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Mineral Replacement in Fossil Formation
Fourth graders explore fossils and how they are formed. They create their own "fossils" out of plaster of Paris. They record their findings in their science journals.
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What's In A Name?
Students create a binomial system of nomenclature for classifying organisms they encounter in a field trip to a natural history museum or from pictures in library books. They work in small groups to create accurate drawings and place...
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Pollution Solution
Students explore the topic of oil pollution and how it affects the global ocean. They discuss oil spills in recent history and use problem solving skills to decide what strategies could be used to actually clean up an oil spill. Students...
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A Neighborhood Expedition
Students plan and conduct an expedition through their neighborhood based on the techniques used by the Harriman Expedition to Alaska in 1899. They research the Harriman expedition on the internet and then create a route and collection...
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Making Cladograms
Students construct cladograms (evolutionary trees), showing how shared derived characters can be used to reveal degrees of relationship. They interpret and analyze cladograms, and determine where unclassified vertebrates would fit on a...
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Weather Lessons: Explore the Possibilities
Looking to the sky isn't just for day dreamers.The weather is a fascinating way to explore science and history.
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You do! We do! We all Scream for Haiku!
Haikus offer a way to explore new ideas for teaching poetry, science, and math.
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VARVES: Dating Sedimentary Strata: Geology, Paleontological Patterns
Young scholars count the number of varves (annual layers of sediment) in shale billets, taken from the Green River Formation in Wyoming. The count is then extended to reflect the entire 260 meters of sediments where the billets originated.
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Bridge Building
Students design and build their own balsa wood model bridges. The technological development of bridges, the science principles that apply to bridge building, and the construction techniques and skills necessary for creating a bridge be...
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Time Machine: Evolution, Geology
Students are taken on a simulated "voyage" backward in time, to the beginning of our planet. They "witness" that beginning, the origin of life, and a number of key events from then to the present.
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Introducing Biodiversity
Students identify the basic components necessary for biodiversity, the critical and countless benefits of habitats, as well as the serious present and future threats to their ongoing existence.
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Dinosaurs 1: Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students study dinosaurs. In this dinosaur lesson plan, students watch a web based video about dinosaurs before discussing what they liked about the dinosaurs, telling about the sounds they heard, and explaining what the Earth looked...
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Scooting Along!
Learners investigate how Newton's Third Law affects vehicle design. In this Newton's Third Law instructional activity, students use a web site to research Newton, his third law, and how to design a vehicle that uses a balloon for power....
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The Last Great Race
Third graders identify and discover why the Iditarod race is done each year. They explore the historical significance of the Iditarod. Students also use web sites to research related topics, i.e. diseases (diptheria), geography of...
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From Rags to (Paper) Riches: Explore Colonial Papermaking
Young scholars explore Colonial papermaking. In this Colonial America U.S. history lesson plan, students analyze two poems written in the 1690s about the Rittenhouse paper mill to learn about papermaking. Young scholars...
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Ways of Thinking
Students explore all the different avenues of the concept of different ways of thinking by involving the views of several great minds of history to thinkers of Western Civilization. They assess questioning, life, work, skepticism,...
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Neoclassical Influences
High schoolers analyze neoclassical art. In this art history lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of the art produced during the Enlightenment.
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Early Explorers
Fifth graders study early explorers. In this World history lesson plan, 5th graders draw an outline of a map labeling each part, build geographical features out of dough, and paint each of the land and water features.
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Cloud in the Classroom
Students watch a video about wild stallions and conduct research about wild horses and wildlife photography. Students explore the relationships between animals and humans and conduct Internet research about the treatment of wild horses...
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America's Heartland
Fifth graders investigate imports and exports to discover its importance to America as a world power. In this Imports and exports lesson, 5th graders discuss how climate and natural resources aid a country in becoming a world...
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Building Straw Towers
Students apply their knowledge of technology to help them build. In this science and technology lesson, students build straw towers and investigate the strength and form of the structure. They analyze the best design the make the...
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Atlatl (Native Americans)
Students discover what an atlatl is and how to use it. For this Native American lesson, students discuss the history of the Native American atlatl and practice throwing with it. Students will analyze the effects of the atlatl in terms of...
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Reporting Live From...
Students examine the many disasters in West Virginia. In this US history lesson, students write about and give an oral presentation of one of the disasters as if they were reporters.
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Who Writes History?
Students examine why certain historical figures get credit for their accomplishments while others are forgotten. They read and discuss two informational handouts, discuss why people remember Columbus even if he was not the first person...