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Thirsty for Drought Relief

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research a variety of drought-related concerns, acting as part of a 'drought preparedness taskforce.' They propose next steps for the government to take in case of drought and assess the viability of these proposals.
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A City Lost and Found

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students hypothesize about the origins of the Incan lost city of Machu Picchu. They examine archaeological methodologies used by researchers to piece together the history of the site and create an audio tour of the location for visitors...
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Mining Riches

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research and map how various mining ventures have changed local geographies and populations. First they read the article provided--Examining the Environmental and Social Impact of the Mining Industry.
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Primate Primer

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the different branches of the primate family tree. They create fact cards about various species of non-human primates and then write fictional skits about interactions among the different primates.
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Creature Creation

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the characteristics of dragons as represented in the myths of cultures around the world. They create their own mythical dragons by hybridizing two creatures with desirable traits and writing stories about their creation.
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Deep Thoughts

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine what lies within the Earth. They research and create scale models illustrating the layers of the Earth and write skits advocating a travel plan to send a probe into the Earth's mantle.
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The Eyes Have It

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the health risks associated with wearing decorative contact lenses. They research other cosmetic modes of expression that can pose health risks and debate whether these practices should remain legal.
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Sense-itive Issues

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider the difficulties of adapting to the loss of different senses. They work in small groups, each developing a fictional superhero who experiences a loss of one of sense and must compensate for it with his or her other senses.
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Performance Poppers

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the controversies surrounding the use of performance-enhancing supplements in sports by interviewing athletes and writing feature articles that compare the skills required to compete in different sports.
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Organic Feud

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine possible pesticide exposure in their fruit and vegetable consumption. They compile fact sheets exploring various organic food issues and interview their parents about the food choices they make for their Students.
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Healthy Hearts

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students focus on advanced technologies used to treat disease impacting the cardiopulmonary system; they then reflect on the experiences of having and overcoming illnesses.
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Hall Monitors

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the incidence of different types of violence that occurs in their schools through reading, discussion and interviews. They question local authorities about the best ways to reduce school violence.
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In a Class of Their Own

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore taxonomy and how birds are classified in this scientific system. They use this knowledge to create entries for a field guide to birds that can be used to identify different species.
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Cooking Up an Explanation

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students pose scientific questions about food items and research their explanations. They then create recipe cards with the answers and present their findings in a cooking show format.
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Technically Speaking

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research how various forms of technology have changed during different time periods and the ways in which technology impacts society. They propose designs for galleries within a technology museum.
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Shedding New Light

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars consider why photographs in space might not show stars and research the importance of light in this phenomenon. They research other scientific processes related to light or its absence and create "How It Works" posters...
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Think Small

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore current applications of nanotechnology in various industries, including medicine, space development, environmental protection, and defense.
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Growing Pains

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars compare common food items with the parts of a plant. They grow their own plants to assess the difficulties in assisting a plant's growth and reproduction.
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Industrial Light and Magic

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate early mass production in various industries, and then create presentation posters outlining how a typical 19th-century factory, mill or refinery worked.
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Euro Cent Trick

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the positive and negative aspects of the currency switch to the euro in eleven European countries as of January 1, 1999. They research the previous currencies of the eleven countries and create posters illustrating...
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Has Peace Finally Settled in the Middle East?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students evaluate the changes made in the Palestine National Council charter and their potential impact on the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations. They write a brief essay focusing on an article from an Israeli or Palestinian...
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Clearing the Smoke About Cigarettes

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the many causes and effects of cigarette smoking in order to create anti-smoking campaigns geared towards other students.
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Species for Sale

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore wildlife conservation by investigating animal species that are near extinction due to their value as commodities. They defend the protection of an endangered species researched in class by creating an informational poster.
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Is the Internet A Web Of Deceit?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students become more savvy Web surfers by evaluating the various elements of a Web site to determine its credibility. They conduct a two-part investigation of a Web site, focusing on how one determines if a Web site is credible in...