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Weathering Rocks
Fourth graders investigate what natural events cause rocks to break apart and differentiate between erosion and weathering. They conduct an experiment with plaster of paris to observe why some rocks are hard and others break, and...
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Water Speed and Erosion
Fourth graders investigate the process of water erosion. They observe the roots of a plant and discuss the concept of erosion. Next, in small groups they conduct an experiment to observe how water erodes soil on a stream table, and...
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Changes in Nature
Fifth graders identify the chemical and physical changes in the water cycle, carbon cycle, and the effects of weathering. They analyze the periodic table, and observe how vinegar reacts with limestone in a chemical reaction that causes...
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Day and Night
Fifth graders investigate the Earth's rotation and revolution and the moon's orbit around the Earth. They participate in a class discussion about how night and day occur, and take notes. Next, they watch a video about the solar system...
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Weather
Second graders study the basic components of weather. They construct a thermometer and anemometer to measure temperatures, precipitation, and wind speed. In addition, 2nd graders discover how to find these components on weather maps.
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Erosion
Fifth graders study what erosion is, what causes it, and ways to slow its progress. They complete an experiment that depicts soil moving down a slope as water is poured on it to show how moving water erodes land. Next, they observe...
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Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Fifth graders identify renewable vs. non-renewable resources and comprehend why conservation of resources is important. They are asked what they think the words natural and resource mean. Pupils then put the words together to define...
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The Grand Canyon
Fourth graders study the Grand Canyon. They research the Grand Canyon and locate the Colorado River on the map of Arizona. They discuss erosion and read how sedimentary rock was formed. They view photographs of the Grand Canyon and...
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Changes in Nature
Fifth graders explore changes in nature. They identify chemical and physical changes in the water cycle, carbon cycle, and weathering. Students explore a chemical or physical change based on a chemical formula. They examine the effects...
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Water Pollution
Fifth graders investigate how humans pollute the water supply with a number of different contaminates. While working in small groups they examine screening, sedimentation, filtration, and chemical treatments as methods of water treatment.
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Water Pollution
Fifth graders observe and record what happens when household products are added to a tank of water to depict water pollution. They brainstorm ideas of how to clean the contaminate out of the water before watching demonstrations of...
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Gadget Anatomy
Fifth graders examine and identify different simple machines that make up complex machines. They analyze and discuss different gadgets and appliances brought in from home, then in small groups examine one of the machines in detail. ...
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Kitchen Chemistry
Fifth graders examine both physical and chemical changes, and how to identify the difference between the two. They observe the changes that occur in butter when it is exposed to heat and cold, heat energy. In their notebooks, they write...
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Discovering Chemical Changes
Fourth graders predict what happens in a teacher demonstration of a chemical change, before watching it. They observe the demonstration and list what the see on the board before determining which represent chemical change. Working at...
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Greenhouse Gas Lab
Young scholars compare the ability of a sample of carbon dioxide gas to
absorb thermal energy compared to a sample of air. They build a visual representation of the greenhouse effect to illustrate the heat-absorption of
atmospheric...
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Defining the Difference Between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells
Students examine microscopic life by conducting a scientific investigation. In this cell analysis lesson, students define the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and discuss their word origins. Students view each type of cell on slides...
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Cloud Viewer
Fourth graders examine different types of clouds. In this cloud lesson, 4th graders examine pictures of different types of clouds and read details about them in the captions under the images. They make a cloud viewer by cutting out the...
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Changing in Ohio
Fifth graders familiarize themselves with more abstract chemical/physical changes that are directly connected to Ohio. They use their knowledge of chemical and physical changes to distinguish these two, even though they may not be...
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Cracked Marbles
Fourth graders determine how weathering, specifically ice, snow, and freezing water change the Earth's surface and rocks. After completing the investigations, they explain how heating and cooling expand and contract marbles until cracks...
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Water Pollution
Fifth graders examine what contaminated water looks like, and how it becomes polluted. They examine a teacher demonstration of water is not polluted but does contain rocks and other things that do need to be cleaned out before drinking...
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How Does Water Cause Weathering?
Fourth graders explore the weathering process of water on rocks. They observe how water and friction from other rocks cause them to weather. Students discuss examine and discuss various rocks found on the playground, beach, etc. They...
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Measuring Temperature
Students explore the different variables that affect surface temperature. They study how temperatures can vary widely within close proximity due to variables such as surface, directness of sunlight, and distance from buildings.
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WorldWatcher Activity: What Happens to Sunlight?
Learners examine a set of data to try to determine the amount of cloud cover. In groups, they make a list of items that reflect light in the atmosphere and how different amounts of it can change the temperature. Using WorldWatcher,...
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Which Colors Absorb the Most Energy?
Students measure the temperatures over time of different colored envelopes in order to explore the different rates at which each color absorbs energy from a heat lamp. They record their data and graph their results.