Acid Rain-the Effect of Air Pollution - (grades 4-12) This investigation involves having students collect and measure the pH of rainwater in their area. Then students will determine the distance from the nearest coal-fired power plant and prevailing winds. When this data is entered into the provided form, students can compare their results with those of students from different parts of the country and world.
Action/Reaction Investigation - (grades 4-8) Newton's Third Law of Motion states that every action creates an equal but opposite reaction. Students will get an opportunity to observe this when high-pressure air forces water to leave a capsule in turn causing the capsule to accelerate in the opposite direction.
Air Quality Experiment - (grades 4-8) This air quality activity will have the students conduct an experiment to sample and measure the particulate matter in the air at various locations and/or elevations in the schoolyard. This is an easy activity that can easily be scaled up or down depending upon the grade level. Students will cover index cards with Vaseline and place them at various locations in the schoolyard, leaving them for a minimum of a 24-hour period. At the end of this time, they will collect the cards and calculate the particulate matter.
Animal Sign Experiment - (grades 3-12) Students place 10-meter transect lines at different places in the schoolyard and then observe and identify the different animal signs they find along the transect lines. Animal signs could be ant hills, bones, leaf holes, worm tailings, dead animals, spider webs, scat, etc.
Biodegradable-Can You Dig It? - (grades 4-8) The purpose of this experiment is to examine the effects of biodegradation. This exploration involves burying different items in the school yard and then examining the changes that take place. Through this examination you can determine which materials are more and less biodegradable.
Bird Feeder Experiment - (grades K-4) This experiment involves placing bird feeders with a specified amount of bird seed in different locations around the school grounds to determine if human presence has an impact. After a designated period of time the bird seed is weighed to determine what location attracted the most birds. Data is collected and then submitted to be posted online.
Capture/Recapture Experiment - (grades 4-12) By using an already tested scientific research method, students can determine the numbers of a mobile population of insects. Grasshoppers are captured, marked, and then recaptured. Students learn how to use an algebraic formula to determine their populations.
Chromatography of Schoolyard Vegetation - (grades 4-12) The purpose of this experiment is to determine the types of pigments found in schoolyard vegetation. The students will gather plants from the schoolyard, soak them in acetone and use coffee filter strips to separate the pigments. Then the students will determine the pigments found in each type of leaf.
Collecting Solar Energy - (grades 2-5) This experiment is an excellent way for your students to investigate solar energy. With our sources of energy being depleated we must look to other forms of energy. This project allows your students to investigate how much energy the sun can provide in a given circumstance.
Coming Up Worms - (grades 3-12) For this investigation students will document the growth of radish plants as they are watered with vinegar and water. The vinegar will simulate acid rain in a controlled setting. After the investigation is completed, students can compare their results with others online.
The Effects of Acid Rain on Radish Plants - (grades 7-12) This activity has students designing and testing vibrating instruments that are then used to bring worms up from the soil. Students can test different materials and different ways to create vibrations as well as use their instruments to determine where the most earthworms can be found in the schoolyard.
Hot Rocks - (grades 5-12) The Hot Rock experiment will give students a better understanding of the scientific method and put a new twist on energy absorption and rock identification. Students will be asked to construct a simple apparatus using a shoebox and PVC pipe. After collecting the data, teachers can probe students for answers about different types of rock and classification. Other topics that teachers could discuss might include heat absorption and thermal pollution.
Investigation of Schoolyard Litter - (grades 4-10) For this investigation students collect a sample of litter found in marked off areas of the schoolyard. They then sort and weigh the litter to determine the amount and type of litter found in those areas. After data is collected they can submit their results online.
Kite Experiment - (grades 4-12) This is an activity where a class can compare the flying ability of different types of kites and weather conditions most suited for flying them. Students can build their own kites or purchase them. Through this activity students will learn about the concepts concerning flight.
Lung Capacity Exploration - (grades 3-9) The purpose of this lab activity is to determine the lung capacity of different students during cool and warm days in the schoolyard. This lab can also take into consideration many different factors such as: physical conditioning, age, location (related to pollution), weather conditions, altitude, gender, height, etc.
Pea Plants Subjected to Growth Hormone - (grades 3-9) This investigation examines the effect of using growth hormones on pea plants. The students grow their own pea plants and compare the effects of watering the plants with different concentrations of Gibberellic acid. After the results are examined the students can enter their data online.
