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A Model of the Sea-floor
Students create a paper model to illustrate sea-floor spreading.
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Sampling the Ocean Floor
Students sample goodies from an unseen ocean floor and try to accurately describe their composition. This simulation helps students explain the limitations of sampling and the problem of obtaining representative samples of sea floor...
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Food for Spaceflight
When astronauts get hungry in outer space, they can't just call and have a pizza delivered. In order to gain an appreciation for the challenges associated with space travel, young learners are given the task of selecting, testing, and...
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Mysterious Footprints
Students, after observing and responding to two pictures, consider the interaction of two unknown animals by examining the pattern of their footprints. They make observations, draw conclusions and propose possible explanations for the...
NASA
Mystery Planet
What can one learn about a planet based on a small surface sample? Learners will explore artifacts from a mystery planet and see what they can determine about the planet based on the evidence in front of them.
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The Water Cycle
Fifth graders identify organisms and processes involved in three cycles: the water cycle, the carbon cycle, and the nitrogen cycle. They produce a pictorial or abstract water cycle, and appropriately place life forms onto an existing...
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Weighing a Dinosaur
Students role play as paleontologists who make inferences about the weight of dinosaurs. They use models and the density of water to make these inferences.
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The Water Cycle
Fifth graders investigate evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. They observe a water cycle kit and record their observations, and examine how water condenses on the outside of a cup. Next, they observe an evaporation...
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Barrier Islands
Third graders explore how barrier islands work. In this erosion lesson, 3rd graders create barrier islands in stream tables and simulate wave action to see how it affects their island.
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Ship of the Line
Students discover boats by researching 18th century ships. In this Naval history lesson, students identify and describe the different components of an 18th century naval ship after researching information on the Internet. Students...
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Fred the Fish -- A River Ran Wild
Students apply cause and effect relationships to water pollution in a stream. In this pollution activity students recognize the importance of clean water in their daily lives. Students accompany "Fred the Fish" as he travels down stream....
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Growth of a River
Students evaluate geography by drawing an image in class. In this river instructional activity, students identify a list of vocabulary terms associated with bodies of water. Students identify how a river is formed and draw a picture of...
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Clouds
Students explore clouds. In this weather lesson, students identify the steps in the water cycle, define condensation and evaporation, and relate this information to cloud formation. Students perform a cloud experiment, predict weather...
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Melt Away
Students explore objects before and after heating using their senses. For this matter and energy lesson, students experiment with a variety of objects and use their senses (except taste) to make predictions and record observations about...
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Convection and Wind
Learners use water, beakers, hot plates, paper dots, and goggles to participate in a hands on activity where they see how a convection current creates wind. In this convection current lesson plan, students participate in a hands on...
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Timeline of Extreme Weather Events
Students research and chart extreme weather events on a timeline. In this extreme weather lesson, students interview older people who have experienced extreme weather events. Students complete a worksheet based on the information of the...
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Energy Divide
Fourth graders, after viewing a video on "The Future" Fossil Fuel grade, participate in an energy consumption simulation game in order to analyze how consumption, population, and choice of resource affect the availability of future...
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Animals, Soil, Trees
Fourth graders describe the various kinds of soils and how plants and animals are affected by them. They describe the baic needs of plants, scoring at least a 3 or 4 on a 4-point rubic. Students are able to predict and/or infer what...
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Clouds
Students recognize the three main types of clouds. In this clouds lesson, students create a cloud mobile to understand clouds.
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Build a Psychrometer
Students understand that a psychrometer is a weather instrument used to detect humidity. In this psychrometer lesson, students build a psychrometer. Students use their psychrometers to measure humidity activity.
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The Amazing Apple
Students analyze an apple. In this lesson about developing inquiry skills, students do an experiment with an apple. Students make several observations about the apple. Students answer questions to help them improve and practice their...
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Water Cycle Bag
Learners enclose water in an airtight bag and leave it in a warm area to view the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson plan, students observe evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. They then discuss what they learned about the...
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The Great Heat Escape
Students observe a demonstration on the role of thermal conductivity in heat transfer. In this thermal conductivity lesson plan, students design and conduct an experiment to compare the thermal conductivity of four substances. Lesson...
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Measuring Temperature
Students conduct an experiment using the steps of the scientific method. In this scientific method lesson plan, students experiment with temperature and record their findings using the scientific method. Students complete a data sheet...