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Moon Phases
Sixth graders investigate the phases of the moon. In this moon phase instructional activity, 6th graders discover that the moon changes in a cycle as it orbits Earth. Students label pictures of moon phases and keep a moon phase...
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Classroom Meteorologists: An Experiential Approach to Learning about Seasons and Weather
Students examine several concepts about weather in the seven lessons of this unit. This year long activity helps students to gather data seasonally about wind, clouds, precipitation, and temperature. Earth's three climate zones are...
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SCRUMPTIOUS SOIL
Young scholars engage in investigations that lead to the discovery that earth materials consist of rocks, soils, water, and air. They build models of soil profiles, using breakfast cereal and other edible materials. They observe how...
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The Life Cycle of a Star
Students investigate the life cycle of a star through research. Once research is complete, students prepare posters and present findings to class. Flash animation is included to help students visualize life cycle of star researching.
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Water Cycle
Ninth graders explore ways water moves through various reservoirs on Earth, examine how human activities change water cycle, investigate substances present in water that indicate human activity, and discuss how understanding water cycle...
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Meteorites
Students model how meteors fall to the surface of planets. In this space science lesson, students identify different types of meteorites using an interactive online website. They investigate the relationship between a meteorite's size...
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The Effects of Meteor Impacts
Students investigate meteor impacts on the Earth's surface by using different size balls and charting their impacts, given their diameter and mass.
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Using Living Organisms to Explain Evolution
Students investigate evolution in its most fundamental form: the observation of living organisms. By comparing variations that exist among living animals, students formulate their own hypotheses and conclusions about the evolution of...
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Structures and Behaviors of Planarians
Students investigate planaria of the phylum platyhelminthes. They use DigiScope technology to observe and describe the structure and movements of planarians.
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Volcano! Is That a Volcano on Your Plate?
Students investigate where volcanos come from. For this volcano lesson, students watch videos do Internet research and participate in experiments to discover the cause of volcanos.
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What's In Our Backyard?
Eighth graders investigate the importance of an ecosystem by studying their own backyards. In this environmental lesson, 8th graders examine a schoolyard or backyard by marking quadrants and recording any animal or plant findings...
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Lesson 5: Technology: Conveniences and Consequences
Students identify positive and negative impacts of technology. In this technological advancements instructional activity, students consider how toxic pollution affects the Earth and its inhabitants. Students participate in 3 activities...
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Recent Volcanoes And Earthquakes:
Students investigate the current model for the structure of the Earth. On a world map, they mark areas where they think earthquakes and volcanoes occur and compare those areas with earthquake and volcano location patterns.
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Using Magnetotactic Bacteria to Study Natural Selection
Students observe bacteria that are able to orient themselves using the Earth's magnetic field.They comprehend the difference between anaerobic and aerobic organisms. Students can tell the difference of the shape of magnetic force field...
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Water: A Neverending Story
Students investigate the water cycle. In this water cycle science lesson, students participate in a series of activities that demonstrate evaporation, precipitation, and condensation. Students describe their observations using...
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Soapy Stress
Students investigate the three types of material stress related to rocks. They identify the three types of stress, conduct a simulation by breaking bars of soap using only their hands, and complete a worksheet.
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Seasons
Learners investigate the reason for seasons on Earth during three activities. They construct a model of the Earth and Sun to identify patterns in the changes of the angle of light on the Earth's surface. Then they conduct a heat...
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How would an oil spill affect a Marine Sanctuary?
Students explore the concept of environmental stewardship. For this science lesson, students discover how scientists assess damages to the environment following oil spills. Students conduct a simulation of a public meeting in order to...
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Carve That Mountain
Students investigate major landforms (e.g., mountains, rivers, plains, hills, oceans and plateaus). They build a three-dimensional model of a landscape depicting several of these landforms. Once they have built their model, they act as...
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Discovering The Power Of Sunlight
Students participate in a lesson that looks at the potential for energy from sunlight. Students conduct research from a variety of resources and construct an object that is used to measure the energy of sunlight and calculate the amounts...
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Let's Rock
Students investigate the property of rocks and how to distinguish among the different types. They explore the hardness of rocks and perform streak tests to determine mineral color. They classify rocks according to their properties.
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GPS Treasure Hunt for Knowledge
Middle schoolers examine themselves as being part of a global community. In this global community activity, students investigate GPS systems. Middle schoolers gain knowledge on how the device works. Students discover that satellites...
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Out of This World
Fifth graders animate their own planets. In this solar system lesson, 5th graders use smartphones and the software, GoKnow Sketchy, to create images for presentations on their created planets that appear to be animated when played...
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Reasons for Seasons
Students model the tilt of the Earth as it orbits the Sun. They explain the meaning and characteristics of solstices and equinoxes. They explain that sunlight hits the Earth at different angles at different locations over the course of...