This lab introduces or reinforces the concept of specific heat and the transfer of heat amongst substances.
In this video segment adapted from NASA, learn how engineers are transforming the future of flight by designing airplanes based on principles found in nature. In the early 1900s, the Wright Brothers found inspiration for their first airplane in nature. Their "Flyer," which was modeled on a bird's flexible wing design, was steered and stabilized by pulleys and cables that twisted the wingtips. Despite its success, this control strategy quickly vanished from aviation. Instead, stiff wings capable of withstanding the greater forces associated with increased aircraft weights and flying speeds became the standard. In this video segment adapted from NASA, learn how designs found in nature have inspired today's aerospace engineers as they conceive the next-generation of flying machines. Grades 3-12.
This activity is an investigation into the relationship between alkane length and boiling points. Students develop a mathematical model of this relationship and use it to make predictions and error analysis.
Students will classify elements as metals, non-metals and metalloids based on their observtions of appearance, conductivity, malleability and reactivity with dilute acid. They will observe the location of these groups on the periodic table.
Watch the ZOOM cast build a chair out of newspaper by making good use of the strength of triangles.
In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, the cast tries to design and build a bridge made out of drinking straws that will support the weight of 200 pennies.
This interactive activity, from the Building Big Web site, explores tunneling and the tools and methods used to do the job.
Can you tell which materials are good at blocking ultraviolet light? An activity sheet is available to help you!
This lesson plan examines the properties of elements and the periodic table. Students learn the basic definition of an element and the 18 elements that build most of the matter in the universe. The periodic table is described as one method of organization for the elements. The concepts of physical and chemical properties are also reviewed.
In this activity, students will learn the concept of half-life of a radioactive material. Students will create and be able to recognize a graph representing the half-life of an imaginary radioactive element.
This video segment presents a variety of sounds -- from animals to machines to musical instruments -- while introducing the basic concepts of vibration, volume, and pitch.
Summertime often brings beautiful fireworkds displays. Whereas you normally look up into the sky to see fireowkr,s in this activity we will take the burst of color underwater -- with chemistry. Although it is not the same as real fireworks, you will be amazed by the color explosions you will see.
In this activity students will create their own toothpaste exploring and experiementing with natural ingredients.
Undergraduate Learning Assistants can be used to supplement the instructor and/or Teaching Assistant during recitations. They may help facilitate productive group work on tutorial activities designed to help students develop conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills. In this example, we describe the use of Learning Assistants to support tutorials within recitation in two introductory science courses physics and chemistry.
Learning Assistants are used to facilitate student discussion in peer instruction during clicker questions (i.e., classroom response systems), by asking Socratic questions, emphasizing reasoning, and probing student thinking.
An inquiry activity for students to test physical properties of several compounds to analyze data and determine if the compound is ionic or covalent. This is ideal for an introduction to ionic and molecular compound nomenclature.
How can you pick up an ice cube with a string? Watch this video segment adapted from ZOOM to see how salt can help.
A variety of fuels are evaluated for the amount of heat they liberate upon burning. This includes a discussion of how different criteria can influence the evaluation of what makes a "good" fuel.
Students will fill in a blank periodic table for elements 1-20 using electron-dot models. As a visual tool students should see several periodic trends.
Undergraduate Learning Assistants have been used to facilitate group work in a variety of ways, such as in-lecture tutorials and worksheets, group work in required recitations, and group work in optional co-seminars. This page describes some of these various ways that Learning Assistants can be used to help make a course more interactive.