In this activity, students will learn more about plants by making plaster casts of tree barks to conduct observations of the bark and use the bark patterns to classify and identify trees.
Students are introduced to the concept of electricity through hands-on investigation of how circuits work. Students will construct a simple circuit and record their experiences in their science journal. Note: Circuit kits (one per individual/group) will need to be prepared ahead of time. Kits are to include 1 C-cell battery, 2 insulated copper wires, 1 battery holder, 2 brass battery clips, 1 small flashlight bulb, and 1 socket.
The student will use purple cabbage indicator to test five know substances for acidic/alkaline balance. The student will discuss the safety precautions required both inside and outside a lab in handling acids and bases.
In this lesson, students learn that plants need sunlight and make observations of what happens when they do not receive the sunlight they need.
Through this series of simple activities, students will be able to identify the different types of erosion, the effect of ice on land, the effect of wind on land, and the effect of water on landforms.
In this activity, students investigate how light moves through or bounces off different materials in different ways.
In this lesson, students will sprinkle coarse salt on a piece of ice and make observations as it melts. They will also make homemade ice cream. They will then use their observations to discuss heat energy and chemical reactions.
The purpose of this activity is to introduce students to a basic property of light and how we use this property in our everyday lives. Students will make a pinhole camera to investigate how light travels in straight lines.
Students will observe and record the behavior of crickets. They will watch closely as the animal moves around in its container (empty, with shelter present, with food present). They will graph results after data collection is complete.
Through this activity students will understand how metamorphic rocks are formed through heat and pressure. Teachers will model this process by making pancakes on a hot griddle. Additional ingredients (acting as other rock types) can be added.
In this activity, students will observe marbles rolling down a ramp and identify variables that could cause the marble to roll faster or farther. They will then design a procedure to test how the height of the ramp affects the motion of the marble and collect, record, and analyze data.
In this activity, students will predict what will happen when two solutions are combined, and make observations about the properties of the new substance. Note: The teacher prepares the solution prior to the activity.
In this set of activities, students will study the six basic simple machines and how they work. In the first activity, students will dissect a small broken toy or appliance, identifying each simple machine they discover. In the second activity, students will examine Rube Goldberg's drawings. Then, in the third culminating activity, students will create their own compound machine.
This lesson is designed to explore different aspects of solar energy. The students have already been exposed to various forms of alternate energy sources and the reasons for their use. The students will build a solar hot box in order to test various colors and materials to find the maximum temperature that can be reached.
In this lesson, students investigate how force produces vibrations and how different kinds of vibrations produce a variety of sounds by designing and creating a drum.
In this lesson, students investigate sound energy and learn about the relationship between audability and frequency. Students will design and create a guitar from simple materials.
Through this series of simple hands-on activities, students will develop a basic understanding of the physical properties of waves. They will investigate and identify the "crest" and "trough" of sound, water, and light waves.
Students will investigate constructive and destructive interference by observing the light patterns on the surface of soap bubbles.
In this lesson, students will observe water in different forms as the teacher performs demonstrations of melting, evaporation, and boiling. Students will record their observations in their science journals.