3D Activities
Free Activities with NGSS* Performance Expectations
Carolina understands tight budgets. That’s why we developed Carolina Essentials™. This series of free activities follow NGSS-prescribed teaching and learning methods that include phenomena, big questions, student investigations, modeling activities, and assessment questions. Click Here to shop our Carolina Kits 3D Collection
-
Succession on Mount St. Helens
In this activity, students analyze the eruption and biotic changes on Mount St. Helens since the 1980 eruption to produce evidence for the succession stage directly after the eruption and 30 years past. View »
-
A Model for Heat Capacity of Metals
This simple activity models how kinetic energy is transformed into heat or thermal energy on the particle level. View »
-
Termite Pheromones
This investigation demonstrates how soldier termites sense pheromones. Students observe and document motions of termites under 2 different conditions: pencil circles and pen circles. View »
-
Comparative Metamorphosis
In this investigation, students observe development of 3 different insects from the larva or nymph stage through the adult stage. They also complete a comparative development study of metamorphosis, observing complete and incomplete metamorphosis. View »
-
Wisconsin Fast Plants® Monohybrid Crosses Inquiry
In this scientific inquiry activity, students germinate F2 generation Wisconsin Fast Plants® seeds and identify the phenotypes and possible genotypes of the F2 generation plants. View »
-
Introduction to Wisconsin Fast Plants® Phenotypes
In this inquiry activity, students investigate phenotypes using Wisconsin Fast Plants® seeds. After the seeds germinate, students identify the phenotypes and the possible associated genotype. View »
-
Which Leaf Shape Can Hold the Most Butterfly Eggs?
In this elementary-level activity, students investigate the relationship between leaf shape and the number of butterfly eggs that can be laid on a leaf (grades K–5). View »
-
Using Algae Beads as a Model for Photosynthesis
Introduce students to photosynthesis with fresh water algae. By creating algae beads (made of algae and sodium alginate solution), they indirectly observe the change in concentration of oxygen in beads that are exposed to different amounts of light. View »
-
Photosynthesis
Introduce students to photosynthesis in a visual way. As Elodea uses carbon dioxide from an initial solution, a change in pH occurs, causing a color change in the solution. View »
-
Invertebrate Biodiversity and Abiotic Factors
Understanding the relationships between biotic diversity and abiotic factors in an ecosystem can be a difficult task. Using soil invertebrates, students can identify both the number of species present in a soil sample and the number of individuals within a species. View »
-
Pill Bug Behavior Choices
This introductory investigation into animal behavior uses pill bugs and choice chambers. Students begin with an experiment to test how pill bugs respond to humidity and can go on to design an inquiry to test another environmental factor. View »
-
The Ups and Downs of Weather
Use this demonstration to show how temperature, pressure, and the Coriolis effect drive weather. View »
-
Thermochemistry: An Endothermic Reaction
In this thermochemistry demonstration, students observe an extreme, spontaneous endothermic reaction between 2 solid compounds, measure changes in temperature, and make observations. View »
-
Equilibrium and Milk of Magnesia Rainbow
This demonstration shows a colorful reaction that is a good introduction to Le Châtelier’s principle, solubility, stoichiometry, neutralization reactions, and reaction rates. View »
-
Carbon Snake
In this teacher-directed demonstration of an exothermic reaction, students observe the dehydration of a carbohydrate using concentrated sulfuric acid. View »
-
Water Quality Awareness
Use this engaging activity to increase student awareness of the current state of global water quality and availability. View »
-
Sense of Smell and Olfactory Fatigue
In this introductory activity, students use fragrant oils to determine the time of olfactory fatigue for both of their nostrils and examine the link between smell and memories. View »
-
An Inquiry into Seed Germination
This NGSS-aligned activity is a student inquiry into factors that affect seed germination.Use it as an introduction for plant studies in biology or as an environmental impact investigation in earth science, environmental science, or agricultural science. View »
-
Ocular Dominance
How does the brain process information from both eyes? This short activity introduces the senses, sensation and perception, and evolutionary differences in predator-prey relationships. View »
-
Reaction Time and Practice
Introduce students to reflexes and reactions, the nervous system, or learning theory with this engaging activity. View »
-
Constructing and Testing a Dichotomous Key Model for Fruit
This investigation requires students to create and test a model for fruit classification. Use it as an introductory inquiry into taxonomy for life science classes or as an NGSS Dimension 1 Practice in life science, botany, or agricultural science classes. View »
-
Hydroponic Nutrient Solution
After a structured investigation of a hydroponic technology, students design an experiment to test different nutrient solutions. View »
-
A Visual Introduction to Ionic and Net Ionic Equations
With this activity students explore the phenomenon of chemical precipitation and construct an atomic level model of precipitation using ionic and net ionic equations. View »
-
What Do Plants Need To Grow?
