In a rocket, propellant escapes from the bottom of the rocket. In this balloon investigation, air escapes from the end of the balloon. The rocket lifts off due to the escaping propellant. The balloon moves due to the escaping air. Like a rocket, the balloon travels in the opposite direction of the propellant.

When an object is placed in water, there are two primary forces acting on it. Buoyancy is the force exerted on an object that is wholly or partly immersed in a fluid. The force of gravity is a downward force and buoyancy is an upward force. The gravitational force is determined by the object's weight, and the buoyancy force is determined by the weight of the water that is displaced by the object. If an object weighs less than the amount of water it displaces, it floats; if it weighs more, it sinks.

“Circuit” comes from the same root word as “circle” because of the way a circuit works. A wire, connected to a power source, makes contact with a device requiring power to function or operate. A second wire runs from the device back to the power source. These connections make a pathway, allowing electrons to flow through the “circle” of wires.

Fluids flow from hot to cold at an interface such as the surface of the bubble. As the bubbles begin to freeze, the still-liquid part of the bubble keeps moving, ripping ice crystals off the growing freeze front and tossing them around. Those ice crystals each create their own freeze front, making the bubble’s surface solidify faster.

The content of these website pages is a compilation of STEAM lesson plans developed by elementary school teachers from throughout Oregon. They are arranged by grade level and indicate the author of each.

Parachutes slow down the fall of an object by creating more air resistance for the falling object. All objects fall at the same speed, regardless of their mass. But, more air resistance can slow them down. So, as a parachute is made larger, it will have more air resistance and slow down the object more.

Leaves vary in shape and size even when they are from the same tree species.

Vibrating materials can make sound, and sound can make materials vibrate. When a mallet taps the glass, the water inside the glass vibrates. The pitch of the sound depends on the speed of the vibrations. Since the glass with the most water slows down the vibrations the most, it produces a lower pitched sound.

Vibrating materials can make sound, and sound can make materials vibrate. When a mallet taps the glass, the water inside the glass vibrates. The pitch of the sound depends on the speed of the vibrations. Since the glass with the most water slows down the vibrations the most, it produces a lower pitched sound.

You hear sounds when vibrations go inside your ears and stimulate your nerves to send electrical signals to your brain. For instance, when the spoon is bumped against an object, it vibrates. As it vibrates, it sends out sound waves that bump into air molecules and cause them to bounce to and fro. Those bouncing air molecules bump into other air molecules and start them moving. This chain reaction of moving air molecules carries sound through the air in a series of waves that we call sound. Inside your ear, moving air molecules push on your eardrum and cause it to vibrate.

A shadow is cast when light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object.