University of Wisconsin
Bimodel Botany Bouquet
Gardeners are given an individual plant specimen from a bouquet of local rain garden plants. They group up by their plant type and then make observations together, name the plant, and introduce it to the rest of the class. You then share...
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Greenhouse Effect ...Building Our Own
Pupils explore the greenhouse effect. They set up a simplified model of the earth and the greenhouse effect. Students compare temperatures inside a jar to temperatures outside the jar. Pupils collect information and create a line graph....
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Environmental Studies: The Power of Wind
Investigate the prospect of wind as a renewable resource. Second and third graders make a pinwheel, answer critical thinking questions, and then attempt to use wind power to wind string. I would be more apt to use this activity in a 1st...
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Lotto or Life: What Are the Chances?
Though the website does not seem to have the mentioned video, a reding and lottery style games simulate the chances of finding intelligent life somewhere other than Earth. Without the video, this lesson is short, but it can be a useful...
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Rock of Ages
Students are given a classification table and samples from their location. They locate their samples on the classification table using the characteristics used in rock identification.
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Asteroids
Students examine the different types of asteroids and how they enter the atmosphere. In this space lesson students use mashed potatoes to create an asteroid they can eat.
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"Potato Mountain": Reading/Understanding Topographic Maps
Middle schoolers investigate how to read topographic maps. In this map reading lesson plan students complete a topographic map activity.
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Planets in Balance
Students study the solar system by researching the planets. In this exploratory lesson students divide into teams and create mobiles.
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Recent Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions
Young scholars study the recent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In this recent earthquakes lesson students complete an activity while working in groups.
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Earthquake Introduction
Young scholars investigate basic principles and properties of earthquakes, including vocabulary, causes, and types of faults. They examine history of seismic activity in their home state, and complete "Locating Patterns of Distribution"...
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Beyond the Tap
Students explain the basic properties of a watershed including how water flows from higher to lower elevations and how watersheds are interconnected. They comprehend how the placement of buildings, roads, and parking lots can be...
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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 Universe
Learners describe what scientists mean by an "expanding universe" in their own words. They explain how scientists comprehend the universie is expanding. Students comprehend the vast scale of the universe. They comprehend how theory...
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Planets in a Bottle
Students experiment with yeast. In this environmental conditions instructional activity students test the viability of samples of yeast. Students investigate the effects of environmental conditions on the yeast.
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How Much Water?
Students investigate amount of water available in different countries around the world, compare it to their daily water use, and explore how unequal distribution of water can cause challenges to survival. Students then discuss need to...
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Food Webs
Students identify predator/prey relationships based on the food web of the tropical rain forest ecosystem and realize they need a food web for survival. In this food web lesson plan, students complete a role play activity being animals...
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Asteroids!
Learners explore how to visually identify asteroids in SDSS images. They are able to explain that stars are so far away that they do not appear to move, even over the course of a human lifespan. Students identify the location of most...
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Building a Better Sentence
Sentence construction is both a science and an art. This bare bones lesson ties an analysis of earth's geology to sentence formation. Although referenced as a major part of the activity, there are no links to the technology or resources...
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The Color of Soil
Students are introduced to the Munsell System of Color Notation that is used for direct comparison of soils anywhere in the world. They become familiar with hue, value and chroma notations, identify colors that act as clues to the...
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The Uses of Radiation
No visual aids, no activities, and no demonstrations accompany this plan. What you will find, is background information for a short lecture on the use of isoptopic radiation in the medical field and in our everyday lives. Should you...
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Commonalities and Differences from Africa to Cleveland as Evidence Through the Gullah Community Connection
Students explore Afro-American history. They identify the commonality between African, Carolinian and Cleveland Black culture. Students explore the water cycle, oceanography, hydrology and bio-geochemical processes. They discuss the...
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Celestial Seasonings
Students review and discuss video about the relationships between the Earth, Sun and Moon. They create a HyperStudio stack about the Earth, Sun and Moon including created animation. Students present their finished product to the class.
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Stream Chemistry Monitoring
Pupils become familiar with real-world gathering of chemical data. The experience how the science is done: the nature of analysis, data collection, interpretation, and presentation. They study a nearby body of water for their experiment.
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How Things Fly
Students, by drawing on their own experiences, discuss and examine the basic physics of flight. They participate in a variety of activities regarding flight.