Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Weight of Things
Students explore weight. In this math instructional activity, students predict which item weighs more and discuss how they arrived at their decision. Students weigh several items to determine which weighs more.
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Ammonium Nitrate - Efficient Fertilizers
Learners study the chemistry of ammonium nitrate and consider the advantages and disadvantages of this compound. They compare different fertilizers and calculate the molar mass and percent nitrogen in the different fertilizers.
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Pancakes!
Second graders explore dietary habits by completing a cooking activity in class. For this breakfast preparation lesson, 2nd graders read several books about pancakes and maple syrup. Students utilize a wheat kit to understand the...
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Good Vibrations
Learners view video clips about sound and vibrations, explore how sound travels, and create their own sound waves.
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Erosion: On the Move...Defending the Coast Against Wave Attack
Students study how people have tried to save beaches from wave erosion. They examine what has occurred to Cape Hatteras as a result of beach erosion and the efforts to reduce the erosion.
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Frozen Film
Students are introduced to the topic of light interference through this hands-on activity. They observe how light reflects off two surfaces and then meets to form an interesting variation of color on a film surface.
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Spectral Surprise
Students experience a model that produces, separating, and displaying spectral colors.
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Angles: Angles, Angles, Everywhere
Middle schoolers estimate and accurately measure the size of angles communicate with the appropriate geometric terms and symbols to describe and name angles, lines, line segments, rays
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Scientists at Work: What'll they think of next?
Students explore scientific discovery while watching a video. They, in groups, are to research a scientific invention and present their findings to the class.
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Drifting Continents, Dynamic Results
Students plot earthquake and volcano data using a Compass Rose Plotting. They explain the relationship between plate movement and connection. They draw conclusions that earthquakes and volcanoes occur in predictable locations.
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Fallout!
Learners plot the locations of fallout from two disasters that polluted much of the world's air. They plot the ash fallout from the 1980 Mt. St. Helen's eruption to see what the wind patterns in the United States look like overall. Next...
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A Message in a Bottle
Students investigate the motion of water currents by mapping the possible movement of messages cast into the ocean in bottles.They accurately plot the appearance of bottles on a world map and illustrate the flow of an ocean current...
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Losing An Island
Young scholars examine carbon dioxide and determine the impact of greenhouse gases on the earths spheres. In this pollution lesson students complete a lab activity to see the impact of gases on the environment,
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"Investigating Hazardous Materials"
Eighth graders gather Internet information on a variety of related topics concerning hazardous waste.
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The Chinese Zodiac
Students create their own personalized Zodiac page on a word processing
document after researching and discussing the origins of Zodiak signs. This lesson plan does include resource links and may be controversial.
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The Chinese Zodiac And The Western Zodiac
Students create individual horoscopes that contrast and compare Western and
Chinese views of their futures using poster boards and magic markers. In-class discussion is used to evaluate the use of the Zodiac in different cultures.
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Where's the Evidence?
Eighth graders observe evidence of chemical reactions. For this chemical reactions lesson students study chemical processes and complete a lab activity.