Upper graders practice their estimation skills by observing different objects then making their best guess without using measuring instruments. Students are asked to estimate mass, length, volume, and area.
Curated OER
To Float or Not to Float - A Lesson on Density
Students observe and experiment with the concept of density. This is done using a simple experiment that helps them to apply scientific principles of observation and proving a hypothesis.
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Friction: Friend or Foe?
Using a hands-on approach, learners explore the effect of friction on objects. Learners use toy cars, shoes, wood, metal, and more to experiment with the causes and effects of friction. Afterwards, they conduct experiments in which they...
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Food & Science - How Healthy is Your Diet?
Learners experiment with various foods to determine fat and starch content. They rub jam, peanut butter, bananas, and other foods in a small circle on a piece of paper, and observe the results. If there is a high fat content in the...
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The Photoelectric Effect
After some online instruction, chemistry aces use their creative abilities to produce a poster describing the photoelectric effect and one type of imaging technology that uses electromagnetic radiation. This simple, straightforward...
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Science-Unit on Matter-Gases
First graders understand that gases take up space even though you can't see or smell it. This is done through many experiments like trapping air in different sized bags, using balloons and plastic bottles, and blowing bubbles. They...
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Water & Ice
Learners investigate the properties of water. In this states of water lesson, students explore how water goes from liquid to solid and back to liquid again. Learners use measurement, observation, and communication to describe the change.
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Liquids in Bottles
Students investigate different liquids to develop their concept of a liquid. They work at a center to tip, swirl, shake, roll, and otherwise investigate seven liquids in small, clear plastic bottles: plain water, corn syrup, liquid...
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Chemical Changes
Eighth graders observe two types of interactions in a sealed plastic bag. One bag contains baking soda and water, and the other baking soda and vinegar. They determine what evidence indicates that a chemical change is occurring.
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Ready, Set, Let's Dough! It's A Matter Of System
Students discover that everyday substances are composed of parts that make a unique whole. Thsy examine a complex system when they create their own play dough by taking several parts and creating a whole.
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A Model of a Scanning Tunneling Microscope
Ninth graders explain how a scanning tunneling microscope works. In this chemistry lesson, 9th graders construct atomic models and simulate how their images appear under the STM. They discuss the limitations of their atomic model.
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Temperature and Enzymes
Students compare the times it takes the milk in each of two cups to curdle. They are told that an enzyme that is added to the milk, rennin, is involved in the natural curdling process of milk. Students are asked to consider what...
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Rate of Solvation
High schoolers test factors that may affect the rate at which sugar dissolve in water. They conduct two studies: One is to test the effect of temperature on the rate of solvation and the other is to test a factor which Students come up...
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pH and Red Cabbage Juice
Students review properties of materials and define what pH tells them about matter. In this pH levels lesson, students determine whether materials are acids or bases using indicator substances.
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Anatomy of an Element
Learners discuss matter and atoms using this resource. First, they look at a website describing atoms. Then, they learn about the periodic table and discuss how it is organized. Finally, they create a comic strip to display their...
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Sometimes, solid + liquid = gas
Third graders experiment with common household liquids and solids. In this chemical reaction lesson plan, 3rd graders discuss phase changes and experiment to find other ways to create gases. They use water, vinegar, lemon juice, flour,...
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Vectors: Follow That Arrow
Vectors and their connection to motion. A video will be presented to provide information for the class to use methods of solving vectors with and without grids. Real-world physical concepts will be explored in reference to vectors.
Illustrative Mathematics
Rectangle Perimeter 3
This activity looks at writing expressions to represent perimeter of a rectangle and then considers the concept of equivalent expressions and the distributive property in more detail.
University of Minnesota
The Ladder of Torture
The awful practice of torture is the focus of this sociology lesson. Young scholars examine their own personal values regarding torture. They participate in a class discussion that considers the moral issues surrounding the use of...
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Math: Matching Rods and Religion
Math and religious studies are integrated together using using cuisenaire rods and Kid Pix for this problem-solving exercise. In pairs, they match different colored rods to represent various groups of people. Meanwhile, students at...
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Periodic Table of the Elements
First graders discuss, at their level, the concept of elements making up all matter. They discover the story of Dimitri Mendeleev and his discovery of the Periodic Table of the Elements. They locate and color some of the most common...
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Sound
Third graders explore sound. They describe sounds in terms of their properties and explain how sounds are made. Students discuss how various sounds sound to their ears and how sound travels in waves.
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Ice Cream
Open this instructional activity by giving a brief history of ice cream. Using liquid nitrogen to lower the temperature, preteens make their own confection. The accompanying activity sheet queries learners about freezing point, the...
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Temperature Changes Everything
Middle school chemists visit interactive websites in order to discover what happens to molecular motion when heat is added to matter. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the expansion of matter with the addition of heat. A lab...