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Galaxies
Students use the provided website to classify galaxies after exploring information about elliptical, spiral, lenticular, and irregular galaxies and using the Hubble Tuning Fork.
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Ocean Botttom Profile
Students interpret a graph of ocean depths and topographic features. This task assesses students' abilities to interpret figures, organize and represent data, apply knowledge of scale to a profile, and apply theoretical knowledge.
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The Blizzard of 1993
Students read and interpret the information from a barograph from a major winter storm. This task assesses students' abilities to interpret and analyze graphs, construct data tables and graphs, generalize, infer, apply knowledge of...
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Formation of Wind
Learners correctly sequence the steps leading to the formation of wind, and describe the cause and effect relationships involved in the formation of wind. This task assesses students' abilities to classify, generalize, infer, interpret...
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Acid and Rain and Its Effects
Students work in groups for up to three weeks to investigate the possibility of acid rain in your area and to investigate the damage that acid rain can do to buildings, monuments, and plants. Each group prepares a report to local...
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River Planning
Students use a model to conduct an experiment involving dam construction. Based on their observations, they draw conclusions about social, economic, and and environmental issues and make a decision concerning dam location. As a group,...
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Water Pollution
Students study four samples of "rain water". They asked to determine the pH of the samples and then to neutralize them. Students are asked to predict any negative effects which might be associated with water having a low pH and to...
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Scale Model of the Solar System
Students work in groups of 4-6 for the experiment/activity part of this exercise. Students know that earth is the third planet from the sun in a system that includes the moon, the sun, eight other planets and their moons, and smaller...
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Wet-Dry Bulb Hygrometers: Measuring Relative Humidity and Apparent Temperature
Students work in groups of 4 for the activity/activity part of this exercise. They know that clouds are formed by the condensation of water vapor, affect weather and climate. Also that global patterns of atmospheric movement influence...
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Designing and Constructing a Space Station
Students design a model station using a set of paper cutout. They determine the purposes for the parts of space stations before putting the parts together in an original set up. They role play as astronauts and Mission Control teams as...
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Sun and Temperatures
Students consider the relationship of temperature to environmental conditions and then apply their knowledge to a practical event. The task assesses students' knowledge and application of that knowledge to an additional situation.
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Stars and Galaxies
Eighth graders define constellations and how they are used as reference points and identify stars and constellations in the nighttime sky. They construct their own planetarium star finder and identify the location of circumpolar, zodiac,...
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The Great Planetary Debate
Students' are given a research sheet to complete in small groups. They are to select a planet or moon to research using the Internet. With this research and their completed form, each group defends their planet or moon in a debate...
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Earth and Sun's Distance
Students consider the shape of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. They view the first segment of Science Court video and use Timeliner software to construct a scale of the distance between the Earth and the Sun.
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Building And Launching a Model Rocket
Students are introduced to the basic parts of rockets and the physical forces at work in the flight of rockets. They build and launch a model rocket and discuss the challenges of launching a real rocket.
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"Vary" Bright Days
Students explore how the Earth's axial tilt and revolution around our sun lead to differences in day length through the year. In groups, they create and use a model of the earth on its axis to demonstrate the concepts.
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Explore! Fun with Science
Students explore the challenges of living in space by designing a facility that can provide everything required to support humans and can protect them from the harsh environment of space.
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Space Science: Constellations and the Sun
Students review the zodiac signs and illustrate their movement using constellations on the wall and themselves to represent earth. Individually or in groups, they stand in the center of the room while a shadeless lamp is placed between...
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Testing the Caverns
Students build model caverns using paper mache or clay and bury them in a tray of sand. They test the models by dropping balls onto them to simulate an asteroid hitting the earth. They evaluate the effectiveness of a structure against...
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Sample the Solar System
Students identify different features of the solar system. They analyze the sun, moon, planets, comets, and asteroids. They use the Internet and other resource sources to find information about the solar system.
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Anza and Font in Search of Latitude
This is an integrated lesson that incorporates Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics. In Social Studies, 7th graders complete an online interview and complete an online worksheet about latitude of sites on the Anza trail. In Science...
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The KAO Telescope
Students explore the basic principles of the operation of the NASA's KAO telescope. They construct a simplified model of it using film canisters and other everyday objects. Step by step directions are included in plan.
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Astronomy
Students brainstorm about what they know about the solar system. They study a planetary fact sheet and create a Venn Diagram with the information. They work in groups to examine the names of the planets and information regarding each of...
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Star Light, Star Bright : Exploring How Stars Are Classified
Students work in small groups to organize stars into different categories. They consider size, luminosity, color and temperature, organize the groups and ten report their categories to the class.