Lesson Plan
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Testing for Life

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students discuss food and the food groups and their organic nature. They test 3 different solutions and test for protein, starch and glucose. In addition, they create a master table on the board to collect all the teams results.
Lesson Plan
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Diffusion

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are asked how does odors move around without energy? They relate concentration gradients, diffusion, and equilbrium and predict water movement into and out of cells. Students are shown a demonstration where the teacher sprays...
Lesson Plan
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Desinging and Using a Dichotomous Key

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers are examine the purpose of dichotomous keys. In groups, they design their own in order to describe the characteristics of plants and weeds native to California. To end the lesson, they define new terminology associated...
Worksheet
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Creepy Reflection and Floating Finger

For Students 4th - 5th
In this science exploration learning exercise, students use a plastic mirror and a bowl full of water to get a fish's eye view of a water surface. Students follow the directions to conduct this investigation.
Lesson Plan
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Create a Community Tree Tour

For Teachers 4th - Higher Ed
Students study tree identification. In this tree identification lesson, students design and assemble a tree tour booklet describing 5 trees found in their community. The booklet should feature common and Latin names of the species, a...
Lesson Plan
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Mystery of the Matching Marks

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers view a Power Point and complete activities related to genetic evidence of human evolution. In this molecular evolution lesson plan, students view and discuss a provide presentation. They search for the "tell-tale telomere"...
Lesson Plan
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Sunlight and Warm Air

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students discuss radiant energy from the sun, performing a simple experiment with sun glasses and bright light to demonstrate the concept. Students further participate in simple in-class experiments to demonstrate: air density as it...
Lesson Plan
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Mapping Potato Island

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students create their own topographical map using a potato. In this hands on lesson students construct a topographical map and explain what contour lines are using a potato.
Lesson Plan
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Electron Arrangements

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students write electron configurations and identify groups.  For this investigative lesson students use valence electrons to draw electron dot structures. 
Lesson Plan
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Finding Balance

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Students explore how an artist uses the force of gravity to create balance in a sculpture. In this sculpting lesson, students create their own sculpture applying concepts from the lesson.
Lesson Plan
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Living With the Heat: The Ring of Fire

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students investigate the planet Earth's infamous ring of fire and the life that thrives from it.  In this ocean environment lesson, students investigate hydrothermal vents and how organisms thrive off their heat.  Students...
Lesson Plan
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Climate

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students study zoanthids. In this science and art lesson, students use line to create texture and how to use colors to create value. Students share their beautiful mat zoanthids with the rest of the class.
Lesson Plan
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Plant Structure, Function and Growth

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students study three structures of a plant as well as their locations and functions.  In this botany lesson students complete several activities on plant organs and their functions.
Lesson Plan
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Bringing Up Birdy

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students explore biology by creating diagrams of animal life cycles. In this baby bird instructional activity, students view video clips of birds being born from incubation to flying on their own. Students utilize the Internet to...
Lesson Plan
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A Model of a Scanning Tunneling Microscope

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders explain how a scanning tunneling microscope works. In this chemistry lesson, 9th graders construct atomic models and simulate how their images appear under the STM. They discuss the limitations of their atomic model.
Lesson Plan
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Overpopulation

For Teachers 5th - 11th
Students examine population growth and how it impacts our environment.  In this population lesson students identify the causes and consequences of overpopulation.
Lesson Plan
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"Ladybugs and Grasshoppers"

For Teachers K - 1st
Students paricipate in number of activities related to ladybugs and grasshoppers.
Lesson Plan
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Sunrise, Sunset: Apparent Motion of the Sun

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students discuss the meaning of a day and what happens to the sun as it turns to night. Then they go outside and draw the view in front of them, paying close attention to the location of the sun. Every hour they return and chart the...
Lesson Plan
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The Land is Changing: Stories from Across the North

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Students explore the changing environment in their community. They interview elders about the issues, impacts and potential ways of adapting to climate change in the north. Students post pictures and information on the student...
Lesson Plan
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Volcano Demonstration

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Learners watch a demonstration on how volcanoes work. In this volcano demonstration, students watch the teacher demonstrate a volcanic eruption. The teacher will change variables used to create the eruption and the learners will predict...
Lesson Plan
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Moonwalking to Mars?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine a quote from George W. Bush's recent speech on space exploration. They evaluate one writer's stance on Bush's space exploration goals by reading and discussing "Plea to Policy Makers: Let's Take Another Giant Step." In...
Lesson Plan
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Star Gazers

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research stars, constellations, planets and galaxies including names, shapes, sizes, colors, patterns and ages. They suspend the stars and planets from the ceiling and change monthy to display the various constellations. As a...
Lesson Plan
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Wetland Metaphors

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students are presented with a selection of hands on objects for investigation as metaphors for natural functions of wetlands. A 'Mystery Metaphor Container' is presented to the class with everything having to do with a wetland in some...
Lesson Plan
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Using Cytochrome-C to Explore Evolutionary Relationships

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Young scholars analyze protein sequences. In this lesson on determining evolutionary relationships, students use the Internet tools BLAST and Biology Workbench to look at protein sequences. Young scholars will compose an essay that...