Discover the effectiveness of wind, water, and steam as energy sources. The hands-on activity has young scientists create a turbine from common materials. After constructing the turbines, they use wind, water, and steam to turn them and...

Students examine the energy conversions and simple machines are involved in the operation of a steam engine. They make a replica of a small steam engine.

Students research energy conversions. In this energy lesson, students describe the basic operation of a steam engine.  They explain the energy conversions in the steam engine's operation. 

Students investigate the invention of the steam engine. For this technology lesson, students investigate the advancement of technology over time. They relate science and technology together.

An ecosystem is really just the flow of energy through many different living organisms. A study of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book leads to an environmental science activity in which learners study how various factors can affect...

Students design a boat model with simplified steam engine. In this ecology lesson, students compare renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. They determine the efficiency of their boat model.

Middle school chemists visit interactive websites in order to discover what happens to molecular motion when heat is added to matter. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the expansion of matter with the addition of heat. A lab...

Young scholars examine the concept of transpiration. They work together to complete an experiment in which they see water loss in plants. They record their observations and discuss their conclusions.

Young scholars investigate how levers help to lift heavy loads. They view and discuss examples of levers, explore various websites, experiment with the levers brought to the class, and watch the video for the book "Mike Mulligan and His...

Why is the end of a spoon hot when it's not all the way in the hot water? A great question deserves a great answer, and learners with visual impairments will use their auditory and tactile senses to get that answer. A talking...

Evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, accumulation. Steam, clouds, rain, lakes. Guide your class members on an imaginary journey through the water cycle with a water cycle adventure script.

Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble! Find out what drives a turbine to generate electricity and whether or not it has an impact on the environment. A discussion and lecture is divided by a hands-on activity in...

Ninth graders explore the reunion of a man with survivors from the Holocaust. In this Holocaust lesson plan, 9th graders read an article and answer guided reading questions.  Students write a story using the vocabulary...

Learners experiment with boiling water and cans to study changes in pressure. In this pressure lesson plan, students use pop cans filled with varying amounts of water heated to boiling. Learners drop the cans in cold water and observe...

Students cite the importance of the steam engine, cotton gin and steel making process. They describe conditions in cities due to increased industrialization. They explain how the living and working conditions led to the development of...

Students investigate the water cycle. They observe a demonstration of the water cycle involving ice, water, bowls, and steam, explore various websites, and listen to the book, "The Magic School Bus: Wet All Over: A Book About the Water...

Students participate in the scientific process to investigate what happens to water when it evaporates by observing condensation. In small groups they observe what happens to ice in a cup, and what occurs when they hold a bowl of ice...

Students are introduced to the processes of evaporation and condensation as they observe physical changes in water. They observe how matter changes from a solid to a liquid state. Students are explained that steam is water in its gaseous...

Learners research the development of the steam engines. In this US history instructional activity, students analyze the impact of this invention to civilization. They discuss the events leading to the growth and development of different...

Learners conduct experiments with ice, water and steam to observe the water cycle. They discuss substances that water accumulates from the Earth as it moves through its cycle.

Middle schoolers view video clips and still images of Old Faithful and review the main questions and curiosities regarding Old Faithful. They break into groups and take on the roles of explorers and have come upon this interesting...

Fifth graders discover the process of boiling water and how it is part of the changing of states of matter. They observe a kernel of popcorn pop in a test tube with water and take notes of how the water changes to the form of a gas....

Students place themselves in the position of a water molecule, ice molecule, or steam molecule and then describe the process of changing phase.

Fourth graders study evaporation and condensation as parts of the water cycle. First they determine the similarities and differences between a cup of water and an ice cube before measuring the volume of ice before melting it, and...