Websites
3rd Grade Physical Science
AfterSchool KidzScience
http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/kidsite/collections-2/afterschool-kidzscience/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background;Teacher Videos
This webpage offers a range of science kits designed for afterschool programs. These could certainly be used in the
general classroom as well. At the bottom of the page is a series of videos on teaching strategies and how to use the
kits. Valuable whether you are using the kits or not.
Annenberg Teachers Lab: The Science of Light
http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/science/light/
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities;Teacher Background
Background and online experiments about light and color
CA Energy Commission-Energy Story
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/index.html
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background
There are many sources of energy. In this guide, we will be looking at the energy that makes our world work. Energy is
an important part of our daily lives. The forms of energy we will look at include: Geothermal Energy, Fossil Fuels -Coal, Oil and Natural Gas, Hydro Power, Ocean Energy, Nuclear Energy, Solar Energy, and Wind Energy. We will also
look at turbines and generators, at what electricity is, how energy is sent to users, and how we can decrease the energy
we use.
CERNLand
www.cernland.net
3rd;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities
CERNLand is a virtual themepark that uses multimedia, interactive games, and fun lessons to bring the excitement of
physics to children starting from the age of 7. No prior or in-depth knowledge of physics is required, only enthusiasm.
Chocolate and Ice Cream Across the Curriculum
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1999/4/99.04.05.x.html
1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
This is a curriculum about the history and science of ice cream and chocolate
Color Changing Milk
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000066
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Teacher Activities
The following activity uses the movement of color in milk to give some hints about what type of milk it is. At one point,
the color moves pretty fast so don't let it get past-your-eyes!!
2/8/2016
Websites are an excellent place for finding activity ideas.
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Community Science Action Guides
http://www.fi.edu/guide/
2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities;Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
So you're going to Disney World; ever thought about how your water usage at your hotel might impact the Florida
ecosystem? Or maybe you're trying to get your students to understand more about the effects of aging. These
Community Science Action Guides tackle engaging science content with a decidedly local context so that students get a
feel for how science really does matter. Each guide includes a project overview, teacher guide, related activities, and
correlations to standards documents.
CuriosiKid - site is in Spanish
http://www.curiosikid.com/
1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Student Online Activities;Teacher Activities
This site from El Museo de Los Ninos in Caracas, Venezuela has a bunch of on-line games and simple experiments for
kids on most of the science topics. Site is all in Spanish.
Curiosity Machine
http://www.curiositymachine.org/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities;Teacher Background
Log in is required, but is free. Students can earn "badges." The Curiosity Machine hosts collection of exciting (and
sometimes very challenging) experiments and projects designed for children, along with their parents, to encourage
curiosity, creativity and persistence!
1. OBSERVEwatch videos of actual engineers and scientists talking to children about the inventions and projects they
work on.
2. BUILDget ideas from the videos and create your very own invention.
3. SHAREshare your adventure photos and videos, sketches and thinking.
ElEducador.com-primaria
http://www.eleducador.com/planes-de-clase/ciencias-naturales/primaria.html
1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Teacher Activities
Eleducador is a Colombian website full of links to lesson plans for science as well as other subjects. This page contains
links to Science for elementary school-age students. Vocabulary, activities, and articles for teachers are included. Site
is free for use and available only in Spanish.
Energy Hog - HogBusters Training Camp
http://www.energyhog.com
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Online Activities
Using Macromedia Flash Player, the Energy Outreach Colorado created this amusing, yet educational website filled
with games and trivia to help children learn how to lower their families' energy consumption. The student and teacher
guides, designed for grades three through eight, explore numerous energy concepts via fun activities. Through a series
of games, visitors can learn which materials in their homes use excessive amounts of energy. After successfully
completing the challenges, the user receives an Official Energy Hog Buster certificate.
Exploratorium Science Snacks About Light
http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/iconlight.html
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Teacher Activities
Lessons for teaching about the subject of light, how it is reflected from mirrors and other surfaces, how the color of light
striking an object affects how our eyes see it, and how we see objects.
2/8/2016
Websites are an excellent place for finding activity ideas.
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From Windmills to Whirligigs
http://www.smm.org/sln/vollis/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Teacher Activities
Books, photographs, activity ideas and lots of stuff related to Vollis. Wheeling and Whirling Around, Mirandy and
Brother Wind, bearings, wind power, pinwheels, shoebox, pop bottle whirler, photo album, Constructions for Kids, Signs
and Wonders, pneumatic motion machines, From Windmills to Whirligigs.
