K-12 For Educators

The density of water has a known value; however, the density of solutions change according to the concentration. The density of a solution decreases with its concentration (i.e., it is less dense...

Hands-on experiments engage students' attention while teaching basic chemistry and physics. Accessible topics include force, motion and waves. An unbalanced force produces a change in motion or...

There are many types of water purification methods for kids to learn about, from the natural processes of waterways to how drinking water is cleaned. Teaching water purification comes much easier,...

The greenhouse effect is, in simple terms, atmospheric conditions that keep the earth warm. Gases such as water vapor (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) create a sort of atmospheric glass that keeps...

Life on our planet evolved in water. "Biology" textbook authors Helena Curtis and Sue Barnes estimate that by weight, water constitutes 50 to 95 percent of "any functioning living system." Why?...

A sand table is a sandbox on legs. Sand tables have become a ubiquitous feature in elementary school classrooms, but there is much more teachers can do with sand tables than let students push sand...

If you are saddled with a science project to complete sophomore year, choose a project based on your interests and the ability to prove your hypothesis. Follow your science teacher's rubric and...

If you are looking for a summer or rainy day activity to do with your kids try making a water filter. It is a good way to teach kids about the importance of water conservation. One way to...

Soil and water are two elements of the earth that play pivotal roles in our everyday lives. We may not think much of either when we see rivers or streams, or enjoy a fresh vegetable or fruit....

Solar stills, billed as a basic wilderness survival skill, can provide an alternative source of clean water in emergency situations or occasionally for longer-term use in the developing world....

Celebrate Halloween this year with some fun and educational science activities. More interesting than candy and better for your body, these pleasantly gross activities and experiments are sure to...

Practice problems for learning the metric system basically consist of converting from one unit to another unit that differs by some factor of 10, for example converting from liters (L) to...

The subject of science appeals to many students because it satisfies natural human curiosity. By conducting experiments, students are able to see firsthand how and why something works, which aids...

Scores from the 2006 Program for International Student Assessment, in which U.S. students lagged behind those from other countries, highlights the importance of making science engaging for U.S....

The tongue's taste buds distinguish taste or flavor (sweet, salty, bitter and sour) primarily through four distinct regions (tip, front sides, back sides and back) on the tongue. Discussing these...

Acid rain is any type of precipitation that has a lower PH than normal, causing high acidity levels in it. It is caused by naturally occurring and man-made items. Acid rain has several damaging...

Make hummingbird feeders as a class to teach about birds. Hummingbirds eat nectar, similar to sugar water. Have students draw pictures of hummingbirds before or after making the feeders. By...

Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. It is widely used to keep food cold during shipment, and is available at some grocery stores and ice cream shops for around a dollar per pound. Dry ice is much...

Crystals are an interesting formation and come in all shapes and sizes. For an interactive and enjoyable activity, make your own crystals. They are easy to create and intriguing to watch, because...

Creative science projects can be found by observing things in your everyday life. Amazing facts about ordinary things can be found through simple experiments of observation. You can use...

Take the classroom outside with unusual, interesting science activities. Science is an integral part of everything in our world. Students will gain a real-world understanding and interest of...

Teaching physical science to elementary school students can be difficult. When certain concepts are invisible to the naked eye, it is a challenge to keep young students attentive and engaged....

Science can be an exciting subject area for fifth grade students. In order to make science lessons interesting, use instruction that appeals to different learning styles, such as visual, auditory...

Water is a theme that runs through many curricular strands, from weather (the water cycle) to being ecologically responsible. Enhance your lessons on water by taking the students on a field trip...

Teachers can engage elementary students in learning about weather by using technology. Smart Board weather activities can be fun, as well as help students review what they learned, work in teams,...

Science can prove difficult for many elementary students to grasp. A good science teacher provides hands-on experiments to capture her students' interest. While some experiments require loads of...

Weather-related science projects are good for science fairs, experiments in the classroom and home-school demonstrations. Meteorology is a science that all students can apply to their everyday...

A barometer measures the atmospheric pressure. A water barometer uses a dish of water and a vacuum tube to measure pressure changes. When pressure is high, water is pushed down in the dish and...

Environmental problems are hot-button issues that lend themselves well to interdisciplinary lesson plans. In addition to science, teachers can discuss civics, history, writing skills and math. ...

As an educator, chances are good that you have talked with your students at some point about the importance of taking care of the environment. In doing so, you may be wondering about ways your...

Geothermal power originates deep below the crust of the earth in a layer called the mantle. The mantle is made of extremely hot molten rock called magma. Over years, water seeps into the crust...

The Earth Science curriculum requires teaching students about surface water systems. Creating a water or stream table out of a storage box gives students the opportunity for experiential learning.

Transparencies are a useful item in the classroom and during presentations. Writing on them is easy and helpful when explaining math equations or drawing pictures to be used on an overhead...

Teaching phase changes in high school chemistry begins with using a well-known substance---water. Some terminology used in high school chemistry connected with phase changes is different from...

A water filtration science project is a hands-on way to teach students about how water is cleaned. Using common items to make this water filter, students will be able to watch visibly dirty water...

There are all sorts of chemicals, soaps, and other products that can make your blackboard cleaner than ever. However, these products can damage blackboards. When it comes to cleaning a typical...

Children love holidays, so get into the holiday spirit with these classroom activities. Take advantage during holiday seasons of their natural excitement and enthusiasm for the event, and turn it...

Demonstrate how nature makes a sandstone. This is a fun, simple experiment that will demonstrate a geologic process. The activity can be modified depending on the age group. This is an excellent...

Ordinary optical microscopes can magnify samples to 200 times their normal size or more. At that resolution, you can see microscopic organisms and individual cells quite easily. Make your own...

Water is made up of molecules, which are made up of elements. In this case, two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen (H2O). As water heats up, the molecules move faster. Just like the molecules in...

Steam can be used to operate complicated machinery, all the way down to more mundane tasks, such as lighting a room, heating a bed and making a car run. Fulton built a steam-powered boat that was...

Earth is being depleted of its resources. The hole in the ozone layer is getting larger and forests are being depleted. Scientists are studying ways to develop alternate forms of energy, and...

What's Oobleck? It's an awesome substance that kids and adults can't seem to get enough of. It's solid, it's liquid. It's hard, but it's soft. This stuff is great for teaching children about...

Basic chemistry teaches us that pure, deionized water does not conduct electricity very well. In order for electricity to be conducted, we need some type of ions in the water. This can be shown in...

The Cartesian diver is named after the famous mathematician and scientist Rene Descartes. It demonstrates the ideal gas law and the principle of buoyancy. You can make your own Cartesian diver...

Modern diapers contain a super-absorbent polymer substance called sodium polyacrylate. This polymer can grab and hold water molecules, giving diapers the ability to absorb large quantities of...

Color theory states that there are only three primary colors: red, blue and yellow. All other colors are mixtures of these three. Therefore, dyes that are purple, green, orange or black must be...

Surface tension is a basic principle of science and can be seen in operation all around us. It determines the shape of raindrops, allows us to blow beautiful soap bubbles and lets insects skim...

This chemistry demonstration can also double as a really cool magic trick. If a dollar bill is soaked in pure alcohol, it will burn up. However, if it is soaked in a mixture of alcohol and water,...

Chromatography is a method chemists use to separate pigments that have been mixed together to form colored inks or dyes. You can do your own chromatography using coffee filters as the...