Curated OER
Celery Lab
How do sugar and salt affect celery's mass, width, and flexibility? Using simple household ingredients, young scientists will perform a controlled experiment to find out. The lab is scaffolded through a worksheet, but there are no other...
BW Walch
Creating and Graphing Exponential Equations
Frequently found in biology and economic application problems, exponential equations show up as stars in this introductory presentation. Taking no background or knowledge of exponentials for granted, the slides walk learners...
Shodor Education Foundation
Scatter Plot
What is the relationship between two variables? Groups work together to gather data on arm spans and height. Using the interactive, learners plot the bivariate data, labeling the axes and the graph. The resource allows scholars to create...
CK-12 Foundation
Stow Lake
Does the depth of a pond matter to the waves created when rain is falling? Many people assume the answer is no, but interestingly, it does matter. Pupils explore this concept and other variables related to wave behavior through a...
Curated OER
Balancing The Day Away In Grade 2
Second graders sped the day exploring about balance by playing with and making balancing toys. They discover how varying the amount and position of mass affects the toys' balance. Pupils explore gravity and balance while playing with the...
Curated OER
Plants in Your Gas Tank: From Photosynthesis to Ethanol
Explore ethanol and how it is produced. Young scientists investigate photosynthesis and fermentation to the concept of conservation of energy and mass. They discuss the environmental and economical benefits of ethanol as a fuel additive.
CK-12 Foundation
Bumper Cars
Is the transfer of energy different in bumper cars with stable versus bouncy bumpers? One of the variables explored in the simulation is bumper type; other variables are the mass and velocity of each car. This allows pupils to see the...
Virginia Department of Education
Weathering of Limestone
We all know limestone weathers, but what affects the rate of weathering? Young scientists investigate the physical and chemical weathering of limestone (chalk) through experimentation. First, they conduct trials with different-size...
Virginia Department of Education
DNA Structure, Nucleic Acids, and Proteins
What is in that double helix? Explain intricate concepts with a variety of creative activities in a lesson plan that incorporates multiple steps to cover DNA structure, nucleic acids, and proteins. Pupils explore the history of DNA...
PBS
Parachute Parade
Sail to the ground with a parachute activity! Kids construct parachutes out of household items and a toy figure, after brainstorming the best way to reduce drag. Once they test their parachutes, they can adjust their projects to...
Magic of Physics
Wave Machine
Three main factors determine the wave height experienced in the ocean. Scholars use a virtual simulator to alter wind speed, fetch, and duration. Each combination creates a unique wave measured in significant height.
Beauty and Joy of Computing
Three Key List Operations
Develop an understanding of the Map, Keep, and Combine operations. The lab leads the class through the exploration of three list operations. Each task contains a self-check to measure scholars' understanding of the operation in the...
National Wildlife Federation
How Do You Feel About Water?
Less than one percent of the water on Earth is usable in people's homes. As pupils consider this fact, they reflect on their own water usage before designing a survey to collect information on water usage by others. They then analyze...
CK-12 Foundation
Sprinter
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...
CK-12 Foundation
Newton's Apple
Scientists state that the higher something is above the earth, the greater the gravitational potential energy. Does this mean there is more gravity acting on the moon than on an apple falling from a tree? Scholars adjust the distance...
Science Matters
Motors
It's time to get moving! The 13th lesson plan in a 14-part unit on electricity and magnetism explores the relationship between electricity and mechanical energy. Budding scientists build motors and experiment with different...
PHET
Geometric Optics
What would happen if your entire world was flipped upside down? In addition to changing the distance and size of an object, lenses flip the image upside down. The simulation allows scholars to vary the object, move the object, move the...
CK-12 Foundation
Bow and Arrow
Where does the energy of an arrow come from? Is it from the person, the bow, or somewhere else? A simulation allows scholars to adjust the stretch distance and the elastic constant in order to understand where the energy comes from, what...
CK-12 Foundation
Galvanometer
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...
Concord Consortium
Concentrating Charge and Electric Fields
How did Rutherford determine that the nucleus was the center of an atom? Take a look inside the famous Gold Foil Experiment with an interesting interactive. Learners fire a beam of alpha particles at a nucleus containing variable...
Chemistry Collective
Chemical Potential: Staircase Demonstration
It's all uphill from here! Scholars examine the pattern of random particle motion up a staircase. The simulation shows how the linear increase in energy corresponds to an exponential decrease in particle concentration.
Curated OER
Popcorn Science
Students identify and apply the scientific method through an experiment with popcorn. Then they identify what independent, dependent, and control variables are and create a list of different variables that affect popcorn popping....
Curated OER
The Way Science Works
In this science experiments and measurements instructional activity, students answer 6 questions about experimenting, SI units, and conversions. They convert 6 measurements from one metric unit to another.
Curated OER
Aquatic Science and IPC
Students explain the importance of water in our daily lives. In this aquatic science lesson, students identify different ways to purify water and make it potable. They design and construct a water filter based on researched information.