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Earth Movers
Learners read an online article about an earthquake and follow up with a series of discussion questions about earthquakes. They answer questions in their science journals about continental drift, plate tetonics, and their influence on...
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Tracking Current "Earth" Events
Eighth graders utilize Internet research skills, and practice their communication skills by presenting their research to the clas. They actively consider the types of hazards for humans associated with Natural Disaters and ways that...
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Reflecting on Reflectivity
Students plan and construct a "mini-lab" to measure the reflectivity of different earth surfaces. They measure reflectivity of materials, including ice, soil, rocks, etc., and then extrapolate from what they have learned to consider the...
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Wind Power
Fourth graders develop an understanding of how engineers use wind to generate electricity. They will build a model anemometer to better understand and measure wind speed. They discover that engineers design wind turbines that generate...
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Rocks and weathered rocks
Students connect rock and mineral formation with the changes rocks and minerals undergo at the earth's surface. They observe changes produced by weathering and relating these observations to chemical processes such as oxidation,...
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Climate And the Greenhouse Effect
Students demonstrate the greenhouse effect. They recognize that relatively small changes to our environment can stimulate significant climate changes. They determine that the "scientific method" is a process of testing hypotheses and...
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Season's Greetings
Students explore Earth's seasons using an interactive website. For this earth science lesson, students watch video segments and explain Earth's seasonal milestones. They discuss the factors that causes seasonal changes.
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Earthquakes
Students observe the melting of ice. In this phase change lesson, students observe ice as it melts. They discuss the process and create a Venn diagram comparing water and ice.
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The Sun's habitable Zone
Students explore the average surface temperature of planets. They use the Planet Temperature Calculator to find the average temperature. Students explore how the distance from the sun affects the Earth's average surface temperature. They...
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The Greenhouse Effect in a Jar
Students explore climate change by participating in a physical science experiment. In this greenhouse effect lesson, students discuss the impact global warming has on our environment and how it works. Students utilize a glass jar,...
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Structure of the Earth
Sixth graders define atmosphere and hydrosphere, explore through experimentation how the atmosphere was formed, and describe the layers of the Earth's atmosphere and their distances.
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Greenhouse Effect
Learners investigate the greenhouse effect. In this environmental lesson, students investigate why the greenhouse effect changes the climate through an experiment. Learners use vinegar to simulate how acid damages the environment.
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What are the Challenges?
Pupils discuss energy. In this energy challenges instructional activity, students read about greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change. Comprehension questions from the reading are provided.
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Lesson Plan: Global Warming
Students explore the concept of global warming. In this climate change lesson plan, students explore the provided links to PBS NOW sources and research the greenhouse effect and the effects of global warming. Students support their...
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Looking into Earth with GIS
Students work with data from a seismic wave model in a freely available GIS (geographic information system) program, ArcVoyager SE. Using a GIS, they examine maps and produce graphs to explore variations in seismic wave velocities at...
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The Water Cycle and Global Warming
Students study the flow of water in the environment. In this water cycle lesson students evaluate the consequences of changes in the water cycle using data.
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Energy and the Environment: What Can We Do?
Students consider the impacts of global warming and brainstorm ways to help decrease their contribution to the problem. In this climate change lesson, students are exposed to facts concerning global warming and think of ways to...
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Historical Geography Scavenger Hunt
High schoolers are told that Geography is the science that deals with the differentiation of the surface of the earth due to the influence of things like population, vegetation, geology, and land use. They explore the Geography Basics...
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Mapping Population Changes In The United States
Students create a choropleth map to illustrate the population growth rate of the United States. They explore how to construct a choropleth map, and discuss the impact of population changes for the future.
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Population Change in Vermont, 1990-2000
Students improve their mapping skills and knowledge about population distribution and change in Vermont at the county level. They are divided into groups of two or four. Each group is given two county base maps and the population...
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Breaking Up is Hard To Do
Students study the geographical issues related to the conflict in the Caucasus while identifying and discussing other key issues. They investigate methods of conflict resolution while analyzing both sides of the conflict including those...
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Seasons
Learners investigate the reason for seasons on Earth during three activities. They construct a model of the Earth and Sun to identify patterns in the changes of the angle of light on the Earth's surface. Then they conduct a heat...
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The Effects of Meteor Impacts
Students investigate meteor impacts on the Earth's surface by using different size balls and charting their impacts, given their diameter and mass.
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You've Been Weathered!
This weathering instructional activity reviews the two types of weathering, chemical and mechanical. Included is a game that assesses if students know examples of chemical and mechanical weathering and how they each affect the earth's...