Waves

Investigation 1: Make Waves

Students will create waves using metal springs.  They use these simple waves to explore the fundamental properties of waves:  wavelength, frequency and amplitude.

Investigation 2: Wave Energy

Students learn about wave energy and compare energy in waves with different properties. Students investigate sound waves.

Chrome Music Lab

BeepBox

The Sound of Rain

Patatap

Museum of Endangered Sounds

Investigation 3:  Light Waves

Students explore properties of light waves.  They use mirrors to explore reflection They use spectroscopes to analyze spectra of visible light and learn about the electromagnetic spectrum. They use filters to change the spectra of a light source and to learn about color.  Finally, they determine how refraction changes the path of light rays as they travel between media.

Light Crash Course

Vision Crash Course

How Humans See Color

Investigation 4: Communication Waves

Students learn about how information can be encoded and sent as digital waves to transfer large amounts of information efficiently over large distances.

electromagnetic force

Investigation 1: What is Force?

Students are introduced to the anchor phenomena of forces, the ways they interact, and their effects. This investigation starts out with an exploration into observable phenomena including motion and resistance to motion (friction).

Investigation 2: The Force of Magnetism

Students explore the phenomenon of magnetism. They test properties of magnets to study their force. They develop a model of magnetic fields and use it to explain magnets’ force over distance.

Investigation 3: Electromagnetism

Students complete an electric circuit. They then explore a new phenomenon: electromagnetism. They build an electromagnet and engineer improvements to increase its strength.

Investigation 4: Energy Transfer

Students investigate the phenomena of human energy use. They describe motor and generator designs in terms of energy transfer. They consider electricity use, generation, and implications for renewable and nonrenewable energy use.

Gravity and kinetic energy

Investigation 1: Acceleration

Acceleration introduces students to the anchor phenomenon of a collision between objects. Students use tracks to experiment with constant speeds and accelerating rates. They analyze data to determine the acceleration of gravity on Earth.

Investigation 2: Force of Gravity

In Force of Gravity, students consider the phenomenon of weight, which is affected by external forces, specifically gravity. They learn about the acceleration of gravity on Earth and other locations. Students consider the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration.

Investigation 3: Energy and Collisions

In Energy and Collisions, students make detailed observations around the phenomena of various collisions. They learn about kinetic-energy transfers during collisions by colliding marbles and cubes under various circumstances to collect data. In a card game, students determine the effect of mass and speed on kinetic energy during collisions

Investigation 4: Collision Engineering

In Collision Engineering, students return to the anchor phenomenon of collisions through an engineering challenge. They learn how time affects force in a collision, then apply physics concepts to develop a protective helmet for a model head.

Chemical Interactions  

Investigation 1: Substances

Students will explore the phenomenon of physical and chemical properties of substances. They identify the two substances in a mystery mixture by observing the characteristics of the interactions that occur when they mix pairs of known substances.

Matter      pHet: States of Matter            

Crash Course: Organizing Properties

Property Changes                                              

Chemical Change vs. Physical Change

Physical and Chemical Change video

Investigation 2: Elements

Students will explore the phenomenon of how elements can be organized and predicted by their properties. They begin this endeavor by learning that elements are the basic substances from which all common matter is made.

Atomic Structure and Periodic Trend              Just How Small is the Atom

Chem4Kids                                                                  The History of Atomic Chemistry

Why star stuff matters                                           Just How Small is an Atom

pHet: Build an Atom                                               pHet: Isotopes and Atomic Mass

Nova: Hunting the Elements

Investigation 3: Particles

Students will  investigate the phenomenon of gas behavior and properties. They develop a particulate model to explain the invisible interactions that account for observable behaviors of gas.

Gases in the Home                                                          pHet: Gases Intro

Investigation 4: Kinetic Energy

Students will observe the phenomena of expansion and contraction of solids, liquids, and gases, and explain them in terms of kinetic theory—the motion of particles.

pHet: States of Matter

Investigation 5: Energy Transfer

Students will explore the phenomena of heating and cooling. They learn one way that energy moves and how to conceptualize energy transfer as changes of the kinetic energy of particles, resulting from particle collisions.

Chemical Reactions and Burning

Investigation 6: Thermos Engineering

Students will explore the phenomenon of insulation. They test insulating materials, apply the results to design, and build a thermos that reduces energy transfer.

Investigation 7: Solutions

Students will investigate the phenomenon of dissolving, and distinguish it from melting. They compare the solubility of two substances, calcium carbonate and sodium chloride, and determine how to separate the mixtures to recover the original parts.

Solutions

Investigation 8: Phase Change

Students will explore the phenomenon of phases of matter. They examine water as a solid, liquid, and gas, and investigate the conditions that induce substances to change from one phase to another.

Investigation 9: Reaction

Students will explore the phenomenon of chemical reactions. They use models and equations to represent those reactions.

pHet: Balancing Chemical Equations

Investigation 10: Limiting Factors

Students will explore the phenomenon of chemical reactions that stop on their own. They investigate the factors that limit reactions.