Polar Trec
Mini-Ocean Bathymetric Mapping Research Cruise
Middle or high schoolers transform into oceanographers in a week-long simulation. To begin, each group follows directions to create a model of the ocean floor with specified features. Next, the groups prepare to set sail on a research...
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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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Clouds
Test your students' science and/or reading comprehension skills with this activity, which provides a page of information about clouds and cloud classification. Both an earth science teacher and a language arts teacher could use this...
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Introduction to Minerals
Students discover how crystal structures go together to create minerals. In this earth science instructional activity, students work in groups to create 3-dimensional shapes of crystals that they then put together in a compact...
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Mountain Creation: A Drama Exploration
Students explore mountain formation. In this cross curriculum earth science and legend writing lesson, students listen to the poem "The Way to make Perfect Mountains" by Byrd Baylor and identify examples of vivid language used. Students...
Science Matters
Forms of Energy
The amount of energy Americans use doubles every 20 years. The first lesson in a 10-part series teaches scholars about different forms of energy. They rotate through five stations with hands-on activities or experiments at each in order...
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Mission Planning: Earth/Mars Comparisons
Students compare and contrast conditions on Mars to those on our own planet, specifically, their local or regional environments. The physical characteristics, the atmosphere, and other astronomical data is considered.
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Physics Quiz
In this physics worksheet, students complete short answer questions about physics concepts such as electricity, space, light, and more. Students complete 20 short answer questions.
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Structure of the Earth
Sixth graders examine the layers of the Earth and the changes that take place on a daily basis. They look at the layers of a boiled egg to relate them to the layers of the Earth.
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Structure of the Earth
Sixth graders define atmosphere and hydrosphere, explore through experimentation how the atmosphere was formed, and describe the layers of the Earth's atmosphere and their distances.
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Earth System Science
Students explore the Earth and its ability to support life. They discuss the geosphere and the water cycle and complete the Water Wonders activity. After completing the activity, they respond in their journals and reflect upon the...
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Social Studies: Public Goods and Services Map
Students discuss physical and human characteristics and list examples. After identifying government goods and services provided to the community, they locate examples of each located near their school. Based on their discoveries,...
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Applied Science - Physics Pos Lab (Air Pressure)
Learners examine physics. In this air movement lesson, students conduct an experiment that shows how air moves based on the pressure it's under. They watch the teacher complete the procedure and then try it on their own in a small group....
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Science Project
Students research a topic in the various fields of science that interests them. Using a computer, they type their information to use on their project and use a scanner to place pictures or articles in the document. They use the steps...
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Ecology and the Conservation of Natural Resources
Students examine the habits of various organism and evaluate the need for conserving natural resources. They role-play as migrating birds traveling between habitats encountering hazards along the way. They observe animals in a...
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Motions and Forces
Sixth graders investigate the construction of a magnet and the force it produces. They identify various materials as magnetic or non-magnetic, discuss the properties of magnetic properties, and conduct an experiment with a compass and...
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Gravity Launch
Young scholars examine how gravity affects launching rockets into space. In this physical science lesson, students review the concept of gravity and use an interactive online site, "Gravity Launch," to simulate a rocket launch.
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Comparing Microscopic Organisms in Fresh and Polluted Water: An Invitation To Inquiry
Learners have the opportunity to develop and formulate ideas and explanations through the scientific standard of inquiry. They identify organisms by using an identification key for specific aquatic geographical area.
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Minerals, Crystals, and Gems
Students discover the relationships between minerals, crystals and gems. They bring in rocks that they find at home, in the schoolyard, etc. and examine them and attempt to identify them. They set up a classroom exhibit that includes all...
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Warm and Toasty
Students are introduced to the concepts of specific heat and heat capacity. In groups, they design an experiment to test these two topics on various fabrics. They compare and contrast the amount of heat loss on the different materials...
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Understanding the Indoor Environment:Preventing and Fixing Indoor Air Pollution
Students explore air pollution. In this environmental studies instructional activity, students work with a partner to create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting possible solutions to prevalent indoor air pollution...
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Solid Waste and Our Natural Resources: Utilizing the Story THE LORAX
Students gain an introduction to our planet's solid waste problem and our personal responsibility in curbing and solving said problem through the use of Dr. Seuss' book, The Lorax. After hearing the book, class discussion follows.
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Making Connections, Linking Population and the Environment
Students find out that all habitats have a carrying capacity. They explore how the world's human population has grown markedly in the 20th century, and that humans impact environmental health. Students investigate that people can and...
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Islands, Reefs, and a Hotspot
Students describe eight stages in the formation of islands in the Hawaiian archipelago. They examine the movement of tectonic plates in the Hawaiian archipelago region, and describe how plate movement produced the Hawaiian archipelago.