GuertinScience

In this activity, students will create a model that simulates the creative and destructive forces that result in seafloor spreading. There are movable tabs that are pulled on the sides that show how these horizontal layers of basalt are created and spread out in opposite directions. Relative ages of rock can be established. Given a scale, absolute ages can also be deduced. Materials needed are just copy paper, a small bit of tape, scissors, and coloring utensils. This activity is more chill than

PurposeIn this activity, students will organize the fossil record of a group of organisms belonging to the Trilobite evolutionary tree. Then students will study the record for patterns that will help explain how the Trilobites evolved over time. DCIMS-LS4-1. Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the

The student will determine the sole beneficiary of the Hawking family fortune by drawing a family pedigree based on 18 clues about the family members and their genetic traits of polydactyly and widow's peaks. Typically lasts two 45-minute class periods and only needs typical classroom materials. My students LOVED this lab. I placed this after our study of DNA, traits, alleles, Punnet Squares, and my Creature Creation Lab (also found in my store). I was able to hear the moment they solved the mys

Fellow Science Teachers, My kids LOVED this activity and I got major props from my department head and principal for the kinds of thinking my kids were doing because of it! In Part 1, students create monsters based on randomly selected sections of DNA. In Part 2, their monsters become parents and they can set up family trees. This starts to demonstrate how 2 offspring of parents can look completely different even though they came from the same parents. In Part 3, students create grandchildren an

In this lab/activity students create a model of the Sun, Earth, and moon to demonstrate what happens during moon phases, eclipses, and time zones. This product includes all hand-drawn templates of the Sun, Earth and moon. This model is not to scale, I have a different lab activity to demonstrate that. Students will be able to study for the included quiz using the models they created. In the video preview, the student accurately showed the positions of the moon around the earth during different p

This product includes student lab directions and a performance assessment rubric connected to MS-PS2-1 (Applying Newton's Third Law to design a solution to a problem involving the motion of two colliding objects). Students roll cars down a ramp into a wooden block. Students then use common classroom materials to design a bumper at attach to the front of the car to make the block go less far. Comparison of bumper designs and group data is essential in this lab. This project includes use of all

Student use the given binary code to shade (or not shade) boxes in the grid. If they do it correctly, it will make a picture! They also have a chance to make their own and convert it to binary code! The last form, Form R, is a bit of a troll. I teach 7th and 8th grade and it takes a LONG time time for them to finish. The image created makes a QR code that takes them to Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" on YouTube. I'm really proud of that one. I tested and re-tested it to make sure it work

As a Science teacher, students work together often in my class and frequently need to be paired up. This strategy provides a drama-free way to have students pair up with someone different almost every time. Three pages containing different formats are included to suit different styles. How To Use: 1. Hand out copies of the worksheet to every student. 2. Have students "make appointments" with each other at certain times and write their buddy's name in the blank for the hour. (Example: Laney and

I have taught middle school general science for 14 years and decided to create a resource that we were missing: a pointed and accurate reference that fully explains each Science and Engineering Practice. If students understood and practiced the skills in all 52 sub-categories, I have great confidence they will do well on the 8th grade NGSS test, not to mention become a more productive critical-thinking citizen. Each lesson is presented in beautiful full-color PDF that can be digitally distribute

In this lab students will play the role of a hunter while simulating the population of peppered moths during the Industrial Revolution through the course of 10 generations. This is an interactive lab where students FEEL the difference camouflage makes in a predator's life as well as what it means for the gene pool of the prey species. There are many activities out there that have student graph double-line graphs and draw conclusions, but this experiment has the students experience the change for

This is a bundle of 5 worksheets (the first of which can be downloaded for free) that emphasizes the identification of variables, constants, controls, conclusions, and sources of error in scientific experiments. I have been assigning worksheets like this for homework to improve scientific literacy in my students. I hope you find them helpful!

This is a 2-day lab where students investigate how increasing distance from the sun affect revolution period. (Can also change the mass of the planet or sun for an extension.) Materials Needed: · Fishing line (about 20 meters) · Short metal tube (sturdy straws can substitute) · Rubber stopper with hole (cork can substitute)’ · 50 g mass (metal washers can substitute) · Sharpie · Meter stick The rubber stopper is swung in a circle above your head while the mass pulls the stopper inward toward you

In this investigation students will create a scale model of the solar system on their way to figure out why Ganymede (Jupiter's largest moon) orbits Jupiter instead of the Sun even though it is bigger than Mercury which orbits the Sun. In this 6 part investigation, students will mainly be analyzing data, creating graphs, looking for patterns, and making arguments from evidence. Students will conclude that two things affect gravity: the mas of the two objects, and distance between them. This inve

MS-PS3-1: Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object. Materials: ramps, carts, timers, meter sticks, books (for ramp angle) In this lab, students will calculate the KE of a cart as it rolls down a ramp. Specifically they will change the release point (IV) and measure its effect on the KE (DV). They are actually changing the objects Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE), but that discussi

Students will understand the difference between speed and velocity. Students create a walking course out of meter sticks and measure the time it takes to walk it. The distance they walked is greater than the displacement and learn the difference when they calculate the speed and velocity of their motions. MS-PS3-1. Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object. This Lab takes place before

This is a generic video worksheet I have used with my students to ensure they pay attention to any of the Discovery: Life episodes (not that it isn't extremely interesting anyway).I have shown most of the series during my genetics and evolution unit and have used this worksheet many times. It is also great for substitutes! Students find it easy to fill out and is a great way for them to remember which organisms were in which video and it serves as a discussion point later on. Enjoy!

HOW TO PLAY This is a game where I have all students stand up at first (so they know I'm requiring them all to think), and to sit down they must raise their hand and (after I call on them) correctly identify the element symbol. When everyone is sitting the game is over. DETAILS This can last 5 minutes to 20 or 30 depending on the rules you make up. For example, I make a rule that says when no standing student knows the answer, then I will take answers from the sitting students. If correct, they

This is a bundle of 8 printables that can be displayed in your classroom that focus on the new NGSS Crosscutting Concepts. It helps when students familiarize themselves with them so they can recognize when they are building on those skills in everyday lessons. I hope you like the design. Enjoy!

I made this worksheet in response to my students weak skills in experiments. This worksheet is designed to help students understand the elements of scientific experiments like independent and dependent variables, constants, conclusions, and sources of error through example experiments. This is the first in a series of 5, and I hope to make many more and package it as a workbook.