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Physical Principles in Living Systems
Seventh graders experiment with white light, plane mirrors, and curved mirrors in order to demonstrate the physical principles of living systems. In this physical principles lesson plan, 7th graders take 3 days to discover what happens...
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Let's Create an Ecosystem
Seventh graders discover how an ecosystem works by creating one in class. In this Earth science lesson, 7th graders study vocabulary terms associated with ecosystem and read environment handouts. Students create an observatory...
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Create a Cloud in a Jar (Hands-on Version)
Learners examine the conditions necessary for cloud formation. For this clouds lesson students complete an activity that shows them atmospheric pressure.
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Create a Cloud in a Bottle
Students investigate the conditions needed for cloud formation and explore how pressure and temperature effect cloud formation. For this atmospheric pressure lesson students complete a lab on cloud formation.
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Sky and Cloud Windows
Students monitor the weather, clouds, and sky. In this weather lesson, students create a sky and cloud window to focus their sky observations. They write observations in a notebook and include the date, time, cloud cover, types of...
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Organisms and Their Environment
Students observe elements of a local ecosystem and gain an understanding of what elements make up an ecosystem. In this ecosystem lesson students create a class food web that shows the interactions among the elements of the ecosystem.
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Let's Sort a Salad
Young scholars examine edible plants by identifying salad ingredients. In this botany lesson, students discuss the different vegetables that can be eaten in a salad and draw them on a worksheet. Young scholars review vegetable vocabulary...
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Mass vs. Weight
Students explore physical science by conducting a measurement experiment. In this mass lesson, students identify the differences between mass and weight and define a list of other vocabulary terms. Students utilize electronic scales and...
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Planetary Orbits
Students explore space science by completing a solar system identification worksheet. In this planets lesson, students discuss the different planets in our star system and identify their traits. Students complete an orbital system...
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Chemical and Physical Changes
Eighth graders investigate different gas behaviors. In this chemistry lesson, 8th graders describe how changing volume and temperature affect gas particles motion. They collect data and make a generalization about these variables'...
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Current Interactions
High schoolers design an experiment to see how wind, temperature, and salinity work together to influence ocean currents and present it in a report format. They explain to their classmates how experiment findings relate to ocean currents.
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Fallout!
Learners plot the locations of fallout from two disasters that polluted much of the world's air. They plot the ash fallout from the 1980 Mt. St. Helen's eruption to see what the wind patterns in the United States look like overall. Next...
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Sunshine and Shadows
Students measure their shadows early in the morning, record direction of shadow, make marks in ground with chalk or tape, measure with ruler, and record results. Students repeat process at noon, and then later in afternoon. Students...
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Why is the Average Temperature Greater on Venus than on Mercury?
Middle schoolers examine the reasons why the temperature is higher on Venus than on Mercury. In groups, they analzye both planet's atmospheres and determine the rate of global warming on each. They use the internet to research the...
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A Comparison of Land and Water Temperature
Learners use the NASA website's Live Access Server to create a graph of surface temperature at two locations on earth. They analyze the data and then answer specific questions provided in this lesson. They also examine and compare the...
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Earth's Orbit Lesson
Tenth graders devise a computational model to explore how the orbit of the Earth might change if its velocity were different. Using accurately recorded data, 10th graders defend a scientific argument.
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How Warm is the Water?
Students research how surface sea temperature changes throughout the year. They draw a time series of sea surface temperatures for each month of the year and a depth profile for a summer and winter month using an OceanExplorer Profiler...
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Why Angle Changes Intensity
Sixth graders use a flashlight and a transparency of a centimeter grid to discover how the angle of the Earth affects the changing seasons.
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Putting on Mass: Just how do Trees grow?
High schoolers articulate an explanation of photosynthesis. They identify problems they have with comprehension of how a plant gains mass. Students describe a historical experiment.
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The Chain Gang
Students perform a food chain simulation to determine what happens when a food chain is broken.
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Primary Producers
Students examine the role of carbon in the oceans and how phytoplankton determine the levels present. In groups, they practice measuring primary productivity using two methods. They use the internet to research the role of phytoplankton...
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Sea Ice Research
Students study sea ice and its importance in climate and climate change. They discuss sea ice as a presence of a food source for marine animals in the arctic and complete a lab activity. After completing the lab, they watch a video...
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In Search of Cosmic Rays
Students compare rates to altitude. They conduct a class discussion about the results.
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Plant Growth and Environment
Third graders bring to school various green plants and categorize them into plant leaves, stems, roots, and fruits. They answer the question, "How can you show there is starch in a plant?" and perform the iodine test and describe the...