Classroom Activities
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Determining Charge with an Electroscope Determine the polarity of materials charged with static electricity by using an electroscope. View »
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Electricity and Magnetism Electricity and magnetism are mentioned together so often they must be related. How are they connected? How can their relationship be used to make beneficial technology? Here’s a quick lab activity that can help your students find the answers to these questions. View »
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Simplifying Circuits In this activity, students build and test various circuits while investigating how electric circuits work. View »
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Solar Cell Misconceptions All of your students have seen photovoltaic solar cells used in a variety of ways; however, students may have misconceptions in understanding what influences solar cell output. This activity sets the record straight and explores how ambient temperature and the angle of illumination can affect solar cell output in volts. View »
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Volcano in the Classroom Here’s a safe, easy, and vivid interpretation of a classic activity that won’t break the budget. All you’ll need are a few common items—a beaker, sand, water, a candle, and a hot plate. View »
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Invasion! Invasion! Engage life science students by investigating a fascinating topic: invasive species. Here’s a lesson plan outline to help you get started. Based on the KWL chart, it guides you through 4 days of invasive species activities that introduce the topic, guide research, and culminate in a research project. View »
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The Triboelectric Series: An Introduction for Static Electricity Labs A reference for static electricity labs View »
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Sticky-Tape Electroscope Most everyone has seen static electricity in action. Your unit on electricity probably includes 1 or 2 demos of it. Do more with your next lesson on static electricity by making it a lesson on the scientific method, using this easy, inexpensive activity. View »
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What Makes You Shine? Your students will love making light-up name badges and sharing something special about themselves with this activity. Perfect as both an icebreaker and introduction to simple circuits, it’s one for the win. View »
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A Powerful Approach to Flipped Learning What do you get when you merge the effectiveness of flipped learning with the meaningful experiences and critical thinking supported by inquiry? Engaged students, and lessons that get results. See how science teacher Brian Bennett combines the flipped learning and inquiry methods for impactful learning. View »
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Ballistics: Student Investigation Sheet How do holes left by projectiles help forensic investigators? This activity asks students to calculate the angle of incidence of several perforations. View »
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Bloodstain Analysis: Student Investigation Sheet Like other physical evidence, blood often links a scene, perpetrator, and victim. This activity describes how to determine the angle of incidence of a blood drop. View »
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Five Photography Terms Every Arson and Crime Scene Photographer Should Know Despite its advantages, photography remains the least understood and developed skill for arson and crime scene investigators. Learn about key terms and techniques and try a fingerprint distortion activity. View »
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Making Algae Beads In this activity students create spheres of green algae for use in experiments that explore the metabolic processes of plants. Includes a materials list and step-by-step instructions. View »
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One in a Million: Using Serial Dilutions to Understand Concentration In this activity, students will learn about concentration while performing a serial dilution. View »
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In a Fog? Cloud Formation Use this activity to explore the reasons for cloud formation. View »
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Making a Scientific Claim: Ocean Acidification Students can use this graphic organizer to write an argument for decreasing atmospheric CO2. View »
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Making and Evaluating a Scientific Claim Students can use these 2 graphic organizers to make and evaluate scientific claims. View »
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Analyzing and Evaluating Data: Engaging in Argument from Evidence Cover best practices for engaging in scientific argumentation with this resource. Includes links to relevant graphic organizers. View »
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Water Quality Awareness Use this engaging activity to increase student awareness of the current state of global water quality and availability. View »
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Maggot Michelangelos: Using Artwork to Gain Behavioral Insight In this activity, students use house fly larvae to answer morphological and behavioral questions—all while creating unique artwork! Students create and test hypotheses, and learn about the complete metamorphosis life cycle. View »