Explore the phenomenon of plant growth with this guided inquiry activity. Students use seed disks to determine the amount of sunlight and water plants need to grow. For grades K-2. View »
-
Materials Plants Need to Grow
Examine the phenomenon of plant growth by designing and carrying out an experiment to show that plants need air and water to grow. For grade 5. View »
-
Homeostasis in Animals
Introduce students to homeostasis with this activity. Gather data on set point or resting heart rate, exercise, collect data again, and relate the data to negative feedback mechanisms. View »
-
Comparing Land and Water Plants
How are land and aquatic plants different? How are they alike? In this activity, students compare an aquatic plant, common duckweed, to a terrestrial plant of their choosing. For grade 2. View »
-
Survival: Sow Bug Behavior
In this investigation, observe how sow bugs change their behavior when the dampness in their environment decreases. For grade 3. View »
-
Elephant Toothpaste
This demonstration showing the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, catalyzed by iodide ions, provides students with visual evidence of a chemical reaction. View »
-
Don’t Quote Me on That: Math Attitude Card Sort
Students' preconceived notions about their skills can be as large a stumbling block as the lack of skills. This short activity helps students identify their applied mathematics strengths, weaknesses, and fears. View »
-
Law of Conservation of Mass
Use this inquiry investigation as an introduction to the conservation of mass or as a confirmatory investigation. View »
-
Newton’s Laws, Friction, and Hovercraft
With this Carolina Essentials™ activity, students build a simple hovercraft that illustrates Newton’s laws of motion and frictional force. View »
-
The Physics of Vision
Get ready to investigate parallax and depth perception with 2 activities you can complete in less than 30 minutes. View »
-
Invertebrate Biodiversity with Berlese Funnels
Using soil invertebrates, students identify the number of species present in a soil sample and the number of individuals within a species. With some simple math, they can then calculate the density of invertebrates in a plot. View »
-
Survival: Swim to the Light
For this lab, students gather observations of algae in full light, change habitat conditions by reducing light, and apply the observations. Essential question:
Can all organisms survive equally well in the same habitat? View »
-
Decomposition by Physarum polycephalum
Observe the phenomenon of the plasmodial form of Physarum polycephalum as it streams in search of a food source. Essential question:
What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem? View »
-
Density: An Intensive Property of Matter
In this investigation, students collect mass and volume data for different samples of the same audience and develop a formula for density based on slope calculations. View »
-
Owl Pellet Food Webs: A Model of Energy and Mass Transfer
Explore the phenomenon of owl pellets and construct a model food web for barn owls with this activity. Guiding question: How do energy and mass flow through a food web? View »
-
Introduction to Cladogram Construction
In this activity, students use observable traits of animals as a line of empirical evidence supporting common ancestry among the animals. View »
-
Calorimetry: Measuring the Energy in Foods
In this investigation, students determine the calories, or heat content, of 3 different foods. View »
-
Forces at Work in a Lava Lamp
In this lab activity, gather evidence of molecular interactions and reactions from a mixture of oil and water like that in a lava lamp. Get the details. View »
-
Bright-Line Spectroscopy and Atomic Structure
Use a spectroscope to observe the excited state of hydrogen and other small, nonmetal gases. Then use wavelength data to calculate energy associated with electron level transitions. View »
-
Corn as an Introduction to Mendelian Genetics
Introduce your students to Mendelian genetics with this activity that uses parental stocks of yellow and purple corn. View »
-
Accuracy of Glassware
In this activity, students use density calculations to establish the accuracy of several common pieces of lab glassware. View »
-
Natural Selection of Leaf Thickness on Planet Eorthe, Galaxy Tlaloc
In this introductory activity, students graph and analyze data, observing trends and change over time. The data set consists of leaf thickness measurements taken 4 times during a growing season and the number of fruits produced by plants with each thickness of leaf. View »
-
Popcorn: Visualizing the Kinetic Molecular Theory
What makes popcorn kernels pop? In this activity, students construct a model using the kinetic molecular theory to explain the phenomenon of popping corn. View »
-
Phenology: Spring Leaf Index
Phenology studies are crucial to determining disruptions in environmental relationships. In this activity, students use data to support claims of environmental changes. View »
-
Human Impacts: How Can Our Impact Be Assessed?
In this introductory activity, students look at pictures of similar activities to decide what the impacts are to the environment, what data should be collected, and how to collect it. View »
-
Group Behavior and Survival
This activity is a quick simulation game designed to get students to make sense of how group behavior can impact the survival of individuals and ultimately a species. View »
-
Factors That Affect Reaction Rate
In this activity, students observe 3 factors--concentration, temperature, and particle size--for their effect on reaction rates. View »
-
Modeling Alpha and Beta Decay
In this activity, students use the band of stability and neutron-proton ratios to construct a simple predictive model to determine if an isotope will decay or not decay. View »
-
A Model for Constant Velocity
In this activity, students use a constant velocity car to collect data for distance and time. They then use the data to develop a model showing that distance is proportional to time. View »
-
Engineering an Electromagnetic Train
This physics inquiry activity asks students to engineer the fastest “train.” The activity can be used to visually introduce electric and magnetic fields or as a summary engineering design challenge. Students can work in pairs or small groups, and all materials are reusable. View »
-
The Evolution and Survival of the Galápagos Medium Ground Finch
In this activity students will use data to construct frequency distribution graphs as evidence of the process of evolution, leading them to identify those birds that are better able to survive and reproduce during a drought period. View »
-
Carbon-Carbon Multiple Bonds: Structure and Function
In this modeling activity, pairs of students use molecular models to construct a simple 2-carbonalkane, then convert it to a 2-carbon alkene and 2-carbon alkyne. View »
-
Heat Transfer Between Components of a System
This easy, inexpensive lab demonstrates the transfer of heat energy from a higher temperature substance to a lower temperature substance within the same system. View »
-
Altering Carrying Capacity by Changing Environmental Factors
This is a scenario-based activity in which students must use bacterial growth data to determine the carrying capacity of an “ideal” growing medium and then determine how two different treatments affect the growth and carrying capacity of the medium. View »
-
Wave-Particle Duality of Light Phenomena
This demonstration illustrates wave-particle duality of light. Complete the activities in 15 minutes with minimal setup time. View »
-
Electron Configuration and Periodic Trends
In this activity, students analyze data patterns to identify trends found on the periodic table. They then relate the trends to atomic structure and electron arrangement. View »
-
Minimizing Forces During a Collision
Students utilize and apply concepts including force, energy transformation, conservation of energy, momentum, conservation of momentum, and Newton's laws of motion. View »
*Next Generation Science Standards® is a registered trademark of Achieve. Neither Achieve nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of, and do not endorse, these products.
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
