Cornell University
Bacteria Take Over and Down
Bacteria outnumber all other forms of life on Earth. Scholars observe the growth of bacteria in petri dishes to understand their role in maintaining good health. Then, they observe the growth of bacteria after they introduce...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Mixtures and Nanotechnology
What does size have to do with it? Learners analyze different mixtures, both homogeneous and heterogeneous, to discover the properties related to the size of their particles. The activity connects these properties to those of...
University of Colorado
Terra Bagga
Earth's magnetic poles switch positions about every 200,000—300,000 years. In the activity, groups create a planet with a magnetic field. Once made, they use a magnetometer to determine the orientation of the planet's magnetic field....
University of Colorado
Terra Bagga
One way to identify possible volcanic activity on other planets is by testing the planet for magnetism. A science lesson plan begins with pupils constructing their own planet from a dead battery, magnets, paper, and tape before...
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...
Curated OER
Physical or Chemical- That is the Question!
Learners observe the differences between physical and chemical changes in properties. Through the use of an interactive presentation, the students compare and contrast the changes and provide supporting examples of each type of change.
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
Ecosystems
Explore the Earth's different ecosystems through four lessons, an assessment, and extension activities. Lessons include informative text and step-by-step instructions to apply knowledge in interactive, and thought provoking ways; such as...
Cave Creek Unified School District
Crusades and Culture in the Middle Ages
The Crusades sounds like a glamorous time period in the Middle Ages full of glory—but was it? Scholars find and review the truth of the Crusades' influence on the world through the resource. The study guides, separated individually by...
Cornell University
Non-Newtonian Fluids—How Slow Can You Go?
Children enjoy playing with silly putty, but it provides more than just fun. Young scientists make their own silly putty using different recipes. After a bit of fun, they test and graph the viscosity of each.
Curated OER
Melt the Ice
Students examine and discuss how water changes from a liquid to a solid to a gas. They explore this concept by having an ice cube race, competing to see which group can change the solid water back into liquid water first.
Curated OER
Net "Working"
Upper elementary and middle schoolers explore the properties of various polygons. They use video, resource links, and engage in hands-on activities in order to construct geometric nets. This fine plan should lead to increased...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Discovering Dinosaurs
Students investigate the physical characteristics of dinosaurs. They participate in a puppet show, take a field trip to a dinosaur museum, and compare/contrast dinosaur characteristics at the museum.
Curated OER
Using a Spreadsheet to Understand Density
Learners use density to identify what metal a gold colored weight is made of. They use a spreadsheet to graph the experimental density of common metals and compare the know densities to their calculated density of the known metal.
Curated OER
The Effects of Temperature on Chemical Mixtures
Students explore chemical cahnges and the effect of temperature on chemical mixturees, They make observations of the behavior and appearance of certain chemical mixtures and reactions.
Curated OER
Materials And Their Properties
Seventh graders investigate the particulate level of solids, liquids, and gases. They examine how the particle method show the interplay between scientific theories and evidence.
Curated OER
A Fraction of the Possibilities
Learners review the conversion of fractions to decimals, develop strategies to compare fractions perform complex calculations using ratio techniques similar to the construction of fractions.
Curated OER
Jeopardy 8th Grade (Science)
There are so many topics touched upon in this Jeopardy-style science game, that it is difficult to classify! The categories include electricity, matter, ecology, earth and space, and scientific investigation. This would best be used at...
Study Stack
Earth Science Crossword Puzzle
In this online interactive anatomy crossword puzzle activity, students use the 8 clues to find the appropriate answers to complete the word puzzle.
It's About Time
Elements and Compounds
Young scientists use electrolysis to separate water into its elements before experimenting with fire to learn about their properties. A helpful resource provides a reading passage and analysis questions.
Cornell University
Sound Waves
How does sound travel through different mediums? Scholars explore this question by creating and observing sound waves as they learn the difference between transverse and longitudinal wave motion. Using their new knowledge, class members...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Solid State
Crystal comes from a Greek word meaning ice. Activity eight in a series of 36 has class members analyzing amorphous and crystalline solids and further classifying them based on their forces. They then explore solids, learning about unit...
NASA
The Invisible Sun: How Hot Is It?
It's getting hot in here! The first in a series of six lessons has learners model nuclear fusion with a simple lab investigation. Groups collect data and analyze results, comparing their models to the actual process along the way.
EngageNY
Least Common Multiple and Greatest Common Factor
Find the common denominator between prime factors, factor trees, and the distributive property. Scholars learn to find the least common multiple and greatest common factor of pairs of numbers. They rotate through stations to connect...