Curated OER
Northwest Hawaiian Islands
Students compare and contrast places around the world. Students analyze the effects of human activity on the physical environment and devise plans to address the consequences. Students also focus on geographical topics such as formation...
Curated OER
Measuring Precipitation
A little engineering design is mixed into this lesson on precipitation measurement. Groups plan and construct a rain gauge, and use it to collect precipitation. As part of the PowerPoint presentation, learners view a satellite map of...
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Everybody Needs a Little Sunshine
Three activities introduce upper elementary ecologists to photosynthesis and food webs. In the first, an experiment is set up to determine how plants respond to different types of light. In the second, they connect organism cards with...
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Oil Changes Everything
Learners participate in a hands on activity simulating an oil spill. In this oil spill lesson plan, students conduct an experiment about an oil spill, discuss how it would affect the environment and provide solutions to prevent oil spills.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Planetary Distances on the Playground
There's no need to stay inside; get out of the classroom and create a scaled map of the solar system on your playground field! In collaborative groups, scholars identify the distance between the sun and other planets, place planet...
Space Awareness
Let's Break the Particles
Build learning by breaking atoms! Young scientists study the way energy changes with a hands-on activity. As they roll steel marbles down a ramp, learners test the hypothesis that kinetic energy does not go away with friction or...
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Explosive Ideas!
Learners explore the layers of the Earth and the dynamic changes that they cause on Earth's surface. Volcanoes and earthquakes become the focus of the lesson as the Oregon State quarter and its Crater Lake images are linked to the topic.
Curated OER
Wind and Air Pressure
Students make an anemometer, barometer, and wind catcher to see how wind and air pressure are related. In this wind lesson plan, students use these tools to measure the wind speed.
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Expanding the Mission: Historical Parks
Students explore U.S. geography by viewing a documentary in class. For this national parks lesson, students view video clips of individual national parks and locate them using Google Earth software. Students create a persuasive...
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Iona Wastewater Treatment Plant Field Trip
Students go on a field trip to the Iona Wastewater Treatment Plant and learn about sewage, waste, and pollution. In this treatment plant lesson plan, students also complete collection samples of quadrats.
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Elements for Disaster Reporting
Students identify the elements of natural disasters and gain an understanding on how the media influences people's responses to disasters. In this natural disaster lesson plan, students study the impact of natural disasters, and the...
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The Dirt on Worms!
Fourth graders make predictions, observe, collect and record data. They investigate several soil and worm websites. Finally, 4th graders write a letter to The President which defends earthworms by explaining their value to the United...
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Volcanic Activity in the U.S.
Students locate and map ten volcanoes in United States, create chart comparing volcanoes by last eruption, type of volcano, location, and interesting fact, and create Powerpoint slide show describing basic
information about volcanoes and...
Curated OER
Generating Power
Students construct a working model of a turbine and explain how water generates power. By the end of the lesson, they list the effects of Kingsley Dam on people, plans, and animals -- both positive and negative.
Curated OER
Beyond the Earth Part II
Students explore the solar system. In this solar system instructional activity, students use Internet and print resources to research a component of the solar system. Students create travel brochures based on their research findings.
Curated OER
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Students develop a recycling plan. In this environmental lesson, students develop a recycling plan for their school. Students write an outline of the plan to present to their class.
Curated OER
SALLY RIDE
Students express what it would be like to launch off into outer space in a space shuttle. They include what it might feel like, look like, sound like, and any thoughts that go through their mind as they dart away from the Earth's...
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Are You Balanced With Your Environment?
Students discuss the impact of not keeping the environment in balance for future generations. As a class, they are introduced to the concept of "Balance of Nature" and what it means. In groups, they research the role of trees and how to...
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Getting the Oil Out
Students discover ways of obtaining oil by participating in an experiment. In this natural resource lesson, students identify diagrams of oil derricks and pumps in order to visualize how oil is retrieved from the earth. Students...
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The Moon
Young scholars explore the relationship between the earth, sun, and moon in our solar system. They create a moonrise/moonset chart, perform a dance that models the moon phases, and create a Styrofoam model of the moon's surface.
Curated OER
Understanding the Indoor Environment: The Movement of Air
Students discuss HVAC to assess prior knowledge. Students create a rubric to assess their modals of HVAC units, and build the models according to instructions and discussion by the teacher.
Curated OER
Factors That Shaped Indiana
Fourth graders construct a model of Indiana which displays the effects of the glacial period on the state's physical structure. Students work in groups to plan and execute their model based on an established rubric.
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Clouds
Students explore clouds. For this clouds lesson plan, students talk about, write about, and paint clouds to gain an understanding of clouds.
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Plastic Pollution
Young scholars determine with math concepts how much plastic pollution is affecting marine life. For this plastic pollution lesson plan, students collect scientific data from a field trip to a water treatment plant.