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A New Phase In Town
Middle schoolers explore heat energy and how it is used to change the phase of matter, and discover that temperature does not increase or decrease until the phase change is complete. This extremely well-written plan is packed with great...
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Orville and Wilbur Wong and the Fantastic Flying Machines
Upper elementary and middle schoolers examine the role of Chinese immigrants in America. They investigate literature, history and cultures of Chinese-Americans. This ambitious plan takes two weeks to complete, and it brings in elements...
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Animal Cells
Students define the function of the different parts of a cell. In this biology lesson, students discuss cell structures and how its organelles perform basic functions. They differentiate between human and animal cells.
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A Shocking Experience
Learners differentiate between current and static electricity, conductors and insulators, explain how energy is converted from chemical to electrical, measure voltage of batteries, collect data on voltage, and predict voltage of...
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Harvesting Mosaics
Middle schoolers use pieces of farm pictures to investigate the elements of art. In this farm art lesson, students use pieces of pictures to create an original artwork. Middle schoolers use the Internet to find images. Students create...
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Charge and Electricity
In this charge and electricity instructional activity, students read about electric charges and how they are created in atoms. They also read about the unit of charge, called the Coulomb, conductors, and insulators. Emerging electricians...
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Life in a Hurricane Zone
Learners research the effects of living in a hurricane zone. In this hurricane zone instructional activity, students research the impact of natural disasters on humans and the environment, and write a press release describing the...
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Water, Water Everywhere!
Learners brainstorm on ways they use water, and where water comes from. They view video, Down the Drain, to gain specific facts about water use, properties of water, problems of water and the water cycle. They perform a lab activity...
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See The Wind!
Students learn about wind at different altitudes above the earth. In this wind lesson plan, students use kites or balloons with attached streamers to observe the wind speed, wind turbulence and shear at different elevations. Students...
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Along the Birdhouse Trail
Students set up and maintain birdhouses on the school grounds in an effort to witness and capture (through video and photos) the major stages in the life cycle of cavity-nesting birds.
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Life Through Time: The Heart of the Phanerozoic
Young scholars gain a deeper understanding of geological time and the evolution of life on Earth. They use iMovie to tell a complex story of a discrete time period with narration and images.
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Watershed Documentary
High schoolers research and produce an iMovie documentary about the human and natural history of a stream basin (watershed).
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Ego Trip- Exploring the Inner Workings of the Human Body
Students gain an understanding of how systems and organs in the human body work. They create their own fictional account of a trip through the human body, and describe one response the body makes to stimuli.
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The Scientific Search for the Loch Ness Monster
Learners gain an understanding of the real world applications of the scientific method. They design their own experiments to prove or disprove the existence of other modern legends, and they design and carry out an experiment to test a...
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Pressure Effects
Students, in groups, create experiments to predict and prove what a change in pressure can do to objects exposed to the change. They use AppleWorks to write their hypotheses and the steps they need to conduct the experiment.
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Seeing Science - Color and Spectra
Students explore various scientific concepts, such as color and spectra, and use iMovie to create movies that demonstrate and explain these concepts to their classmates. They research a concept and use AppleWorks to create a storyboard.
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What Is the Matter?
Young scholars explore and identify phases of matter and compare the particle motion in solids, liquids, and gasses.
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Using the Carbon Cycle Interactive Game in the Classroom
An online reading and interactive game bring the path of a carbon molecule to life for your earth science explorers! As an assessment, learners can map out or write about their experience in the carbon cycle. Thoroughly written...
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Work and Energy
The first activity may not work for your class if you don't have access to an open area of 30 meters and two cars of different masses, but the remaining activities can be used in any physics course. They all involve the investigation of...
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What is an Ecological Footprint?
Introduce youngsters to the term ecological footprint. Learners identify ways in which humans affect the environment. They look at the problems associated with the use of natural resources, and focus on ways to preserve natural...
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The Big Squeeze
Students observe what happens as crayon shavings are melted and/or pressed together. They compare this to the process some rocks go through as they are heated and compressed naturally on earth.
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Fossil Fuels (Part III), The Geology of Coal
Do not overlook this set of lessons just because your school does not have a data analysis system. There is plenty of material here to administer a complete mini unit on the formation, distribution, and properties of coal. Since it...
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Fossil Fuels (Part I), The Geology of Oil
Junior geologists work through three mini-lessons that familiarize them with the formation and location of fossil fuels. Part one involves reading about petroleum and where it comes from via a thorough set of handouts. A lab activity...
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Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil
More of a mini-unit than a activity, these activities lead inquisitors through a survey of oil deposits. In the first part, they read about and view diagrams of sedimentary rock layers that trap oil. Next, they test porosity and...