Lesson Plan
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Travel Mug Design

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students create and develop a travel mug. They create visuals and a three dimensional infomercial. They apply an engineering design and demonstrate knowledge of thermodynamics involved in heat transfer. They illustrate Newton's Law of...
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Water Paintings

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Students use water to paint pictures outdoors. In this water painting activity, students paint pavement and observe how water evaporates. They compare painting in sunny versus shady locations. They also use sponges to observe the...
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Photojournalism: Documenting the Four Greatest Threats to Global Sustainability

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study global sustainability by viewing photos.  For this environment lesson students work in groups and create their own photo gallery.
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How do people use ecosystems and their resources?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars examine how natural resources are reusable, renewable or nonrenewable.  In this ecosystems lesson students see the effects humans have on ecosystems and complete an art lesson activity. 
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How Does the Moon Affect Tidal Range?

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study the phases of the moon. In this tides lesson students use the Internet to retrieve information.
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Overpopulation

For Teachers 5th - 11th
Young scholars examine population growth and how it impacts our environment.  In this population instructional activity students identify the causes and consequences of overpopulation.
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Changing Rocks

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students shake a box containing Plaster of Paris "rocks", gravel, and sand, to measure the effects of erosion. They work individually during this exercise. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, describe...
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Keep It Hot

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students design and conduct an experiment to explore the insulating abilities of different materials for keeping a liquid in a paper cup warm. A small group of lab partners test four different materials: black paper, white paper,...
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Sopay Water

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders design and conduct an experiment to explore the use of several substances in removing soap from water. During this activity they work with a lab partner. They keep their own individual lab notes, after they finish, they...
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Energy Efficiency Ambassadors

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students consider how to cut their energy use. In this physical science lesson plan, students investigate the connections between energy use and climate changes. Students compute the actual electrical energy consumption of 2 bulbs and...
Lesson Plan
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Energy Efficiency Ambassadors

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare two products that provide the same function but require different amounts of energy.   In this energy efficiency lesson students research and demonstrate energy efficiency in action and how it applies to...
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Energy Audit

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars examine the level of energy usage on a local and national level. Using the internet, they discover ways to conserve energy every day and how over-consumption of energy negatively affects the environment. In groups, they...
Lesson Plan
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Celestial Photography

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers practice photographic skills and gain an awareness of photography as a scientific tool.
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Learning Lesson: The Shadow Knows I

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students examine the elevation of the sun to discover the changes in seasons. They observe and measure the length of their shadow. They compare this measurement to one taken four months later.
Lesson Plan
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Sunshine and Shadows

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students measure their shadows early in the morning, record direction of shadow, make marks in ground with chalk or tape, measure with ruler, and record results. Students repeat process at noon, and then later in afternoon. Students...
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Tracking Satellites Using Latitude and Longitude

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students investigate how to track satellites using latitude and longitude. They investigate what man learns from all the satellites currently being studied today. Students analyze the four basic types of satellite orbits.
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Global Water Cycle & Heat Flow

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students experiment to discover how different variables affect the water cycle. They do hat flow experiments and construct a computer heat flow model.
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Comparative Stream Quality

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine water quality on a nearby stream. They collect water samples and test for various factors, including any contamination from the treatment plant, and present their information in a Powerpoint presentation.
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Rubber Gardens

For Teachers K - 8th
Students recycle discarded automobile tires and create gardening sites for limited space areas.
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Exploring the Universe

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students conduct Internet research to find information about each planet and present their findings to the class. Students research statistical information and two interesting facts about each planet, then create a multimedia...
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Educated Action

For Teachers K - 8th
Young scholars review what they already know about birds. Using the internet, they discover major issues involved with birds in Illinois. In groups, they determine what they can do to help them and contact a local agency.
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The Nebraska Brochure

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers research the physical attributes of Nebraska. They work together to create a brochure highlighting the topic of their choice. They share their brochure to the class.
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Water, Water, Everywhere!

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students become aware of the important role the ocean plays in our lives. Students will gain general knowledge about the ocean by reading information on the Internet. They discover the weather events generated by ocean conditions.
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Composting

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders collect data from Bottle Biology compost columns and record using Excel spreadsheet.