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Breaking News: Second Explosion at Japan Nuclear Plant (14th March, 2011)

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explore current events by sharing information about the Japanese nuclear plant. In this nuclear energy lesson, students discuss the pros and cons of nuclear energy plants and whether or not they can typically withstand natural...
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Haring Style Drawings

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students recognize the characteristics of a Keith Haring artwork.  In this Keith Haring artwork lesson, students draw a picture and outline with oil pastel in the style of Keith Haring. Students answer questions about the...
Lesson Plan
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The Role of Amyloid in Alzheimer's Disease

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students explore amyloid proteins through a series of experiments. In this biology lesson, students explain the causes of Alzheimer's disease. They identify common symptoms related to this condition.
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Genetic Testing: Modern-Day Eugenics?

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students trace the history of the development of Eugenics. In this social studies lesson, students read and analyze a real life case. They write a paper about what they read.
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Simple Machines, Engines and the Environment

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders calculate the mechanical advantage of an inclined plane. In this physics lesson, 4th graders identify the different types of simple machines and their uses. They give examples of compound machines.
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Au Revoir to All That

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Young scholars take a close look at the president of France, In this French history instructional activity, students visit selected websites to take in French culture, investigate the 2005 riots, and predict what President Sarkozy's...
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Firsts from Aboriginal Peoples to Pioneers

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine Aboriginal people of the Americas. In this history lesson, students make connections between their own lives and those of Aboriginal people. Students engage in a 'talking circle' and use storytelling as a mode of...
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Awesome Animals

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders write descriptive narratives about animals. In this descriptive writing instructional activity, the teacher models how to write a paragraph with interesting sensory words and exciting verbs. Students choose a picture of an...
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Wordless Picture Books

For Teachers K
Students use wordless picture books to examine elements regarding a story, the plot, and characters. In this wordless picture books lesson, students select a book to creatively discuss. Students then listen to the teacher read the story...
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Shakespeare: Performance First

For Teachers All
This instructional activity invites students to interact with the play from their first encounter, determine actions implied from the text and better comprehend Shakespeare's language.
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Defense Mechanisms

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners examine the Cold War roots of the recent debate over the construction of United States and Russian missile defense shields. They begin by reading and discussing the article, Putin Says Russia Would Counter U.S. Shield.
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An Analysis of Jim Crow Laws and their Effects on Race Relations

For Teachers 1st
First graders analyze the role of the Jim Crow laws on race relations. As a class, they are segregated based on the color shirt they have or some other simple criteria and wear either a square or circle sticker representing the majority...
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Environmental Responsibility

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss the importance of recycling and preventing pollution. In groups, they complete mini-studies on various environmental issues and evaluate different consumer products. They use global warming data to determine the...
Lesson Plan
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Punnett Squares

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders take a short quiz on genotypes and phenotypes. As a class, they are introduced to the concept of Punnett Squares and listen to a description of Gregor Mendel's pea experiment. In groups, they complete Punnett Squares to...
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Reading Chemical Formulas

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students interpret basic chemical formulas. When class begins, students interpret a "chemical formula" for fruit salad. After they interpret the recipe, students use the same strategies to identify chemical formulas. They evaluate the...
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Simple Machines

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of a simple machine and uses the law of motion to justify why they operate. Students explore the laws by constructing some simple machines to illustrate the concepts.
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What is Weather?

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students identify different types of weather and explore the weather for each season of the year. They complete a class seasonal weather chart, listen to the book "Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today?," and create a magazine...
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Hello Summer

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students celebrate the great outdoors and the coming summer break by studying the natural world. In this seasons lesson, students engage in bark rubbing and operate a digital camera to capture outdoor imagery for a collage to help them...
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Annotating Change in Satellite Images

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students construct a movie using Landsat images to observe changes over time on Earth. For this satellite images lesson, students observe changes in land use over time and document one type of change they observe. They produce an...
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Measuring the Earth

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers use principles of geometry to measure the circumference of the Earth. For this applied geometry lesson, students use mathematics to determine scientific information. They make measurements, calculate the central...
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Comparison of Images Formed by Plane, Cylindrical and Spherical Mirrors

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students experiment with differently shaped mirrors. In this reflection and optics instructional activity, students investigate the visual effects of reflected images in mirrors. They use plane, cylindrical, and concave mirrors for the...
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The Beautiful Works of Georgia O'Keefe

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students discover the art of Georgia O'Keefe.  In this art history lesson, students investigate the influential power nature has on art.  Students create their own works of art by observing local nature.
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All That Corn

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students observe and record data.  In this plant growth lesson, students plant and grow corn.  Students observe the growth of their corn and record their data.  Students read corn recipes and select their favorite four...
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Design an Instrument

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students design an instrument. In this sound, vibration and pitch instructional activity, students learn about the characteristics of sound, vibration and pitch.  Students design a guitar using the assembled craft materials and...