Historical Sunspot Activity: Finding Patterns

A CAROLINA ESSENTIALS INVESTIGATION Total Time Prep: 15 mins Activity: 30-45 mins Earth and Space Science Grade Level 9-12 High School Quick Links Close Quick Links Open Quick Links Overview Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Analysis Kit Resources Overview Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Analysis Kit Resources Overview When studying the Sun, students are often […]
A Model of Interacting Fields

A CAROLINA ESSENTIALS INVESTIGATION Total Time Prep: 30 mins Activity: 30-45 mins Physical Science, Physics Grade Level 9-12 High School Quick Links Close Quick Links Open Quick Links Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Data Observations Analysis Resources Kit Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Data Observations Analysis Resources Kit Introduction This activity is a […]
Modeling Lunar Phases

A CAROLINA ESSENTIALS INVESTIGATION Total Time: 65-80 mins Prep: 20 mins Activity: 45-60 mins Earth and Space Science Grade Level 6-8 Middle School Quick Links Close Quick Links Open Quick Links Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Analysis & Discussion Resources Helpful Links Buy the Kit Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Analysis & Discussion […]
Minimizing Forces During a Collision

A CAROLINA ESSENTIALS INVESTIGATION Total Time Prep: 20-30 mins Activity: 45-60 mins Physical Science, Physics Grade Level 9-12 High School Quick Links Close Quick Links Open Quick Links Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Analysis Kit Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Analysis Kit Introduction Many students have had the opportunity to participate in an […]
Newton’s Laws, Friction, and Hovercraft

Students build a simple CD-and-balloon hovercraft to explore Newton’s laws of motion and friction. They observe how a cushion of air reduces friction, test movement on various surfaces, record data, sketch free?body diagrams, and analyze forces.
The Physics of Vision

A CAROLINA ESSENTIALS ACTIVITY Total Time Prep: 10 mins Activity: 20 mins Physical Science Grade Level 8-12 Middle/High School Quick Links Close Quick Links Open Quick Links Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Analysis Kit Resources Introduction Essential Question NGSS Materials Procedures Analysis Kit Resources Introduction Understanding vision requires a knowledge of physics, anatomy, and […]
A Model for Heat Capacity of Metals

A Carolina EssentialsTM Activity Total Time: 60-70 mins Prep: 15 mins | Activity: 45-55 mins Physical Science | Chemistry 9-12 High School Overview This simple activity models how kinetic energy is transformed into heat or thermal energy on the particle level. Additionally, by comparing data for 3 different metals—aluminum, copper, and lead—students construct a model […]
Come to Your Senses: Physiology in Action

Workshop Resource Life Science 6-12 Middle / High School Don’t think you have the nerves for physiology? Learn about easy, hands-on activities you can use to explore homeostasis, reflexes and reactions, and responses to stimuli. The activities are suitable for all grade levels. NGSS Scientific and Engineering Practices: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, Constructing Explanations NGSS […]
Newton’s Law of Cooling

Newton’s law of cooling states that the rate at which an object cools is proportional to the difference in temperature between the object and the object’s surroundings. Simply put, a glass of hot water will cool down faster in a cold room than in a hot room. This simple principle is relatively easy to prove, and the experiment has repeatable and reproducible results.
Dollar Store Single Function Signal Generator

In this activity, students use a solar-powered model, such as the dancing flowers often sold at discount variety stores. They carefully disassemble the plastic housing and attach a sensor to the capacitor, then use probe ware to graph the voltage across the capacitor.