Chelle's Corner

In this lab, students will roll a car with a piece of clay on top, down a ramp and into a roadblock. When the car hits the roadblock, students will observe that the clay demonstrates inertia because it flies off the car and wants to keep going. Then, students will test different heights of the ramp to see how this affects the clay’s inertia and distance. Finally, students will use their knowledge of inertia to explain why we should wear seat belts in our car.

In this lab, students will test the misconception that bigger objects fall faster. Students will test the gravity of three different objects by dropping two balls at the same time (tennis ball, golf ball, and marble) from the same height. Then, they will observe which ball hits the ground first. At the end of the lab, students conclude that the balls hit the ground at the same time because Earth's gravity is pulling them down.

In this lab, students will discover how shadows change throughout the day by modeling the apparent movement of the sun with a flashlight. Students will put the flashlight to model sunrise, noon, and sunset. For each time, they will trace the shadow of the animal figure. Through this process, students will discover that shadows are longer at sunrise and sunset, and shorter at noon. They will also discover that the shadow changes direction throughout the day. Materials: animal toy, flashlight, wh

In this lab, students work through 10 different stations to review how light travels (reflect, refract, transmit, and absorb). In my class, I set up 2-3 sets of each station, and students just moved as they finished the station. I made myself mostly available at station one and station seven, since these are a little more difficult. Sometimes if supplies are lacking, we would do a station as a whole group lesson.

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) is a great way to help students write scientific explanations. In these warm ups, students learn the process of CER without using science content. In my class, we used this warm up to model what is expected in each section. These warm ups could last two weeks, with the students completing one section each day. On the last day, students complete an entire CER so you can evaluate their understanding.

In this activity, students use a marble, golf ball, and tennis ball to determine if heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects. First, students find the mass of each ball. Next, students hold the ball at the top of the meter stick and time how long it takes the ball to hit the ground. After testing all three balls multiple times, students will conclude that all of the balls fall at the same rate because they all have the same gravity. As an extension, students explain why this experiment

In this activity, students will sort cards into reflect, refract, transmit, and absorb definitions, diagrams, and examples. Before class print the cards on card stock, cut them out, and rubber band the sets together. I keep the sets to reuse over and over. I often use this activity as a warm up or review at the beginning of class. I keep several answer keys, so students that finish quickly become expert checkers. With the help of student checkers, this activity can easily be finished in five m

In this lab, students will learn how to determine if a substance is soluble or insoluble. This is a great introductory lab for the physical property of solubility. It includes easy to find materials, and could be done in small group, independently, or with partners.

In this lab, students will first model how erosion on a beach can wash away the sand and ultimately a home. Next, students will discover three ways that erosion can be slowed and the house can be saved. I do this lab as a whole group model, but I have also included a lab sheet that students could use for an independent teach.

In this lab, students will create different landforms and discover how they are changed through different forces of erosion. I use this as a whole group lab, and we talk about what we could use to model wind, rain, and a river. This lab could easily be adapted to small group or independent. I have included two different formats. The first works better with a whole group, and the second works better with small groups or independent learning. Materials: Fan, sand, safety goggles, eyedropper, wa

Students sort cards into inherited traits/instincts and learned behaviors. Before class, cut out each card and rubber band them together. I like to print the cards on card stock and use them over and over. I often use this activity as a warm up or review at the beginning of class. I keep several answer keys, so students that finish quickly become expert checkers. With the help of the expert checkers, this activity can easily be finished in five minutes for the whole group. I also pull these car

In this lab, students will adjust the height of a ramp (created from textbooks and a paper towel tube) to see how a marble and a cup’s kinetic and potential energy change.

In this lab, students will test different items to find out if they reflect light. Through discovery learning, students will conclude that shiny flat items reflect light best. I have included a blank lab sheet where you can write in your own materials. I have also included a lab sheet with the materials I had my students test. In my class, I have completed this lab in small groups, as partners, and in a station. Be sure to remind students to shine the laser down at the item, then look at the

Using this powerpoint, students are introduced to finding volume using a graduated cylinder. Students will discover how to find the volume of different objects through scaffolded learning. As they watch the powerpoint, they will work through a handout and several examples that eventually leads them to a lab where they find the volume of different objects. I used this lesson in a small group setting, but it would also work great for individuals or a whole group lesson.

In this activity, students sort item cards into conductors and insulators of electricity. In my class, I print the cards onto card stock so I can reuse them every year. I like to use this activity after a conductor/insulator lab to help solidify their knowledge. This also helps students realize that conductors are made of models. When I use this activity as a whole group, I will choose several students (the students that finish first) to be expert checkers. This helps free me up to help strugg

In this lab, students will begin by defining solids, liquids, and gasses. Then, they will work with a calculator, colored water, and a balloon to discover the volume and shape for each state. By the end, students will create a new definition of solid, liquid, and gas. The new definition will focus on the shape and volume of each state.

In this lab, students will be investigating different materials to find out which material is the best thermal insulator. First, students measure the length of three ice cubes. Then, they place each ice cube in a different cup for twenty minutes. Next, they record the size of each ice cube. Then, they place the ice cubes back in the cups and wait another twenty minutes. They record the size once again. Finally, students graph their results to determine which material is the best thermal insulato

As a final project, students will write an essay analyzing how traits are passed down from an adult dog to the pup. They will also write about three instincts of the dogs and three learned behaviors. I have included a writing prompt, grading rubric, and a writing example.

In this activity, students will answer a writing prompt about the significance of the carbon cycle. Students will sequence the steps in the carbon cycle, identify why the cycle is important, describe what would happen if we had to much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and explain how we can prevent this from happening. I have included the writing prompt, and example of a writing, and a grading rubric.

In this lab, students use triple beam balances and pan balances to find the mass of everyday items and items found easily in an elementary science lab. I have my students work with a partner, but this could also be done independently. Then, students create a letter explaining how to use a balance.