content areas
science lessons
Here are the TEN most recent Science Lessons that have been submitted.
For customized results, please use the Lesson Search tools.
Diffusion with Gummy Bears
Diffusion is the movement of materials from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. This is generally a difficult concept to see as it happens on the molecular level. After learning the terminology for cell transport students can then apply the content knowledge to how polymers such as gummy bears interact with solutions. In this lab, students will measure the movement of water by measuring the change in size of a gummy bear.All About Shadows
In this unit, students will learn what the three things necessary to produce a shadow are, how the Sun's position in the sky changes the length and positions of shadows, and be able to describe the changes in length and position of shadows from morning to midday to afternoon.DNA + d'fusion = d'Protein
Students will extract DNA from a living organism and create a chemical reaction through a “solid” object within this unit. Through these activities, students will master the concepts of DNA, how this chemical transfers messages through membranes of the cell, and how this message is translated into the creation of protein.Measuring The Velocity of Sound
This lesson is used at the beginning of my unit on sound. The students need to have previous knowledge of percent error calculations, data collection, and data organization. I intentionally do not give them very much help with the first lab because I want them to anticipate problems in their experimental design. I also do not make their grade contingent on how well their conclusion agrees with the accepted value because the point of the exercise is to anticipate problems, analyze data, and reflect on the success or lack thereof of their plan. I tell the students they will work in groups of 2 to 3 to design and execute a plan to measure the velocity of sound. We have a brief discussion about why it is difficult to measure and how they can minimize error. It may help to compare how difficult they think it would be to measure the velocity of light compared to the velocity of sound. Do light and sound obey distance equals rate times time? They are welcome to use any materials that I have or they can use materials from home. They must design, describe, and illustrate the plan before any experimentation. They must include at least 8 trials in their data. They must also document the temperature. After collecting data, the students cooperatively calculate average velocity, theoretical velocity and percent error. Then they write an error analysis. The second lab is used to present to the students a way to measure velocity of sound using new physics concepts that they are learning with the closed and open pipes. At the end of both labs, we discuss differences they may have found in experimental error between a procedure that they created as opposed to following a provided procedure.Four Fabulous Seasons!
For four sessions students will learn about the "Four Fabulous Seaons!" by traveling to different rooms. Each of the rooms will feature one season. The teacher in each room will facilitate a study of that seaons characteristics, including the average (mean) temperatures, precipation results and clothing options for those seasons.Rocketry - It's a Gas!
Rocketry - It's a Gas! provides an educator with a simplistic view of how volume, temperature and pressure are related to each other. The use of rockets has been chosen to spark interest in students while they pursue the basic concepts of air pressure and fundamental gas laws. This unit has been designed for the middle school student who is preparing for upcoming coursework in algebra and physical science. By understanding the relationship between volume, temperature and pressure without the use of math students will gain a stronger foothold into the importance of mathematics in the support of scientific concepts.The Rock Cycle and Crystal Formation
This unit consists of four lessons beginning with the basics of the rock cycle made into a flow-chart. The second lesson applies the basic information of the rock cycle into a visual display and story, creating a "comic book" type application. The third lesson in the unit concentrates on crystals that can form in nature due to certain sedimentary conditions and is a study of the six main types of crystal lattice systems found in nature. The last lesson in the unit is make up of a lab in which students can "make their own geode" as it would appear in nature in some sedimentary rock (using copper sulfate crystals in egg shells) to mimic a geode. This lab is made up of two versions, one being a longer inquiry lab on crystal growth.The Rock Cycle and Crystal Formation
This unit consists of four lessons beginning with the basics of the rock cycle made into a flow-chart. The second lesson applies the basic information of the rock cycle into a visual display and story, creating a "comic book" type application. The third lesson in the unit concentrates on crystals that can form in nature due to certain sedimentary conditions and is a study of the six main types of crystal lattice systems found in nature. The last lesson in the unit is make up of a lab in which students can "make their own geode" as it would appear in nature in some sedimentary rock (using copper sulfate crystals in egg shells) to mimic a geode. This lab is made up of two versions, one being a longer inquiry lab on crystal growth.The Height of the Soap Bubbles
This inquiry lesson is designed to use as a review of the scienctific method, quantitative and qualitative processes, graphing, and making conclusions.Simple Machines
Overview: Students will build upon their skills in explaining and understanding how simple machines work. Incorporated into these skills will be activities investigating pulleys, inclined planes, and wheel and axle. These activities will explore the following concepts: • Understand how each of these simple machines work. • Understand the mechanical advantage and efficiency of a machine.