Lesson Plan
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Design-A-Weed

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students create a "super weed" that prospers in teh harsh conditions on plant Weediv. They comprehend how weed adaptations give the plants an advantage over native plants. Students define the term adaptation. They give three examples...
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Bigger Than Life, But Not Necessarily Better

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Pupils evaluate images of health in American society, then students examine where one develops his or her views about health.
Lesson Plan
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Electromagnets: Winding Things Up!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore solenoids and electromagnets. After building an electromagnet, students use a TI Graphing calculator, a CBL 2 interface and a magnetic field sensor to measure the strength of a magnetic field. They create a graph of...
Lesson Plan
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Periodic Trends

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the rationale behind the arrangement of the elements on the Periodic Table. Using internet and traditional research, students compare and contrast the properties of elements on the periodic table to determine a...
Lesson Plan
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Are Fruits And Vegetables Really Made of Cells?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students design and carry out an exercise to determine if a given fruit or vegetable is composed of cells. They dissect out sections of the fruit or vegetable, prepare stained slides, and make observations under a compound microscope.
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Water Quality Assessment

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Young scholars evaluate water quality of different sources.  In this water assessment lesson students chemical testing, identify biological factors in the stream, and write a paper on their position of the stream's quality. 
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The Three Dimensions: Health, Wealth, and Wisdom

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine seven lifestyle factors. In this personal health lesson, students will examine healthy lifestyles and create a personal health, wealth, and wisdom calendar.
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Suburban Ecosystems

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students conduct simple sampling of plant and insect biodiversity at ground level in two contrasting environments of their own choosing. They recognize and record different species then compare and contrast species numbers in the two...
Lesson Plan
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Seat Belts and Bike Helmets

For Teachers K
Students answer questions on seat belts and bike helmets. In this seat belt and bike helmet lesson plan, students watch a demonstration with eggs and simulated seat belt and bike helmet about why some eggs broke and some stayed safe...
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It's Time to Call 911

For Teachers K
Students demonstrate how to get help in an emergency. In this 'In Case Of An Emergency" lesson plan, students listen to a story called It's Time to Call 911, describe emergencies using their senses, practice writing/saying important...
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Changing the Channel

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars explore the historic transfer of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama, investigating how this shift might affect various aspects of Panama's economy, relations with other countries, and international trade.
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Candid Cameras

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners read a New York Times article associated with the use of photography as a tool to depict social issues in order to provoke action. They create a Social Issues display.
Lesson Plan
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Pollution

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders investigate pollution. They discuss pollution and its effects. They create a Venn diagram of pollution and people polluting. They create a landfill and predict what will occur over a week's time. They create two air...
Lesson Plan
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"I've Been Working on the Railroad" - Federal Land Grants and the Construction of the Illinois Central Railroad in Mid-nineteenth Century Illinois

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders, in groups, design a self-sufficient community. Groups present the communities they've designed. They compare and contrast the communities presented. They research the theories of Johann Heinrich von Thunen online and...
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How Do Organisms Vary?

For Teachers K - 8th
Students study variation of organisms. They determine this variation arises from genetic and environmental causes.
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Basic Needs of Living Things-Lesson One

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the basic needs of living things. They observe a variety of living things and identify the basic needs of each living item. Students create food balls of peanut butter and nuts to feed animals. They hang their food...
Lesson Plan
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Producers and Energy Transfer

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders discuss the relationship between producers, consumers, and decomposers as they look at the energy pyramid. While working in small groups, they create an ecosystem that includes all or some of the given categories, and they...
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Basic Needs of Living Things-Lesson Three

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the interconnectedness of organisms in the environment and examine how different organisms obtain their basic needs. They discuss a frog's habitat and what is found in it. Students discuss the processes of...
Lesson Plan
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Alka-Seltzer Cannons

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine how to conduct a reliable scientific experiment so that the results are valid. They compare and contrast the reaction of Alka-Seltzer tables, one whole and one crushed, and time how long each takes to pop the top...
Lesson Plan
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Simple Machines III - Pulleys

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders are introduced to a spring scale to show that the forces on both sides of the pulley are the same. They break into groups to lift objects with fixed pulleys and with multiple looped pulleys and then measure the force...
Lesson Plan
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Plant Science: Introduction to Photosynthesis

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore the process of photosynthesis in plants. They discuss the purpose of photosynthesis and its components. Students discuss the importance of photosynthesis for plants and they examine the parts of the plant that play an...
Lesson Plan
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Potential and Kinetic Energy

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore how energy changes from one form to another within their surroundings. They explore how kinetic and potential energy relate to each other and the ability to do work. Students observe example of both kinetic and...
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Measuring & Graphing Motion

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders study how to measure distance.  In this graphing motion lesson students complete a lab activity that shows them on the computer how to make graphs. 
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P.L.E.P: Parts of Blood

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine the different parts of blood.  In this human blood lesson plan students work in groups and identify parts of blood and construct a model of human blood.