In this decision-making exercise, students investigate what would occur if a dam were built along Nanticoke Creek, a real stream just north of West Corners near the Village of Endicott, New York. They will use topographic maps to determine how much area would be flooded by the new reservoir, to study river drainages, and to consider the impacts of dams on a region. They must also consider rivers in the context of their relation to humankind. The exercise can be extended to other, more local locations having similar topography.

In this adapted ZOOM video segment, cast members calculate how much water they each use during a typical shower. They compare their results to their original predictions.

This activity is a hands-on activity where students learn about polymers and the science of plastics, while making shrinky dinks.

This module is an introduction to Accuracy, Precision, and Sig figs.  It includes how to count the number of significant digits and defining accuracy versus precision.  

In this module we will be exploring the idea of Significant Figures. At the end of the module you should be able to...1. Determine the number of significant figures in a given number. 2. Determine the number of significant figures your answer should have after basic math functions. (Add, subtract, multiple, and divide) Corresponding OpenStax Textbook Section 1.5Significant Figures

Student teams make polymers using ordinary household supplies (glue, borax, water). They experiment with the semi-solid material when warm and cold to see and feel its elastic and viscous properties. Students will begin to understand how the electrical forces between particles change as temperature or the force applied to the substance changes. Is it a solid, a liquid, or something in between? How might it be used?

In this activity, students investigate convection as it applies to Earth processes. They will assemble a model using a bread pan to view convection in two paired cells. They will also investigate the strengths and weaknesses of the model thay have constructed and answer some questions about what they are seeing.

In this activity, learners build a simple mechanism that regulates the "escape" of energy released by a falling weight by portioning it into discrete amounts. Escapements are found in mechanical clocks, such as those driven by a pendulum or a spring. Learners will build the wrapping form of escapement said to be used in a fifteenth-century German clock.

This video segment from IdahoPTV's D4K lists, describes and shows examples of the 6 simple machines and how they make work easier.

In this activity, learners create a tiny electric, motorized dancer. Learners use the interactions of magnetism and electric current to make a wire spin, while displaying the Lorentz Force in action. This lesson guide provides one of many ways to build the spinner and links to other methods.

Is it a tumor? Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can tell. Your head is full of tiny radio transmitters (the nuclear spins of the hydrogen nuclei of your water molecules). In an MRI unit, these little radios can be made to broadcast their positions, giving a detailed picture of the inside of your head.

This lesson has activities where students will learn about buoyancy and explore how hot water rises and cold water sinks. As an extension and real-life application, students will see that glacial run-off is occurring at a rapid pace and the cold glacial water could potentially change ocean currents thus influencing global climates.

This activity is a classroom lab where students learn that cold water is denser and hot water is less dense than room temperature water. Students perform an experiment and relate to their background knowledge to make conjectures.

This activity is a classroom experiment where students participate or observe that different densities of liquids will yield different results in a sink-or-float activity.

Students explore and experiment with various objects to find which materials will float or sink. They record predictions and results, and generate ideas about the properties of materials that float or sink.

The purpose of this resource is to investigate the center pixel of a homogeneous land Cover Site in order to understand that individual land areas are part of a larger land system.

The purpose of this resource is to investigate the idea that every dynamic system has energy and matter in different forms.

This resource contains several mini-explorations using a slide projector as a light source to investigate light and the properties of images. These activities can be used as a class demonstration or as learning stations. This guide also includes information about the "anatomy" of slide projectors and how they work. Learners and educators are encouraged to "tinker" with the equipment to find the best conditions and methods. Note: the cost of the projector is not included in the total cost of materials.

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, learn about engineering innovations that could help detect a bridge's structural weaknesses before they become dangerous.

This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE looks at American energy consumption and the resulting production of greenhouse gases.