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

Testable Questions

5 Multiple Choice

Testable Questions: Physical Science

Galileo & Nature of Science

5 Multiple Choice

Galileo and the Power of Evidence

Marie Curie

5 Multiple Choice

Marie Curie

Nature of Science

Sort

Not vs. Nature of Science Sort

Nature of Science

4 Questions

Nature of Science

Scientific Law vs. Theory

5 Questions

Identifying Variables in Electromagnet Experiment

Variables in Electromagnet Experiment

Scientific Investigations

Crossword

Matter vs. Not Matter

Sort

Matter vs. Not Matter Sort

History of Understanding

Atoms Timeline

Bohr Model

Drag and Drop

Bohr Drag and Drop

Bohr Model with Energy

Levels Drag and Drop

Bohr with Energy Levels

Subatomic Particles Table

Drag and Drop

Label the Parts of a 

Periodic Table Square

Lithium Atoms

4 Questions

Lithium Atoms Activity

Carbon Atoms

4 Questions

Oxygen Atoms

4 Questions

Oxygen Gas

Lithium, Carbon, Oxygen

5 Random Questions

Lithium Atoms Activity

Boron, Sodium, Silicon

5 Random Questions

Ions, Protons, Electrons

5 Random Questions

Ions Questions

Metals, Metalloids,

& Nonmetals Sort

Ionic and Covalent

Compounds Sort

Ionic and Covalent Bonds

Ionic and Covalent Bonds

Cloze Activity

Bonds Cloze Activity

Adhesion vs. Cohesion

Example Sort

Adhesion vs Cohesion Example Sort

Water as a Universal

Solvent: Six Questions

Water as a Universal Solvent

States of Matter

PhET Sim & Drag and Drop

States of Matter Sort

Temperature Readings

Drag and Drop

Temperature Readings

Drag the Temperatures

Temperature Drag and Drop

Boiling Water Demo

Four Questions

Water Boiling

States of Matter Diagram

Drag and Drop

Heating Water Curve

Drag and Drop

Physical vs. Chemical

Changes Sort

Chemical vs Physical Changes Sort

Exothermic and Endothermic

Mini-Lab Questions

Endo and Exothermic Mini-Lab

Rust Chemical Reaction

Drag and Drop

Conservation of Matter

Salt Water & 5 Questions

Conservation of Matter for Dissolving Salt

Conservation of Matter

Ice Melting & 5 Questions

Conservation of Matter

Chem Change & 5 Questions

Vinegar and Baking Soda

Conduction, Convection,

& Radiation Sort

Conduction, Convection, Radiation

Convection Currents

Demo and 4 Questions

Convection Lab

Direction of Heat Transfer

5 Questions

PE and KE Roller Coaster

Drag and Drop

PE and KE in Rollercoaster

Potential vs Kinetic Energy

Sort

Potential and Kinetic Energy Sort

Kinetic Energy vs. Mass

Graph & 3 Questions

How Energy Travels

Sort

PhET’s Energy Forms

& Changes Diagram

PhET's Energy Changes and Forms Solar Panel and Fan

PhET’s Energy Forms

& Changes Diagram

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

PhET’s Energy Forms

& Changes Diagram

PhET's Energy Changes and Forms Water Wheel Generator Heater

Label forms of Energy:

Wind Turbine

Label forms of Energy

at Coal-Burning Plant

Label How Nuclear

Plant Works Diagram

How a Nuclear Plant Works

Forms of Energy at

a Nuclear Power Plant

Forms of Energy at Nuclear Power Plant

How a Geothermal

Plant Works

How a Geothermal Plant Works

Renewable vs

Nonrenewable Energy 

Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy Sources

Newton’s Laws

Sort

Newton's Laws Sort

Fnet to Acceleration

Scaffolded Set 1

Scaffolded Fnet Set 1

Fnet to Acceleration

Scaffolded Set 2

Fnet to Acceleration

Scaffolded Set 3

Fnet Scaffolded Set 3

Car Motion Graph

Simulation & 5 Questions

Car Motion Graph and Sim Questions

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Final Velocity

Scaffolded Set 3

Work vs. Not Work

Sort

Work vs Not Work Sort

Levers, Wheel & Axle,

and Pulley Sort

Simple Machines Sort

Static vs. Current Electricity

Sort

Series vs Parallel Sort

Static Electricity Set 1

PhET Sim & 5 Questions

Static Electricity Activity 1

Static Electricity Set 2

PhET Sim & 5 Questions

Static Electricity Activity 2

Simple Circuit Diagram

Drag and Drop

Circuits Diagram Drag and Drop

Energy in Closed Circuit

5 Questions

Circuit Basics

PhET Sim & 5 Questions

Circuits Basics Activity

Voltage and Resistance

PhET Sim & 5 Questions

Conductors vs. Insulators

PhET Sim & Sort

Conductors vs Insulators

Series vs. Parallel Circuits

Sort

Series vs. Parallel

Properties of Waves

Diagram Drag and Drop

Properties of Waves

Guitar String Video

4 Questions

Sound Wave Diagram

Drag and Drop

Sound Waves Diagram

Transmission, Reflection,

& Refraction Sort

Behaviors of Waves Sort

EM Waves Diagram

Drag and Drop Wave Type

EM Spectrum Waves Type Drag and Drop

EM Wave Diagram

Drag and Drop Description

EM Waves Description

Digital Waves

Code Breaker Game

Digital Wave Game

Light Vocab

Crossword

Light Crossword