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Reasons for Seasons
Students model the tilt of the Earth as it orbits the Sun. They explain the meaning and characteristics of solstices and equinoxes. They explain that sunlight hits the Earth at different angles at different locations over the course of...
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Clouds
Students explore basic cloud types and the weather associated with each one. In this earth science lesson, students participate in numerous activities including going outside to observe the clouds they see, making a cloud in a...
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Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Fourth graders participate in an activity which introduces them to common types of precipitation. They examine "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" through a teacher read aloud and make a weather pamphlet.
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Sunlight and Warm Air
Young scholars examine the different ways heat can be felt. In this radiation and conduction instructional activity, students recognize that the sun radiates heat. Young scholars conduct three experiments to find how the sun warms...
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Scientist Tracking Network
Students correlate surface radiation with mean surface temperature of several geographic regions. They observe how these parameters change with latitude and construct an understanding of the relationship of solar radiation to seasonal...
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Estuary and Watershed
Students investigate the San Francisco Bay Estuarine Research Reserve and watershed. In this estuary and watershed lesson plan, students complete 4 activities to better understand estuarine systems. They include studying the San...
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Solar Cycle
Students explore the solar cycle through a series of experiments. In this space science lesson, students construct and evaluate solar cycle graphs. They explain how this phenomenon affects the Earth.
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Exploring Seasons
Students study the four seasons. They determine changes that occur in our environment. They demonstrate an understanding of the basic features of Canada's landscape and climate and identify the basic weather and climate patterns of...
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The Mystery of the Missing Hummingbirds
Students record scientific observations in a science journal. In this season lesson, students make observations about each of the seasons and record in their journals. Students record organisms response to seasonal changes...
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The Hudson's Ups and Downs
Fifth graders practice interpreting line graphs of the Hudson River water levels to assess the tides and tidal cycles in the estuary. They explore how weather can affect water levels and tides and observe that high tides and low tides...
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Build a Psychrometer
Young scholars understand that a psychrometer is a weather instrument used to detect humidity. In this psychrometer lesson, students build a psychrometer. Young scholars use their psychrometers to measure humidity activity.
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Backyard Birds: Who's Who Out There?
Students practice techniques of field observation and data-gathering while studying local bird population, describe ecosystem as complex combination of elements, which can affect or be affected by each other, and determine effects of...
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Exploring the Rock Cycle
An understanding of the rock cycle is essential in geology and earth science classes.
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Agriculture is a Cycle
Students explore cycles in nature. For this cross curriculum agriculture lesson, students define "cycle" and research weather and planting folklore. Students make a bracelet in which individual colored beads represent the many "cycles"...
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El Niño
In this weather worksheet students complete an interactive activity on El Ninos then answer a series of short answer questions on how they occur.
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Measuring Humidity
Students measure humidity in the classroom. In this weather lesson, students use a psychrometer to measure the humidity in the classroom. Students complete a lab packet.
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Heating the Atmosphere
Students construct a thermograph for maximum and minimum temperatures for the 2-week period. They illustrate how the earth's atmosphere is heated by convection and conduction currents and evaporation of water.
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Ozone Hole Expert Groups
Research topics associated with the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Researchers write five facts about their topic and one question for each of those facts. They present what they learned to the rest of the class. Six topics are...
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The Atmosphere
Here is a suitable set of slides to use when teaching about the layers of the atmosphere, climate, global winds, and types of clouds. These slides will support a few different lectures. You will probably want to replace the diagrams with...
K12 Reader
Water Carves the Land
What affect do bodies of water have on the world around us? Kids can find out by reading this passage. After reading, they answer five questions related to the text.
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Science: What Is a Barometer?
Fourth graders discover how barometers help to predict the weather. Using newspapers, they examine the weather forecast and determine the meaning of high and low as they pertain to pressure. After making cluster diagrams, 4th graders...
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Seasons
Students name the 4 seasons, discussing the weather, plant life, animal life and and activities of each. Students read the book titled, "Hello Arctic," and and discuss changes in seasons that accompany the story. Students complete...
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Blooming Thermometers
Students study phenology, or the study of climate change. They research the Japanese springtime festival of Hanami and plot and interpret average cherry blossom bloom date data from the past 1100 years.
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Phases of the Moon: Cooperative Learning
Third graders examine the phases of the moon. In this moon phase lesson, 3rd graders listen to a read aloud of The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn M. Branley and discuss the phases of the moon. They complete a moon phase calendar and...