Acoustic Mirrors

Students play and record the “Mary Had a Little Lamb” song using musical instruments and analyze the intensity of the sound using free audio editing and recording software. Then they use hollow Styrofoam half-spheres as acoustic mirrors (devices that reflect and focus sound), determine the radius of curvature of the mirror and calculate its focal length. Students place a microphone at the acoustic mirror focal point, re-record their songs, and compare the sound intensity on plot spectrums generated from their recordings both with and without the acoustic mirrors. A worksheet and KWL chart are provided.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Authors: Nick Breen, Steven C. Thedford

Action-Reaction! Rocket

Students construct rockets from balloons propelled along a guide string. They use this model to learn about Newton's three laws of motion, examining the effect of different forces on the motion of the rocket.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Authors: Ben Heavner, Denise W. Carlson, Malinda Schaefer Zarske, Sabre Duren

Action-Reaction Rocket! (for Informal Learning)

Students make rockets that travel along a string.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Accuracy and Precision Lab With Measurement and Density

In this lab exercise, students practice correctly using measurement tools, recording data, calculating density, using significant figures, and exploring the concepts of accuracy and precision.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment, Lesson Plan

Author: Chris Lenius

OER Comm

Learn how to use the OER Commons Bookmark Tool to suggest great open educational resources for OER Commons.

Material Type: Lesson

Author: Letha Goger

OER Commons Learner Options

Learn how to use OER Commons Learner Options to change your viewing preferences.

Material Type: Lesson

Author: Letha Goger

Brief Intro to OER Commons

This is a brief informational presentation about OER Commons to introduce faculty and staff to the OER Commons website and basic tools.

Material Type: Lecture

Authors: Jodell Allinger, EdD, Dawn Julian

Test Lesson

This is a test lesson.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Regina Rogers

Got Lactose? Investigating How Enzymes Function

After studying the basics of enzyme function, students will be exposed to the history and evolution of lactose intolerance/lactase persistence. Both whole group and individual activities will ask students to interact with the concept. They will conduct a lab to understand the role of enzymes in lactose digestion and communicate their knowledge by creating a public health poster.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment, Data Set, Lesson, Lesson Plan, Student Guide

Author: Janelle Roberts

Culture in the Classroom

Unit 2 presentation on Hammon's culturally responsive teaching text, What's Culture Got to Do With It?

Material Type: Lecture Notes

Author: E. Medina

Iowa History: Iowa Unsung Prairie Transformation to Farms and One Room Schools 1870-1900 Part 1

Learn more about how immigrants settled Iowa by developing farms and built schools on the tall grass prairie in Iowa. Through video, primary sources, activities and text learn more about: A) Preparation for Settlement of Iowa's Treeless Tall Grass Prairie B) Promotion of Large Scale Prairie Settlement of 3/4 of Iowa

Material Type: Lesson, Module, Primary Source, Unit of Study

Authors: Denise Krefting, Sandra Host