Carnegie Mellon University
Bathtub Model
Using a colorful infographic handout and a guide sheet, hold a class discussion about how a bathtub can serve as a model for the greenhouse effect created by Earth's atmosphere. Participants will understand that as energy or matter is...
Curated OER
Marble Madness
Students determine the velocity of a marble rolling down the incline. In this physics instructional activity, students identify the independent and dependent variables in the experiment. They construct and analyze a graph.
Curated OER
Momentum Conserved
Students explore Newton's Laws of Motion and how momentum is conserved. In this physics activity, students observe experiments in which various items collide. Students draw conclusions as to how "momentum" defined as "mass X velocity"...
Curated OER
Acceleration 1
In this acceleration worksheet, students use weights to increase the mass affecting the force on moving objects. Students plot a graph of their data and answer 3 questions about how the acceleration of the toy skateboard used in the...
Curated OER
Carbon Monoxide and Population Density
Tenth graders investigate the carbon monoxide level at a fixed latitude to determine if there is a relationship to population density. They download data sets and generate a graph, and find locations using the Earth's coordinate system....
Curated OER
MAKE IT FLY
Students utilize the process of scientific inquiry and technological design to explain thrust, weight, lift and drag in flight. They design an "airplane" to test the "mechanics" of flight. In addition, they brainstorm and sketch a design...
Curated OER
The Earth around Us: Air, Water & Soil
Students recognize that science is everywhere. In this scientific method lesson, students experiment with height and record their experiment using the scientific method. Students must identify each step of the...
Curated OER
Moving Bodies
In this moving bodies worksheet, students investigate how the amount of mass of a body in motion affects its tendency to remain in motion. Students use a meter stick as a ramp, marbles, string and a wooden block to determine how far a...
Curated OER
Designing a Germination Experiment
Students explore botany by participating in a seed experiment. In this plant nutrition lesson, students define several science experiment vocabulary terms like observation, treatment, and replicate. Students utilize soaked seeds in a...
Curated OER
Paper Towel Testing
Students discuss whether there are variations in absorbency and wet strength amount different brands of paper towels. They compare advertising claims and personal preferences and perform tests to reach a conclusion of which brand is the...
Curated OER
Curds and Whey
In this chemical reaction worksheet, learners investigate the reaction that makes curds and whey. They mix milk and vinegar and run it through cheesecloth to collect the solid. Students make observations, read about curds and whey, and...
Curated OER
Gas Laws
Students perform a series of experiments on gas laws. For this chemistry lesson, students analyze the relationship between temperature, volume and pressure. They create a poster summarizing all the gas laws.
Curated OER
Dirty Decomposers
Students explore the ecosystem by conducting a ziploc bag experiment. In this recycling lesson, students identify decomposer organisms in our environment and how they speed up the recycling process. Students utilize a ziploc plastic bag,...
Curated OER
Calculating Speed
Fourth graders complete an experiment on calculating speed. In this speed calculation lesson students complete an activity in which they have dominoes fall as slow as possible.
Curated OER
Evaporation Marathon
Students review the steps of the scientific method and participate in a three day experiment. They observe water evaporation over time.
Curated OER
The Nature and Science of Technology
Fifth graders practice using the scientific method by observing and creating mold. In this bacteria instructional activity, 5th graders experiment creating their own mold and fungus using petri dishes and oatmeal. Students...
Curated OER
Comparing Volumes
Young scholars conduct experiments to discover the various ratios of oil to popcorn kernels. They determine which amount of oil produced the most popped kernels.
NASA
Newton Car
If a car gets heavier, it goes farther? By running an activity several times, teams experience Newton's Second Law of Motion. The teams vary the amount of weight they catapult off a wooden block car and record the distance the...
Cornell University
Casting
Don't cast a great hands-on resource aside! Scholars learn about the process of casting by actually trying out an example. Plaster of Paris and cookie cutter molds help them complete the activity.
Serendip
Evolution and Adaptations
Survival of the fittest isn't just for the movies! A five-part lesson plan explores several different species with known adaptations and analyzes them for their survival strategies. Using both video and research data, scholars draw...
LABScI
Conservation of Momentum: Marble Collisions
What happens to the momentum of an object when it strikes another object? Scholars roll a marble down a ramp so it collides with another marble. By measuring the speed of each marble before and after the collision, pupils answer this...
Bonneville
Compost Bioreactor Design
Organic waste is a hot topic. The second of three installments in the Bioreactor Water Heating unit challenges pupils to create bioreactors that collect energy released from compost. After watching videos on the properties of water and...
American Chemical Society
Using Dissolving to Identify an Unknown
There is a solvent called aqua regis that can dissolve gold! After observing a solubility demonstration, groups receive four known crystals and one unknown. Based on the demo, they design an experiment to determine the identity of the...
Curated OER
Using Vegetation, Precipitation, and Surface Temperature to Study Climate Zones
Using NASA's Live Access Server, earth scientists compare the temperature, precipitation, and normalized difference vegetation index for four different locations. They use the data to identify the climate zone of each location using...