HowToSmile.org
http://howtosmile.org/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background;Teacher Videos
Are you looking for new ways to teach kids about math and science? Do you want activities that meet you where you
live, whether your “classroom” is an active volcano, the shark tank at the local aquarium, or your own kitchen table?
You’ve come to the right place. SMILE is collecting the best educational materials on the web and creating learning
activities, tools, and services – all designed especially for those who teach school-aged kids in non-classroom settings.
We are a group of science museums dedicated to bringing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) out of
the academic cloister and into the wider world. Our organizations are resource hubs for educational programs that
involve people of all ages and backgrounds. Together we’re gathering the best STEM education materials from the
web, and encouraging educators to both use and contribute to the growing collection
Illuminating Photosynthesis
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/methuselah/photosynthesis.html
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities
Explanation and animated puzzles and games about photosynthesis at the most basic level.
Is Air Something?
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/Summer_Training/Elementary97/IsAirSomething.html
1st;2nd;3rd;4th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
14 lessons to teach that air is matter, has properties, and does work. Goes over the states of materials and includes
activities for learning about the forces that cause airplane flight.
Kitchen Chemistry
http://personal.cfw.com/~rollinso/SciFood.html
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
Includes experiments with Wintergreen Lifesavers, soap, iron in cereal, cabbage pH indicator, Candy, Ice Cream,
Veggies, Popcorn, Vitamin C, and Yeast. Activities include the related references.
Lawrence Hall of Science Kid's Corner
http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/kidsite/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Student Online Activities;Teacher Activities
Has the following on the Kid's page: Bat Quiz, Tower of Hanoi, Feline Facts Quiz, Virtual Cat Show, Chem Mystery,
Star Clock, Mr. Bones, Kids' Web Pages, Mapping Fish Habitats, Juice Bottle Jingles, Tree Homes, TEAMS, Meet the
Surf City Kids!, Biology Lab, Shongo Networks, Whale Songs, What is Your Foot Doing? Parents can visit "Home
Activities!" for at-home lesson ideas.
MinutePhyscis
https://www.youtube.com/user/minutephysics
2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Videos;Teacher Videos;Teacher Blogs
This YouTube Channel has a great assortment of short videos showing all things physical. Fun and Eduational
2/8/2016
Websites are an excellent place for finding activity ideas.
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MinutePhyscis: The Tides
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gftT3wHJGtg&index=28&list=PL908547EAA7E4AE74
2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Videos;Teacher Videos;Teacher Blogs
1:58 minutes long. Why do we have tides?
Oobleck
http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/kidsite/activities/oobleck/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities;Teacher Activities
Landing on a planet, taking samples, and returning to Earth is a triple challenge. What if the planet’s all goopy Oobleck
that acts like a solid and a liquid? Make and test goop, design a spacecraft, share your engineering online and discover
how others meet the challenge.
Oobleck and Glurch - Physics Fun at Home
http://www.dctech.com/physics/features/0901.php
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
Here is some nice background for the physics of Oobleck and a recipe for it and some other slimy stuff.
Optics for Kids
http://www.opticalres.com/kidoptx.html
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Student Background;Teacher Background
Questions and answers from kids and light and optics
Paso Partners Bilingual Instruction
http://www.sedl.org/scimath/pasopartners/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
The resource is designed to help elementary school teachers organize their classrooms and instructional activities in
order to increase achievement of Hispanic primary-grade children whose first language is not English. The guides offer
a curriculum plan, instructional strategies and activities, suggested teacher and student materials, and assessment
procedures. Bilingual lessons on Five Senses, Spiders, Dinosaurs, Plants & Seeds, Human Body, Health, Oceans,
Weather, Matter, Sun & Stars, Sound, Simple Machines.
PBS Design Squad
http://pbskids.org/designsquad/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities;Teacher Activities;Student Videos
This website has activities for kids to do. Design Challenges, videos and more.
PBS Design Squad Nation
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/design-squad/?topic_id=1450
1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background;Teacher Videos
The goal of Design Squad is to give students a stronger understanding of the design process, and the connection
between engineering and the things we all use in everyday life. The results of engineering are all around us: from cars
to cameras and everything in between. Design Squad Nation equips kids with science and math skills, inspires them,
and lays the foundation they need to participate in engineering activities later in life. Use these Design Squad Nation
resources to explore the world of science and engineering.
