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Biodiversity in Our Watershed
Eighth graders create a database of animals and birds in the area in which they live. They use molded prints to make a cast of an imprint from a specific animal. They identify and research animals and prepare an outline for an oral...
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CSI, Second Grade Style
Second graders conduct a classroom investigation. In this investigative lesson, 2nd graders spend their time observing, measuring, and collecting data. They simulate a forensic science lab by conducting a fingerprint, scent, footprint,...
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Mealworm Exploration
Second graders explore and discover different things about mealworms. For this mealworms lesson plan, 2nd graders look at, play with, and try to manipulate meal worms.
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Water Quality Survey: Monitoring the Sustainability of Pigeon Creek
Students research the History of Pigeon Creek (or any watershed in your area). In this environmental science lesson, students conduct field tests such as pH and nitrates. They collect data and compare what they collected with other groups.
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Twister Redux
Young scholars pick up science knowledge as they track and examine natural disasters. They keep a daily journal of results and reflections. Students get to follow a real tornado chaser and learn thunderstorm formation. They incorporate...
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Exploring Racism in America
Students compare racism today to racism that existed during the nineteenth century. As a field research project, students individually keep track of examples of racism, biases, and stereotypes illustrated throughout the US media over a...
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Animal Trackers
Students use space technology to monitor migratory species, map their movements, and gather data about their habitats and possible responses to climatic shifts.
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Birding Basics
Fourth graders understand the bird identification by sight and sound. In groups of 3-4, they use binoculars, field guide, checklist, and pencil and hike around the pond and through the woods, pointing out birds along the way.
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Sanitarium Times
Students learn about the Sanitarium Times as they look into how they lived, what they ate, how they were entertained, etc... In this Sanitarium Times lesson plan, the students do research and create papers as well as look for living...
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Aerogel
Learners identify how technology aids scientists in their research. Through discussion, they explain the various ways scientists use Aerogel to aid in their collection of high-speed particles. Through experimentation, students create...
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Sports Screeners
Students watch videos to discover the amount of physical activity in film and television. They present their findings to the class after viewing a film. They discuss how perceptions in films can influence young people.
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Travel Time
Students use a migration map to estimate the distance traveled by a bird while migrating south. After calculating accurate estimates of the distance traveled, students compare the distances traveled with the amount of time elapsed.
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Va Va Va Zoooommm
High schoolers, in groups, measure a variety of physical components to several activities. They use both standard and non-standard forms of measurement and then develop conclusions about the use of units in measurement.
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Plants and Ecosystems
The relationships within and between ecosystems can be explored. after examining an area for living and non-living things learners complete the same examination in the forest ecosystem. Students identify abiotic and biotic elements in an...
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Footprints: Take a Step into Estimation
Compare sizes of student footprints with those of elephants and sauropod dinosaurs! Upper graders make estimations of the areas of irregular shapes; students use grids to make and explain estimates within low and high ranges.
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Plant Collection II
Learners mount their first pressed plant specimens and cover some basic plant morphology. They complete a homework assignment to practice their plant collecting and observational skills at home.
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Do Human Practices Affect Water Quality?
Students determine if human practices have any noticeable effects on the quality of stream life as measured by the presence of certain macroinvertebrates. They collect, preserve and identify macroinvertibrate samples and quantify the data.
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Life in Streams and Ponds
Students collect microorganisms, demonstrate correct laboratory/Gram stain procedure, and design and construct tables to organize data.
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Managing Wildlife
Young scholars explore the relationship between wildlife and humans in northern New England. They also brainstorm ideas on why they think some species are greater in population than others in a given area.
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Introduction to Magnetism and Electronics
Learners are introduced to the concepts of magnetism and electronics. As a class, they walk through the steps of the scientific method and define new vocabulary. In groups, they are given a bag of objects and they are to separate them...
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Minimize Perimeter
Students practice calculating the perimeter of different sized rectangles. Individually, they identify the derivations of a function that can show the perimeter and determine how to minimize the perimeter within a fixed area. They use...
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Rapid Ecological Assessments
Students conduct an ecological assessment of a small area on school property. They inventory plant and animal life of a sample area and make calculations to determine implications for a larger area.
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Rapid Ecological Assessment
Students conduct an ecological assessment of a small area on school property and apply findings to the greater area. They inventory the plant and animal population of a sample area and extrapolate results to a larger area.
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Minnesota Ospreys and Migration
Students explore the route that Minnesota ospreys follow during spring and fall migration. They describe the important ecological characteristics of the places that ospreys pass through during their migration. They determine where...