Pitfall Trap Experiment - (grades 3-12) Babyfood jar pitfall traps containing different baits are placed in different areas of the schoolyard over a twenty-four hour period of time. Students count and identify the different animals caught in their pitfall traps and then post their data for others to analyze and compare.
Physical Change and Chemical Change - (grades K-6) This lesson is to determine the physical changes that occur in certain substances over a period of three weeks. The students will observe, chart, and graph the changes.
Pond Experiment - (grades 4-12) This investigation allows students to observe and identify the different life found in ponds and wetlands that may exist in and around the schoolyard. Numbers and varieties are to be submitted for others to compare and analyze.
Rocks - What's in a Name? - (grades 3-12) This experiment is an adventure for students to collect rocks in their schoolyard and surrounding neighborhood. It will help them become aware of the different types of rocks and the methods used to identify their characteristics. Hands-on tests will be used to discover the properties of the rocks that have been collected by the students during their exploration of the schoolyard and/or surrounding neighborhood.
Roller Coaster Experiment - (grades 6-12) The "Big Thrill Ride" Roller Coaster experiment is an activity that will teach the students the laws of motion. This activity covers the concepts of Newton's 3 laws of motion, measurement, problem solving, and critical thinking.
Schoolyard Cloud Experiment - (grades 2-7) The Cloud Cover experiment uses technology to determine the percentage of cloud cover and the different cloud types so they can make correlations between clouds and weather patterns.
Schoolyard Flower Experiment - (grades K-6) Students obsereve different colored flowers in the schoolyard and count the number and variety of animals that visit them over a period of several days. They then submit their information for others to compare and analyze.
Schoolyard Inventory - (grades 4-12) This activity allows students to apply different mathematics concepts when measuring and counting a variety of different things found in a typical schoolyard. They are challenged to submit the results of several different measurements as a contest.
Schoolyard Soil Experiment - (grades 3-12)Students learn about the three basic groups of soil (sand, silt, and clay) and use them to identify their soil type. They will gather a soil sample from their schoolyard and use a soil chart to identify the soil type. Students will also estimate the percentage of different soil groups found in their sample by constructing a soil column. Data will be recorded online.
Schoolyard Sounds - (grades K-4) This experiment is designed for students to listen to and identify animal sounds from different schoolyard habitats. Students will listen to any animal noises and record them in an effort to discover when most animal noises are heard.
Soil Dwellers Experiment - (grades 3-12) Students remove small measured chunks of soil from the schoolyard and then take them apart in order to identify and count all of the animals found within each chunk. A comparison is made to determine where in the schoolyard the most soil dwellers are found. Students submit their data for others to compare and analyze.
Spiders Among Us - (grades 4-12) Spider webs are found in many areas around a schoolyard. Students can locate, identify and map any spider webs they find in their schoolyard. They will search Internet sites for information on types of spiders and webs.
Surface Temperatures - (grades 4-12) This project is an excellent method of reinforcing use of metric/temperature measurement and assessing student knowledge of temperature, measurement, data collection/presentation/graphing and environmental issues. The students will also learn about how temperature differs depending upon the type of surface area.
Sweep Net Experiment - (grades 4-12) Students use sweepnets to capture animals living in different parts of the schoolyard. They then compare their findings, draw conclusions and make inferences about the locations, numbers and varieties of animals found. The information is then submitted online for others to compare and analyze.
Swing Set Physics - (grades 1-6) Here is a way for your class to explore the physics of pendulums using the swings in their schoolyard. They will compare the difference in a pendulum's swing when using different sized weights.
The Strength of Paper - (grades 3-8) This investigation provides a simplified procedure for students to have the opportunity to make their own paper. Students will make a variety of papers with and without a natural schoolyard ingredient added and will then test the strength of the two papers.
Veering Path Study - (grades 3-12) This investigation looks at a possible connection between right/left handedness (or other factors) and the direction a person will veer from a straight path when blindfolded. It is a very good opportunity to practice measurement and data collection skills as well as graphing.
Which Radish Seeds Will Produce More Food? - (grades 1-8) This experiment will allow students to explore plants and learn different things about their growth and maintenance. In the process, students will conduct an investigation to compare the differences between two to three varieties of radishes.
Copyright, 2005
by Prism Press
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