Watch the excitement grow as learners experiment with homemade rockets. Pupils create their own rockets from a soda bottle and experiment with launch angles. They discover the launch angle has a significant effect on the distance the...

Help your class come up with a procedure for comparing the dissolving rates of colored candy coating in different temperatures of water. If you are placing importance on controlled variables with your class, make sure that they use equal...

Solidify understanding of the properties of crystals by crushing them to compare hardness. After some class discussion, a procedure is planned, and then small groups go about making observations as they crush five different crystal...

How high did the ball go? Engineering teams build a working pneumatic system that launches a ball into the air. The teams vary the amount of pressure and determine the accompanying height of the ball. An extension of building a device to...

Second graders perform a variety of experiments to observe, form conclusions, and make inferences.  For this experiment lesson, 2nd graders experiment based on the result of a pre-assessment. Students share what they have learned.

Students are introduced to the concept of acids and bases and arouse curiosity about acids and bases in daily life. They are introduced to the measurement of soil pH. Pupils are introduced to the effect of soil pH on nutrient cycling...

Tenth graders explore the relationship between color and heat absorption by measuring the temperature change of water in differently colored test tubes as they are exposed to a heat lamp. They work in small groups to collect data and...

Students study the role of controls. They discuss variables and list conditions, that if not kept the same for both flasks, could effect the outcome of the experiment. They come up with most of the following: Amount and temperature of...

Change one variable and try again. Teams build basic balsa gliders and collect data on their flight distances and times. Through collaboration, the team decides on two modifications to make to the basic design and collect data for the...

How much does your class know about psychology? What about empirical evidence? If they could use some time to learn the essentials of psychology, use a quick reference sheet to note what they know before the test, after the unit, and at...

How does electricity travel through power lines? The simulation demonstrates the how changes in voltage and resistance are related to the distance between power polls and the thickness of the cable. Scholars control three variables in...

How does the dirt get out of your drinking water? A hands-on activity introduces the use of flocculants to help clear solid particles out of water. The plan walks learners through the process of setting up an experiment that...

You might not be able to learn through osmosis, but you sure can observe it! Scholars observe and measure osmosis using chicken eggs. They control for multiple variables to determine which variables have an impact and how the impact...

Why do sprinters wear spiked shoes? Scholars explore various styles of shoes and how they handle forces when running. Scholars adjust variables including shoe type, horizontal force, surface type, and normal force to determine which...

Fire in the hole! Thrill your classes as they see what it's like to fire a cannon ball. Scholars practice aiming a cannon ball by altering first the firing angle, then the velocity, and finally both simultaneously. Can they discover the...

How many of your pupils play an instrument? A musical science lesson will help all of them understand how string instruments work. Young scientists construct a string-and-pulley system to test frequency and pitch. The lesson...

Knowing the temperature coefficient allows for the calculation of voltage output at any temperature. Groups conduct an experiment to determine the effects of temperature on the power output of a solar panel. The teams alter the...

Isn't building with blocks an activity for toddlers? The third lab of a five-part unit teaches young computer scientists how to create their own block instructions for programming. They use these blocks to create geometric figures, spell...

Japan is one of only a handful of countries that constructs buildings that are almost earthquake proof. The 13th lesson in the 20-part series challenges scholars to build structures to test against earthquakes. With limited materials and...

In 1820, Hans Christian Orstead discovered the link between electricity and magnetism, which allows us to measure current and voltage. The simulation allows scholars to observe the inner workings of an ammeter and voltmeter as they...

Sugar isn't good for you, but it's great for yeast! Scholars design an experiment to investigate how variables affect the rate of sugar consumption in yeast. The last installment of a nine-part Life Science unit considers how scientists...

As an introduction to the hypothesis and testing method of investigation, young history detectives engage in a special investigation of a family artifact. After watching a short video that demonstrates the method, they develop a...

Following detailed directions, teams collect the voltage and current outputs of a photovoltaic cell by adjusting the resistance. Using the collected data, they determine the highest power output. Implications for weather and a large...

Watch as your class makes the transition from pupils to researchers! A well-designed lesson has scholars pick a solar wind characteristic to research. They then collect and analyze official data from the LANL website. This is the...