NGSS Science Curriculum for Science Teachers
Below are some of our Free Physical Science Lessons, Labs, and Activities for you to use with your classes. These are full of resources to help you do different types of hands on engaging activities with your students. Our goal is to give teachers their free time back by spending less time planning.
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Observing Heat Transfer by Conduction The conduction of heat energy occurs mostly in solids and liquids where the atoms of a substance are touching one another. Heat transfer always occurs from a hot end of an object to the cooler end. When heat transfer occurs by conduction, the particles increase their rate of vibration which […]
PART 1: Corrosion – Investigating Rusting When metals are exposed to the environment, they can deteriorate or break down. This process is called corrosion and is very costly to industry, if not prevented. Rust is a type of corrosion in which iron reacts with its environment to produce hydrated iron oxide, a powdery reddish-orange solid […]
Antacids When an acid and a base cancel each other out, this is known as neutralization. It follows the reaction pattern: Acid + Base -> Water + Salt Neutralization is the concept used to treat indigestion, a common and uncomfortable digestive condition. Antacids can be found as powder or tablets and contain a base of […]
But Which Flame is Hotter? The Bunsen burner has two types of flames – the yellow safety flame and the blue heating flame. This lab activity compares the two flames and tests which will allow 50ml of water to reach 80oC in the shortest time. The airhole at the base of the barrel controls the […]
Refraction Definition and Background Refraction is another behavior that light exhibits as it interacts with different media. It is simply defined as the bending of light due to its change in speed as it strikes on different materials with various densities. The extent of refraction of light is dependent on the medium’s refractive index. Every […]
Bending Water Electric Charge Lab Activity Introduction Investigating Static Electricity Static electricity is the build-up and transfer of charge from one object to another. It usually occurs when objects are rubbed together and generate friction. This lab activity will allow you to investigate the effects of static electricity in everyday objects. There will be several […]
Friction Lab Racing Wings Activity Background A race team is looking to change the design of the wing on the back of their formula 1 car to reduce the amount of drag created by the wing on the rear of the car. Drag occurs as air moves past a solid surface limiting the cars ability […]
The Products of Combustion When fuels react with oxygen in the air, they burn and release large amounts of energy in the form of heat and light. The amount oxygen available affects whether a fuel will undergo complete or incomplete combustion. For a fuel to undergo complete combustion, plenty of oxygen must be present in […]
Today we will be making metal hydroxides. Some metals are more reactive than others and can react violently with water. These metals are usually found in group 1 of the periodic table and are usually kept under oil to stop them from reacting. This lab demonstrates and explores some of the more reactive metals on […]
Energy Conservation Although we cannot see it, energy can make things work. Many, everyday objects take energy in as one form and then transform it into one or more other forms allowing it to perform a task. Many simple toys that you can find at home, are based on this principle, and are considered converters […]
In this Candy Pumpkin Pong halloween science experiment your students will be competing against each other. Competition always brings out the best thought in activities like this. Your students will absolutely love this STEM game! They will be designing, building, and launching candy pumpkin catapults. This competition is all about accuracy. Before this activity you […]
How Much Weight Can an Egg Support? Easter Science Activity! Eggs are uniquely constructed. The outer shell is created hard enough to protect a developing chick, while the inner shell nourishes the chick during its development. As the chick develops, the calcium from the inner shell dissolves in a chemical reaction and is used for […]
Acid and Base pH Indicators Lab Activity 1 Indicators give scientists a quick way to determine if a solution is an acid or a base without having to taste them or performing time-consuming chemical tests. The most common of these indicators are litmus and universal indicator. Litmus paper comes in both red and blue colors. […]
Properties of Acids and Bases Lab The objective of this lab is to engage students in an interactive activity to learn about the properties of acids and bases within the pH scale. Due to the exploratory nature of the activity each student’s charts and conclusions will be different. The goal is to have the students […]
Neutralization Reactions Lab: Reactions of Acids and Bases Reactions of Acids and Bases: We have already stated that a neutralization reaction will take place when an acid reacts with a base to form a salt and water. The reason that it's called a neutralization reaction is because you are starting with a base (pH>7) and […]
Balancing Chemical Equations Digital Lab Activity Chemical reactions involve the changing of reactants into products. In every reaction the number of reactants and the number of products will always be equal. This is known as the ‘Law of Conservation of Mass”. This law is shown in a chemical reaction by balancing the reactants and products […]
Chemical and Physical Change Lab Before you begin your Chemical and Physical Change Lab make sure your students understand the following. Physical changes usually involve a change to a substances state of matter where heat energy is added or removed. The molecular structure of the substance remains the same. For this reason, physical changes can […]
When I introduce the Chemistry of Gases I always start with these 3 mini-labs. They get my students engaged and wondering before we ever go into the meat of the lesson. Let's get started... Lab Activity 1 - Making Hydrogen Hydrogen is a colorless gas which is at least 15 times lighter than any other […]
Elements and the Periodic Table Lab There are about 110 elements and 91 of them are found in nature. The rest have been created in laboratories. The elements are organized into metals and nonmetals. Most of the elements on the periodic are metals. The staircase is the dividing line between the metals and nonmetals. Any […]
Atoms and Molecules Lab Activity Introduction Before you start the building Atoms and Molecules lab activity you will need to introduce the following key vocabulary words. Atoms are the smallest units of matter. They consist of a central region called the nucleus and an area surrounding the nucleus called the electron cloud. Atoms contain three […]
Kool-Aid Solubility Lab This Kool-Aid Solubility Lab activity demonstrates the relationship between the temperature of a solvent affects (water) and the amount of solute (Kool-Aid) that can be dissolved using a real-world/familiar context. It is most appropriately carried out as pairs or groups of 3 students. Tang or other powdered drink can be substituted for […]
Nature of Matter Lab Activity Matter is defined as anything that has mass and takes up space. In this lab, students will explore the nature of matter through a simple neutralization reaction between acetic acid (vinegar) and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) which generates carbon dioxide gas and inflates the balloon. The experiment may be done […]
Best Bouncer Lab Introduction This lab involves planning, conducting, and writing up a scientific investigation and will examine the skills covered in lessons 1-7 Planning an Investigation and 1-8 Writing Up an Investigation. You will need to give your students time to carry out all 3 parts of this lab activity. The activity can be […]
Physical Science Lab Safety Activity #1 Wearing the proper personal protective equipment is important. The focus of this lab is on physical science lab safety procedures and following directions more so than the outcome of the experiment. Here, students will learn how goggles, a lab apron, and gloves can protect them from chemicals by performing […]