In this lesson, students collect 3 samples of soil from different outdoor locations, recording observations and questions about each location in their science notebooks. On the second day of the investigation, students will work in collaborative groups to investigate the soil using hand lenses, sifters/strainers, and sorting pans. Then students will share what they have learned with their peers.

This brief video describes the laws that govern gas properties (Boyle's Law, Charles' Law, and Avogadro's Law). Assessments for the student to complete after viewing the video and suggested supplemental resources are also included.

Students learn about material properties, and that engineers must consider many different materials properties when designing. This activity focuses on strength-to-weight ratios and how sometimes the strongest material is not always the best material.

In this lesson, students investigate the chemical and physical changes that occur in matter by participating in activities involving dry ice and root beer. Students will first explore release of carbon dioxide from carbonated beverages. Students will then view several teacher-led experiments with dry ice to demonstrate the sublimation process, including the production of root beer. In the final part of the lesson, students will create their own root beer, using multiple recipes, and compare and contrast their products. Associated resources include student worksheets, root beer recipes, and supplemental reading texts.

In this activity students will investigate how different materials are changed when heated or cooled. Students will choose from a variety of materials and devise a method of data collection.

Both suggested learning activities in this lesson will help students understand the relationship between the weight of reactants and the weight of the products involved in chemical reactions. In the first activity students will combine borax and glue, and in the second activity they will combine vinegar and cream.

In this lab activity, students will investigate the characteristics of a chemical change. Students will also provide a definition of what constitutes a physical change through observation of several examples. Students will develop (through discussion) and use the criteria for identifying a chemical change. Several examples of a chemical change will also be observed for students to compare to physical changes. The students will use the five characteristics of chemical change to determine/judge whether or not baking soda, citric acid and water creates a chemical change. Students will write down observations of the reaction and use the five characteristics to explain why it is in fact a chemical reaction (The five characteristics will be listed for use).

This article discusses geologic misconceptions held by teachers and students and provides resources for formative assessment and teaching correct concepts.

In this activity, students use diapers to investigate physical change. They observe what happens when water is added to the absorbent crystals found in the diaper. Students then design and carry out an additional investigation and complete a detailed write-up of the investigation.

Students will explore solids, liquids, and gases and record their observations and experiences in science notebooks.

In this lesson, students will explore angles, rays, line segments, perpendicular lines, parallel lines, and two-dimensional figures through the use of the book “Shape Up! Fun with Triangles and Other Polygons” by David A. Adler. They will also classify quadrilaterals through an interactive website.

This expository article, written for students in grades 4-5, explains why ice floats and how this is essential to life on earth. Modified versions are available for younger students.

In this classroom activity, students will show how soil composition affects the amount of water the soil holds. They will test sand and topsoil independently and then create their own mixture.

This activity is a guided inquiry investigation where students gather data on which soil is the best for growing plants. Student will interpret their data, and develop a conclusion from the data. The student will determine which type of soil they would like to use in the next activity of making their own terrariums. The data collected could lead to further questions, which can be investigated in some extension activities.

In this activity, students complete a series of simple tests using five powders to explore chemical and physical properties, changes, and reactions.

After a brief history of plastics, students look more closely as some examples from the abundant types of plastics found in our day-to-day lives. They are introduced to the mechanical properties of plastics, including their stress-strain relationships, which determine their suitability for different industrial and product applications. These physical properties enable plastics to be fabricated into a wide range of products. Students learn about the different roles that plastics play in our lives, Young's modulus, and the effects that plastics have on our environment. Then students act as industrial engineers, conducting tests to compare different plastics and performing a cost-benefit analysis to determine which are the most cost-effective for a given application, based on their costs and measured physical properties.

Students create a Hierarchy Diagram using several terms related to two-dimensional figures. They are to cut out the diagram, place them in the appropriate section and list the properties specific to each quadrilateral.

In this interactive math game, students will find the different type of quadrilaterals for each level of play. They will find quadrilaterals, parallelograms, square, rectangles, rhombus, and trapezoids.

This resource is from Tools4NCTeachers.  In this lesson, students explore 3D shapes, such as rectangular prisms and cubes. The students will identify the attributes for each 3D shape and build shapes using sticks, marshmallows, and other materials.  Pictures of sample student work and printable recording sheets are provided within this lesson.

This resource is part of Tools4NCTeachers.

After reading the story, The Silly Story of Goldilocks and the Three Squares, students identify and describe shapes in a variety of orientations.

Remix this lesson to your your extension ideas!