Lesson Plan
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Climate Patterns across the United States

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers articulate differences between climate and weather using examples in a written statement. Using climate data from across the country, they describe climate patterns for various parts of the United States on a map. Students...
Lesson Plan
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Driving Currents

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners conduct a variety of investigations to see how water, heat, and salinity affect the flow of the world's ocean currents,as well as, explore many factors that affect the flow of the world's ocean currents. They also describe in...
Lesson Plan
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Investigating Earthquakes: GIS Mapping and Analysis

For Teachers Higher Ed
Pupils describes the technique of preparing "GIS-ready" data and shows how to map that data and conduct basic analyses using a geographic information system (GIS).They use latitude and longitude fields to plot the data in a GIS and...
Lesson Plan
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The Rock Cycle

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students study the rock cycle of different types of rock. They arrange cut-outs of the parts of the rock cycle in the correct order and then draw the rock cycle or research different types of rocks.
Lesson Plan
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Presenting the Geologic Timescale

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students model the geologic timescale using distance as a metaphor for time. They write a summary of a major event or fossil organism. and station themselves and their summaries along a path within a gymnasium, and present their...
Lesson Plan
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Shine On, Moon

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore space science by conducting an experiment in class. In this Moon lesson, students define a list of space science vocabulary and read the book The Moon. Students utilize shoeboxes and string to conduct a sunlight...
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The Rainforest Community

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students create a miniature rainforest ecosystem, a terrarium. Students then explain how the continuous flow of energy and food in the ecosystem allows it to sustain itself.
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What Causes the Seasons?

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders investigate why the seasons occur throughout the year. They read a traditional wisdom story pertaining to the seasons. They create their own wisdom stories about the seasons and act them out for the class.
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Measuring Distance and Area in Satellite Images (College Level)

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students are able to download, install, and use Image J image analysis software to quantify change over time in satellite images. They access and download satellite images for specific locations and times. Students set a scale (spatial...
Organizer
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What's in the Air?

For Students 5th - 12th
In this air worksheet, students will choose the correct definition for atmosphere, troposphere, stratosphere, and pollutant. Then students will complete a concept map showing what components make up air. This worksheet has 4 multiple...
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Solid Waste in Canada

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars develop an understanding of waste and its effects.  In this managing waste lesson students participate in one of a few activities including creating a poster, summarizing an article or writing a research paper. 
Lesson Plan
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Go Glacier Go!

For Teachers K - 4th
Students create a model of a glacier and observe how it moves. In this landforms lesson plan, students learn what a glacier is, build a model glacier and observe how it moves in a manner that more closely resembles a liquid than a solid.
Lesson Plan
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Is It Getting Hot In Here?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students describe several factors and ways climate change could effect communities.  In this climate change lesson plan students research climate change and complete a worksheet. 
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Controlling the Flow of the Colorado River: A Study of Dams

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students research and map the Colorado River and its dams and predict the effects of a dam on an area. They suggest reasons a dam would be built and compare the Colorado River system with other major river systems within the US and...
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The Geography of Tornadoes OR

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students learn some basic facts about tornadoes and map two selected tornado statistics by state, and observe, analyze and speculate about the pattern(s) created by the completed map.
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Ancient Cultures

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students develop archeological skills in order to explain how scientists determine what ancient cultures were like. They develop an appreciation of the work that is involved in finding out about our past.
Lesson Plan
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Rock Cycle

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders participate in a Rock Cycle game to gain an understanding of the cycles that form metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous rocks.
Lesson Plan
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The Lake Effect

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders conduct an experiment demonstrating the effects of water and air temperature on precipitation. They create graphs demonstrating their findings using Claris Works for Kids.
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Creating Station Models

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students work in groups to interpret weather maps. They use latitude and longitude readings to complete a worksheet together and turn in the worksheet along with the maps and a rubric.
Lesson Plan
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Look At What Nature Has Done!

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Pupils examine how easy it is to break rock. They investigate weathering and erosion in a number of activities.
Lesson Plan
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Land Use in Australian Agriculture

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders research and map agricultural practices of Australia. They complete a worksheet about their research.
Lesson Plan
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Louisiana Purchase

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners use maps to locate and describe the area purchased by the Louisiana Purchase. In groups, they write a letter to Thomas Jefferson in which they evaluate the topography, climate and geography of the land. They determine the land's...
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Pressure Melting of Ice: While-U-Wait

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students demonstrates one of the few cases in which geologic solids visibly deform at room conditions. They suspend a weight on a thin wire over an ice cube to observe its effects over time.
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Dating Sedimentary Strata

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners investigate how the age of sedimentary strata is determined. In this sedimentary strata instructional activity, students work through problems that show that geological history covers millions of years. They distinguish between...