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As the Sun Burns
Pupils test commercial sunscreens or sunglasses for accuracy of their Sun Protection Factor. They devise a method for testing UV beads with a visual clues which they publish as research. They investigate occupations such as...
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The Communications Lab
High schoolers build and test a type of communication system called a parabolic-dish receiver. This type of system is exactly like radio telescopes, which are discussed in our song. They explain how signals are transmitted and captured...
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Space and Science Fiction
Use the Franklin Institute's exhibition "An Inquirer's Guide to the Universe" to have students research ideas for a science fiction story. After completing their research, writers will compose science fiction stories that incorporate...
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Your Weight on Other Planets
Young scholars explore their weight on other planets. In this science lesson, students view a presentation about the other planets and complete a worksheet in which they make predictions about their weight on the moon and other planets.
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What Makes you Hot?
High schoolers manipulate different variables in a model and make inferences about the temperature on Earth. In this heat lesson students calculate the blackbody radiation of an object at a certain temperature.
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Protecting Treasures
Students explore electricity by creating an alarm. In this circuitry lesson, students analyze a diagram of a circuit based alarm which detects sunlight. Students utilize electrical equipment to recreate the circuit and practice using its...
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Let's Make a Solar Car
Students transform a car that they have built out of K'NEX into a solar car. Students add one or two solar cells to the car to power a DC motor then connect the motor to the car and come up with a method to drive the car. This is the...
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Watershed Management
Middle schoolers investigate the concept of a watershed. They conduct research into the concept using a variety of resources. Students take a field trip to a local watershed to make observations. The outcome is a report concerning the...
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Decoding a Mystery Message from Space
Students examine a message sent from outer space and do their best to interpret its meaning. In this problem solving lesson, students investigate a code sent to them from "outer space." The students collaborate with their classmates to...
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Comets And Meteor Showers
Students fill in a diagram of a comet. They listen to a short lecture, view flash animation descriptions of comets and meteors and then use the presented information to complete a worksheet.
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Planet Interiors
Students compare and contrast the Earth's interior with 2 other planets by looking at images on the computer. In this planet interiors lesson plan, students write a paper about their findings.
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Plan a Mission to Recently Discovered Planet
Students plan a mission to a recently discovered planet. In this science instructional activity, students research spacecraft design, distances in space, long-term missions in space, and life-sustaining planets. Students work in groups...
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Land Use
Students examine ecosystems that covered Illinois 200 years ago, investigate some living and non-living components of ecosystems, identify components of prairie system, create food webs, and observe human effects on environment. Lessons...
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Sweet Candy Comets
Fourth graders use candy to make a comet. In this instructional activity, 4th graders examine the role comets have played throughout history, students watch NASA videos about comets and complete the instructional activity by making an...
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I See a Coyote
Students role-play coyotes looking for natural resources. In this natural resources lesson, students examine the relationship between animal life and the environment. Students play a game that demonstrates how natural...
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Powering a Green Earth
Students compare and contrast renewable and nonrenewable energy. In this environmental science lesson, students discuss the importance of going green. They identify the different components in a power grid system.
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Robot Earth
Students construct a simple robotic energy transformer. In this space science lesson, students explain how energy is transformed from one form to another. They identify the different uses of robotic devices.
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Ecology: Factors Influencing Animal Populations
Young scholars assess the factors affecting animal populations. Working in groups they define specific vocabulary terms and complete several activities from "Project Wild."
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Populations and Ecosystems
Sixth graders examine the factors that influence the stability of ecosystems. They construct a miniature ecosystem in a jar that includes plants, small fish, and snails, record the population changes over a period of four weeks, and...
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Planting
Students form groups to conduct an experiment. They plant seedlings to test the effects of sunlight, water and soil, on the growth of seedlings.
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What Makes a Healthy Plant?
Students predict the effects of water, light, and soil on the development of a plant and then design an experiment to test their predictions.
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Exploring Space Fact
Students visit web sites to gather information about space and space exploration.
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Transforming Energy
Sixth graders study about alternate energy sources and discuss with their neighbor how alternative energy sources affect environmental conditions so that an entire species could be affected.
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Ecological Relationships
Students identify ecological elements and their factors on species, populations and food webs. They analyze ecosystems for these elements and research how these factors influence species survival rate. Predictions on conditions over time...