Lesson Plan
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Making Clouds: Aerosol-Cloud Interactions in a Beaker

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students observe a teacher demo on how clouds form. In this earth science lesson, students discover how cloudiness affects relative humidity. They explain the scattering of light by clouds.
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Organisms and Their Environment

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore Earth's biosphere. In this biosphere lesson, students participate in group activities regarding biotic and abiotic factors, population density, and species' habitats.
Lesson Plan
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Exploring Pendulums

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students observe the movement of pendulums, they begin to understand the relationship between gravitational forces and the mass of objects, the changes in speed and direction of objects, and the distance between objects. They understand...
Lesson Plan
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Charting Seasonal Changes

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Learners research the Earth's patterns of rotation and revolution, create a chart and graph of these patterns and use them to explain the causes of night and day and summer and winter.
Lesson Plan
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Global Winds

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students extend their understanding of convection to consider global winds and the effect of the earth's rotation on the creation of patterns of prevailing wind direction.
Lesson Plan
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Seafloor Block Model

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students construct a 3-D block model of the ocean floor to study fundamental earth processes. This is a preconstructed cut out that allows the students to put it together but then to add their own colors as well. There is an evaluation...
Lesson Plan
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Air: It's a Gas!

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars investigate the properties of air through hands-on activities in conjunction with the demonstrations in a 3-2-1 Contact Video.
Lesson Plan
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Planet Interiors

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students compare and contrast the Earth's interior with 2 other planets by looking at images on the computer. For this planet interiors lesson plan, students write a paper about their findings.
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Oil Spill Dangers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students analyze the effects of oil spills on our environment and develop action plans to protect animals and habitats.
Lesson Plan
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Your Address in the Galaxy

For Teachers K - 8th
Learners create a business card after researching their location in space and determining their Galactic Address.
Lesson Plan
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See the Wind

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students explore alternative energy sources. For this wind energy lesson, students will investigate the difference in the speed and smoothness of wind at different altitudes above earth. Students will use kites, helium balloons,...
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Habitat Mural

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars build a collage of an ecosystem. The goal is for them to understand interactions in a community, plant and animal adaptations, and how all life depends on plants. This activity is based on Wump World and students describe...
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Red Shift, Blue Shift

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students demonstrate how stellar spectra measures a star's motion relative to Earth along the line of sight.
Lesson Plan
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Hopping Across the Solar System

For Teachers K - 6th
Students role-play and communicate that objects in space have describable properties, locations, and movements. Students identify and communicate effectively that Earth is the third planet from the Sun in the solar system, eight other...
Worksheet
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Simply Sediments

For Students 6th - 8th
In this earth science activity, learners use a plastic bottle and sediments from their community to create a sediment bottle. They identify what types of sediments they locate. Students also identify which ones float and which ones move...
Lesson Plan
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Human Needs

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers investigate human needs and how they have adapted to different environments. They complete an experiment to discover the effect of stress on muscles. They use the food pyramid to create a plan for healthy eating.
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Threatened Species and Public Policy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers discuss the Endangered Species Act and its impact on people and the environment. They read the act and watch video footage. They examine why sea turtles are endangered and efforts to protect them. They analyze numerical...
Lesson Plan
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Greenhouse Effect: Pop Bottle Experiment

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students explore global warming by conducting a weather experiment. In this greenhouse gas lesson, students define the greenhouse effect and the impact on our ozone layer. Students utilize a soda pop bottle, floodlight bulb, thermometers...
Lesson Plan
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Lotto or Life: What Are the Chances?

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Though the website does not seem to have the mentioned video, a reding and lottery style games simulate the chances of finding intelligent life somewhere other than Earth. Without the video, this lesson is short, but it can be a useful...
Lesson Plan
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What Color is It?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Learners indentify whether an objects reflects or absorbs red, green, and/or blue light. They create a simple spectral signature.
Lesson Plan
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A DISAPPEARING ACT Astronomy: Do Stars Always Shine?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners observe why stars are not visible during the day with a classroom demonstration using an index card punched with holes.
Lesson Plan
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Stargazing Astronomy: A Ceiling Full of Stars

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students make an observe a planetarium using a can with nail holes, black paper and a flashlight.
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CHARTING A COURSE

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students model how a gyroscope works with string, an old phonograph record and crayon.
Lesson Plan
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BOUNCING INFORMATION AROUND

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students examine how satellite signals are sent and duplicate it with a mirror, flashlight and black paper.