Circuit Designers
Students will work in small groups of two to three on a structured challenge around circuits which includes requirements such as including using a switch or a conductor. They will then use that knowledge to work on a collaborative challenge to solve a relevant problem related to elephant poaching. Students will create a containment system that will have an alarm system, a lighting system, and a way to pass through. Finally, they will review the other projects and discuss similarities and differences in the design.
Communication in Space
Students will work in cooperative groups to create an accurate arrangement of mirrors that work together to relay a laser beam from a Mars space station to Earth’s Mission Control, which will model utilizing satellites in space for communication, an accommodation necessary for manned space exploration.
Newton's Second Law
Students will work in partners to investigate Newton’s second law by testing a series of experiments with varying conditions.
How Newton's Laws Apply Every Day
Students collaboratively determine how the characteristics of a real-world job correlate with each of Newton’s Laws and why that is relevant to their own lives.
Stages of Ecological Succession
Students will collaborate on a electronic slideshow presentation and observe, record, and describe the role of ecological succession including both primary and secondary succession.
Stop, Collaborate, and Rotate
Students will explore the Earth's rotation and its relation to the Sun and the Moon. Then, students will create a visual representation of this relationship and present it to the rest of the class.
Convergent Plate Boundaries
Students will design and test models that will identify crustal features formed by convergent plate boundaries.
Full Speed Ahead
Students will use hover pucks to measure speed over a distance of six meters. Once speed has been calculated, students will determine velocity using the same data. Finally, students will be able to label all points of acceleration.
Building a Watershed
Students will model the effects of human activity on watersheds.
Uses of Energy Lab
Students will rotate through lab stations equipped with objects and videos as they explore the uses and conversion of five different types of energy.
Going on an Expedition
Students observe how dunes and canyons are created through agents of erosion by weathering and erosion.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Vertical Alignment
Click below to learn about the TEKS related to the unit and Research Lesson. The highlighted student expectation(s) is the chosen focus for the Research Lesson.
Modeling the Path of Digestion
Students model the path of digestion using household items.
Biodiversity
Students will explore biodiversity concepts through several activities including a video, a card sort, think-pair-shares, food webs, and four corners.
Manifest Density
Students will design a foil boat and add mass to test relative density.
Scientific Investigation and Reasoning - Safe Practices
Students will use interactive exercises to review common lab safety rules and safety symbols.
Lab Safety Equipment
Given investigation scenarios, students will select appropriate preventative safety equipment.
Scientific Investigation and Reasoning - Data Organization
Using interactive exercises, students will review how to construct tables and graphs in order to organize data.
Scientific Investigation and Reasoning - Data Analysis
Students will use interactive exercises to analyze data to identify patterns, predict trends, formulate reasonable explanations, and communicate valid conclusions.
Scientific Investigation and Reasoning - Scientific Explanations
Using interactive exercises, students will review how to evaluate a scientific explanation.
Scientific Investigation and Reasoning - Models
Using interactive exercises, students will review the three different types of models and the advantages and limitations of models.