Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Charting the Progress of New Horizons
In 2006, New Horizons began its mission to fly to Pluto. As it continues its journey, scholars track its progress with the help of an informative website, all the while reinforcing measurement concepts with the construction of a scaled...
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How Volcanoes Grow
Young scholars build models of the three major types of volcanoes and see how a volcano's shape is related to the type of material it erupts. As a class, they observe a demonstration that simulates the nature of two volcanic materials:...
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How Volcanoes Grow
Students create models of the three major types of volcanoes and determine how a volcano's shape is related to the type of material erupted. They then observe a demonstration that simulates the nature of two volcanic materials: lava and...
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Water Cycle
Students answer short answer questions about the water cycle and other cycles. In this water cycle lesson plan, students explore clouds, rain, evaporation, and more.
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Water, Weather, and the World
Learners in a special education classroom examine the role of weather and water in their lives. Each day, they add a symbol for the weather outside and identify the proper activities for the weather on that day. In groups, they...
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Eco-Kids: How Students Can Help Save the World
Fourth graders identify the different types of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. In this ecology activity, 4th graders create models of wind mills and hydropower. They discuss the pros and cons of using alternative forms of energy.
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Space Exploration
Learners explore the significance of the four space programs: Sputnik, Apollo, Viking, and Voyager. For this space exploration lesson, students view a space exploration slideshow and complete an included chart of space exploration.
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Pet Rocks
Students complete a variety of activities related to the physical characteristics of minerals. They classify and group candy, classify rocks and complete a Pet River Rock worksheet. Students try to guess which rock goes with each...
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Endangered Species
Students watch video clips of endangered animals. They imagine a small garden in front of a house and describe the living and non-living things that could interact to make up a garden eco-system.
Peace Corps
Weather and Water in Ghana
Young scholars investigate the climate of their region. Students research statistics and conduct interviews. Young scholars take a virtual tour of Ghana and discuss its climate. Students consider water conservation and the role it plays...
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Seasons' Journey: As the World Turns
Fourth graders explore the earth's revolution around the sun and the changes in weather that follow this motion.
Michigan Sea Grant
Water Quality
Learners observe water samples and measure the samples' water quality. Students develop their own criteria for measuring water quality and test for temperature, acidity, oxygen levels, turbidity, conductance, sediment and hardness.
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Soil Runoff Challenge
Young scholars find ways to decrease soil runoff for an African Village as a part of a Peace Corps project. In this soil runoff lesson, students play a soil runoff challenge online. Young scholars complete online activities and view a...
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Weather Watchers - Interdisciplinary
Learners investigate weather and climate through a variety of interdisciplinary activities.
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Rockin' Chalk
Fourth graders access prior knowledge of rocks and minerals. In this petroglyphs lesson, 4th graders become familiar with artwork on rocks. Students create original artworks using rock art.
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The Grand Canyon
Fourth graders study the Grand Canyon. They research the Grand Canyon and locate the Colorado River on the map of Arizona. They discuss erosion and read how sedimentary rock was formed. They view photographs of the Grand Canyon and...
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Planetary Mobile
Students receive pre-cut templates of cardboard with appropriate diameters of each planet and the sun. They use multi-colored construction paper, scissors, yarn, and other art supplies to create their own models of planets. When students...
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Volcanic Violence
Students complete activities to study volcanic activities. For this volcanic activities lesson, students read an article about violent volcanoes. Students complete discuss questions and volcano projects for the lesson. students also take...
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Meteorologist for the Day
Fourth graders examine the symbols used on weather maps. They analyze a newspaper weather forecast and identify and discuss the various symbols used on the map. Next, they prepare a weather map for their own city using the symbols...
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Dreaming of Gardens
Students demonstrate ways to be an environmental philanthropist. In this philanthropy instructional activity, students read The Gardener and Just a Dream and compare the two books. Students discuss ways the characters demonstrated...
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Carve That Mountain
Students investigate major landforms (e.g., mountains, rivers, plains, hills, oceans and plateaus). They build a three-dimensional model of a landscape depicting several of these landforms. Once they have built their model, they act as...
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Indoor Environment: A Magazine Publication Project
Students demonstrate knowledge of Indoor Air Quality by creating a class magazine. A link to order a free Action Kit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is provided so teachers can build background knowledge. Performance...
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Bat Ecology
Young scholars, through hands on games and activities, discover how bats live and how bats benefit ecosystems. They play a game designed to show them how echolocation works and another to show how mother bats locate their young through...