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Energy Efficient Buildings
Seventh graders create plans for an energy efficient addition to the school. They work in small groups with each group having responsibility for examining one aspect of the problem. They create working diagrams and a model of their...
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How Much Energy is Stored in Wood?
In this energy lesson plan, students create calorimeters out of soda cans and use them to calculate the amount of energy stored in different types of wood.
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Herb is the Word
Learners conduct an experiment to determine how different soils affect plant growth over a six-week period. After determining the physical properties of different types of soil, students plant various types of seeds into the soil...
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Observations and Inferences
Students observe how to distinguish observations form inferences. In this examining inferences lesson students list observations relating to the activity and discuss the importance of them.
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Using a Metric Ruler
Students explore measuring with metric rulers. For this math lesson, students measure two-dimensional objects using metric units.
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Magnitude vs Intensity
Students use a zipcode map to locate earthquake experiences based on the Modified Mercalli Scale. They discuss the difference of the magnitude of an earthquake compared to the intensity of the shaking it causes.
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Packing Materials
Young scholars observe the effects of water on four different packing materials to determine which ones are more soluble. They then decide which material would be a good packing material to use for the environment and which may be a bad...
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Apply Scientific Inquiry and Scientific Habits of Mind
Middle schoolers review the components of the scientific inquiry method. In groups, they apply this method to various experiments they are given to complete. They also use the correct scientific habits of mind when researching...
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Objects in the Sky
Students explore what the sky looks like at different times. They identify objects in the sky and recognize changes over time. Students observe the sky and look for objects that are common in both the daytime and the nighttime sky.
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Marshland Wonders
Students review the characteristics of wetlands and list their benefits. After viewing short videos, they identify the organims that make their home in wetlands and how they have adapted. They compare and contrast the characteristics...
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Projectile Motion II
Learners explore projectile motion and kinematics in two dimensions. They determine, using an adjustable projectile launcher, what angle makes a projectile go the highest.
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Heat Loss and Gain in Physical Changes and Chemical Reactions
Pupils measure the heat of physical and chemical changes in reactions. In this chemistry lesson students determine at what extent changes emit or absorb heat.
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Water 1: Water and Ice
Students explore forms that water can take and examine the water cycle. In this hands-on science lesson, students participate in activities that require them to change water to a solid and back to a liquid again.
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A Closer Look at Wood
Students examine forests as a renewable resource and conservation practices. In this conifers lesson students complete a lab activity on the different types of wood.
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Exploring the Landscape
Young scholars determine the monotonicity and concavity properties of a function, then apply the First Derivative Test and draw conclusions about the first and second derivatives from these properties.
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Testing Foods
Students perform an experiment using brown paper bags to determine which foods have oil in them. This task assesses student's abilities to make simple observations and inferences from them.
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Color Dots 3
Students make simple observations, test mixtures, and make generalized inferences from their observations. They observe bleeding of colored inks with water.
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Pulse
Students determine a baseline pulse rate then chart the changes in rate with exercise. They describe the changes and develop a rationale for their observations. The task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, determine...
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Observing Bursts from an X-ray Burster
Students study the use of X-ray data to make size and energy estimates of the source and the processes occurring there. They use XTE observations of the object GRO 1744-28 to determine whether bursts occur periodically and the duration...
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Heat Loss and Gain in Physical Changes and Chemical Reactions
Students compare and contrast exothermic and endothermic reactions. In this chemistry lesson, students perform experiments to determine whether heat was released or absorbed in a reaction. They share their observations in class.
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Ecology: Adaptations
Eighth graders identify different types of adaptation in organisms. In this biology instructional activity, 8th graders explain how adaptation help organisms survive. They complete a worksheet at the end of the instructional activity.