2/8/2016
Websites are an excellent place for finding activity ideas.
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PhET simulations: Interactive Simulations for Science and Math
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/html
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities;Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
This site has lots of different simulations for many different science and math topics
Physical Sciences K-8: Wave Energy Units
http://www.compadre.org/precollege/static/unit.cfm?sb=8&course=1
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
Examples of all types of waves are found in nature. Our understanding of the physical world is not complete until we
understand the properties and behaviors of waves. Mechanical waves require a material "medium" through which to
travel, electromagnetic waves do not.
Physics.org
http://www.physics.org/.
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities;Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
The feature "Physics Life" lets you explore and home and a school and more to see what the physical concepts are
behind everyday objects. Click on the dialog box that pops up and you will be sent to a list of links with more activities
and background for that particular topic. You are supposed to register for this free site, but I was able to use many of
the features without doing that.
Pizza Box Solar Oven
http://www.hometrainingtools.com/build-a-solar-oven-project/a/1237/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
Instructions on how to make a pizza box solar oven.
Project NEED
http://www.need.org
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
The National Energy Education Department (NEED) provides curriculum guides and activities online and helpful energy
saving information. Look for the curriculum guide for teaching Greek Mythology and the Forms of Energy and an energy
songbook. Kids information on energy and links to other energy websites.
Science off the Sphere
http://www.physicscentral.com/explore/sots/index.cfm
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Teacher Background;Student Videos
While aboard the International Space Station, astronaut and chemist Dr. Don Pettit conducted physics demos that are
out of this world. From electric didgeridoos to microgravity goo, Don showed us what's possible when you're over 200
miles above the Earth. You can watch 14 episodes of the Science off the Sphere videos — just click the individual
photo for each episode. You can also watch them all back-to-back on our Youtube playlist. The rest of the website
(Physics Central) has resources of all kinds on the topic of physics (photos, scientists...)
Scientists @ the Smithsonian
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/scientist/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Teacher Background
Scientists aren't just nerds who wear lab coats. All kinds of people become scientists. And scientists do all kinds of
things. Watch and read about these scientists at the Smithsonian. What kind of scientist would you like to be?
2/8/2016
Websites are an excellent place for finding activity ideas.
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SMILE Program Chemistry Lesson Plans
http://mypages.iit.edu/~smile/cheminde.html
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
This webpage has over 200 chemistry lesson plans. All are single concept lesson plans
SMILE Program Physics Lesson Plans
http://mypages.iit.edu/~smile/physinde.html#p1
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
This webpage has over 200 physics lesson plans. All are single concept lesson plans
Solar Cooking
http://solarcooking.org/plans/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities;Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
Anything and everything you could ever want to know about solar cooking. :Lots of different kinds of plans. Try to few
to see which works best.
Solar Energy International
http://www.solarenergy.org/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Teacher Background
This site provides nice information and a background to solar energy. Many links to other sites that specialize in
different aspects of energy production or use.
Solid, Liquid & Gas Song and Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2KZmRIKea8
1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Student Videos;Teacher Videos
1:22 - Song and Video from "They Might be Giants." Learn the difference between a solid, liquid and gas with this fun
chemistry song for kids.
Enjoy the bright and colourful animations in this science video that helps explain the different states of matter in an easy
to understand way. Sing along to the catchy lyrics and you’ll be an expert on solids, liquids and gases in no time!
Solids, Liquids, and Gases
http://www.iit.edu/~smile/physinde.html
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Teacher Activities
A list of classroom activities, including lots of different teachers’ ideas about how to teach solid-liquid-gas concepts.
Sorting and Using Materials
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/5_6/sorting_using_mate.shtml
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Student Online Activities
This site has an online activity that allows students to sort common items by different properties such as "waterproof" or
"bendy". There are also different levels of easy or harder.
Star Fall
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/games/levelthree/KC_Star_Collapse.html
2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Student Online Activities
Players learn that they can determine a star's relative temperature by its color. Students will collect groups of stars to
earn points and develop problem-solving skills, as they determine how to gain the most points.
2/8/2016
Websites are an excellent place for finding activity ideas.
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STEM Mom Blog
http://www.stemmom.org/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Teacher Activities
This Blog site has lesson ideas on all types of science topics and thoughts about teaching them.
