Virtual Science Teachers

Physical Science Mini-Challenges

Mini-Challenges are short, auto-graded science activities that give students checks for understanding with immediate feedback.
Add any Physical Science Mini-Challenge to your LMS in just a few clicks. Open an activity, scroll to the bottom, and use Embed (Canvas or Schoology) or send students the link (Google Classroom). Students may retry until successful, then submit a screenshot of their score for credit.

Google Form: Suggest a Mini-Challenge Topic or Activity

Nature of Science

Sort

Not vs. Nature of Science Sort

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Nature of Science

4 Questions

Nature of Science

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Scientific Law vs. Theory

5 Questions

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Scientific Investigations

Crossword

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Matter vs. Not Matter

Sort

Matter vs. Not Matter Sort

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History of Understanding

Atoms Timeline

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Bohr Model

Drag and Drop

Bohr Drag and Drop

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Bohr Model with Energy

Levels Drag and Drop

Bohr with Energy Levels

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Subatomic Particles Table

Drag and Drop

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Properties of Matter

Adhesion vs. Cohesion

Example Sort

Adhesion vs Cohesion Example Sort

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Water as a Universal

Solvent: Six Questions

Water as a Universal Solvent

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Physical and Chemical Changes

States of Matter

PhET Sim & Drag and Drop

States of Matter Sort

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Temperature Readings

Drag and Drop

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Temperature Readings

Drag the Temperatures

Temperature Drag and Drop

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Boiling Water Demo

Four Questions

Water Boiling

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States of Matter Diagram

Drag and Drop

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Heating Water Curve

Drag and Drop

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Physical vs. Chemical

Changes Sort

Chemical vs Physical Changes Sort

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Exothermic and Endothermic

Mini-Lab Questions

Endo and Exothermic Mini-Lab

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Rust Chemical Reaction

Drag and Drop

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Chemical Bonds & Compounds

Ionic and Covalent

Compounds Sort

Ionic and Covalent Bonds

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Ionic and Covalent Bonds

Cloze Activity

Bonds Cloze Activity

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Conservation of Matter

Conservation of Matter

Ice Melting & 5 Questions

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Conservation of Matter

Chem Change & 5 Questions

Vinegar and Baking Soda

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Label the Parts of a 

Periodic Table Square

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Lithium Atoms

4 Questions

Lithium Atoms Activity

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Carbon Atoms

4 Questions

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Oxygen Atoms

4 Questions

Oxygen Gas

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Lithium, Carbon, Oxygen

5 Random Questions

Lithium Atoms Activity

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Boron, Sodium, Silicon

5 Random Questions

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Ions, Protons, Electrons

5 Random Questions

Ions Questions

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Metals, Metalloids,

& Nonmetals Sort

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Thermal Energy & Heat Transfer

Conduction, Convection,

& Radiation Sort

Conduction, Convection, Radiation

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Convection Currents

Demo and 4 Questions

Convection Lab

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Direction of Heat Transfer

5 Questions

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Potential and Kinetic Energy

PE and KE Roller Coaster

Drag and Drop

PE and KE in Rollercoaster

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Potential vs Kinetic Energy

Sort

Potential and Kinetic Energy Sort

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Kinetic Energy vs. Mass

Graph & 3 Questions

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Energy Forms & Transformations

How Energy Travels

Sort

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PhET’s Energy Forms

& Changes Diagram

PhET's Energy Changes and Forms Solar Panel and Fan

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PhET’s Energy Forms

& Changes Diagram

PhET's Energy Changes and Forms Kettle, Generator Light Bulb

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PhET’s Energy Forms

& Changes Diagram

PhET's Energy Changes and Forms Water Wheel Generator Heater

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Energy Transformed to Meet Societal Needs

Label form of Energy

as Coal-Burning Plant

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Label How Nuclear

Plant Works Diagram

How a Nuclear Plant Works

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Forms of Energy at

a Nuclear Power Plant

Forms of Energy at Nuclear Power Plant

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How a Geothermal

Plant Works

How a Geothermal Plant Works

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Renewable vs

Nonrenewable Energy 

Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy Sources

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Properties of Waves

Diagram Drag and Drop

Properties of Waves

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Guitar String Video

4 Questions

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Sound Wave Diagram

Drag and Drop

Sound Waves Diagram

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Transmission, Reflection,

& Refraction Sort

Behaviors of Waves Sort

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EM Waves Diagram

Drag and Drop Wave Type

EM Spectrum Waves Type Drag and Drop

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EM Wave Diagram

Drag and Drop Description

EM Waves Description

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Digital Waves

Code Breaker Game

Digital Wave Game

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Light Vocab

Crossword

Light Crossword

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Forces and Newton’s Laws

Newton’s Laws

Sort

Newton's Laws Sort

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Fnet to Acceleration

Scaffolded Set 1

Scaffolded Fnet Set 1

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Fnet to Acceleration

Scaffolded Set 2

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Fnet to Acceleration

Scaffolded Set 3

Fnet Scaffolded Set 3

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Motion and Acceleration

Car Motion Graph

Simulation & 5 Questions

Car Motion Graph and Sim Questions

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Avg Acceleration

Scaffolded Set 1

Illustration of a person riding a bicycle to the east in a straight line. The image shows the cyclist’s velocity as 2.0 meters per second at 1.0 second and 14 meters per second at 5.0 seconds, with an arrow indicating eastward motion.

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Avg Acceleration

Scaffolded Set 2

Diagram of a person riding an electric scooter traveling east in a straight line. The image shows a velocity of 12 meters per second at 2.0 seconds and a velocity of 4.0 meters per second at 6.0 seconds, indicating the rider is slowing down.

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Avg Acceleration

Scaffolded Set 3

Illustration of a car on a road with labeled values showing an initial velocity of 0 meters per second, a final velocity of 24 meters per second, and a time interval of 6 seconds, used to calculate average acceleration.

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Final Velocity

Scaffolded Set 1

Diagram of a person riding a scooter in a straight line with an arrow indicating forward motion. The image labels an initial velocity of 2 meters per second, an acceleration of 3 meters per second squared, and a time interval of 4 seconds.

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Final Velocity

Scaffolded Set 2

Diagram of a person riding a scooter traveling in a straight line. The image shows an initial velocity of 8 meters per second, an acceleration of −2 meters per second squared, and a time interval of 4 seconds, indicating the scooter is slowing down.

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Final Velocity

Scaffolded Set 3

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Static vs. Current Electricity

Sort

Series vs Parallel Sort

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Static Electricity Set 1

PhET Sim & 5 Questions

Static Electricity Activity 1

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Static Electricity Set 2

PhET Sim & 5 Questions

Static Electricity Activity 2

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Simple Circuit Diagram

Drag and Drop

Circuits Diagram Drag and Drop

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Energy in Closed Circuit

5 Questions

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Circuit Basics

PhET Sim & 5 Questions

Circuits Basics Activity

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Voltage and Resistance

PhET Sim & 5 Questions

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Conductors vs. Insulators

PhET Sim & Sort

Conductors vs Insulators

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Series vs. Parallel Circuits

Sort

Series vs. Parallel

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