SunWise
http://www.epa.gov/sunwise
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
To help educators raise sun safety awareness, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed the
SunWise School Program for grades K-8. SunWise Partner Schools sponsor classroom and school-wide activities that
raise children's awareness of stratospheric ozone depletion, UV radiation, and simple sun safety practices. When you
sign up to be a Sunwise school, you can share data online with other individuals. Your kit will include lessons, a
UV-sensitive Frisbee, and the On the Trail of the Missing Ozone comic book. Registered SunWise Partner Schools can
enter daily UV forecast and intensity data, map and graph data online!
The Alliance to Save Energy
http://www.ase.org/educators/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
Multidisciplinary, hands-on activities. The concept of energy efficiency provides multidisciplinary learning opportunities
in: mathematics to compute energy and monetary savings and pollution emissions; Science to evaluate what makes
one refrigerator more efficient than another, or to study the environmental effects of burning fossil fuels; Language arts
to read and analyze different approaches to energy policy; and Computer skills to plot data into graphs.
The Catapult Project
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tch12.sci.phys.stem.catapult/the-catapult-project/
1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th
Website Types: Teacher Activities;Teacher Background;Teacher Videos
Join 7th grade integrated science and math teacher Zara Acosta as she leads her students through a 6-week catapult
design project. Students learn about the laws of motion and forces, probability, and engineering design, and then apply
these principles to design their own catapult. Multiple firings of the catapult the project give students practice with data
analysis, with the goal of improving the catapult's accuracy.
The Infrared Zoo
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/image_galleries/ir_zoo/
1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities;Teacher Background
Infrared light shows us the heat radiated by the world around us. By viewing animals with a thermal infrared camera, we
can actually "see" the differences between warm and cold-blooded animals. Infrared also allows us to study how well
feathers, fur and blubber insulate animals. As you tour this "Infrared Zoo", see what new information you can gather
about the animals here that you would not get from a visible light picture.
The Tech: Make a Splash with Color
http://www.thetech.org/exhibits/online/color/intro
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities
Explore light, color and vision at this interactive site.
WatchKnowLearn.org
http://www.watchknowlearn.org/
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Teacher Background;Student Videos;Teacher Videos
2/8/2016
Websites are an excellent place for finding activity ideas.
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This website has free educational videos on all topics (including science) for all age levels. There is specifically a
section for younger learners.
What is a Flame?
http://www.centerforcommunicatingscience.org/what-is-a-flame/
3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Videos
Winner of the Science Friday video contest. This video does a very nice job of explaining the science behind fire.
What's the Matter?
http://www.galaxy.net/~k12/matter/index.shtml
2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Teacher Activities
The Hands-On Technology Program Web site is a collaborative effort between AT&T and the New Jersey public school
system. The "What's the Matter?" page focuses on elementary chemistry and includes experiments such as Creating
Atoms, Atomic Weight, Surface Tension, Deducing Density, Chain Reactions, and The Three Phases of Matter. Each
describes what is needed to complete the experiment (all easily obtainable items), its procedure, questions, and more.
Windows to the Universe
http://www.windows2universe.org/
2nd;3rd;4th;5th;6th;7th;8th;9th;10th;11th;12th
Website Types: Student Background;Student Online Activities;Teacher Activities;Teacher Background
Extensive website of all areas of earth science. Lots of nice images. Games, worksheets and puzzles. Some real data
on atmospheric science. You can use the free version with advertizements scrolling at top or sgn up for membership
with no advertizements
YouTube Video - Matter Wrap by Edutainer123
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAqompxk7fY
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Student Videos;Teacher Videos
0:46 of 1st and 2nd graders doing a wrap about the states of matter
YouTube Video - States of Matter by columbusmuseum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAPc6JH85pM
K;1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Student Videos;Teacher Videos
4:39 - Shows the states of matter through glass. video has music, but no spoken words. Sound can be turned off and
teacher can read prompts on the screen.
YouTube Video - States of Matter by sciencetheater
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2KZmRIKea8
1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Student Videos;Teacher Videos
7:17 - video discusses states of matter using water and nitrogen as examples. A little slow for younger students, but
uses real world examples in a scientific atmosphere.
YouTube Video - States of Matter by Veritasium
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCL8zqjXbME
1st;2nd;3rd;4th;5th
Website Types: Student Videos;Teacher Videos
4:53 - Man on the street interviews asking people about what water is and what is going on when water is solid, liquid
and gas. More appropriate for grade 3 and higher. Good for basic background information.
2/8/2016
Websites are an excellent place for finding activity ideas.
8