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Designing an Ecologically Sound City
Fifth graders design an "ecologically sound" city. They write laws for the city to help make all citizens aware of their ecological responsibilities and propose alternative power sources for light and heat.
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The Shadow Knows - Creating Shadows
Young learners recognize a shadow and witness how shadows occur when light is blocked. They access streamed video, standard video, and websites in order to engage in their study of how light is naturally blocked to create shadows. An...
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Classifying Shells
Students observe and classify different types of shells. They compare and contrast an exhibit they created with one that already exists in a musuem. They discover the different characteristics of shells.
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Water and Ice
Students investigate how water goes from a solid to a liquid then back again. In this experimental lesson students conduct their own experiment and see how water changes form.
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Bugs, Bugs, Everywhere!
Young scholars collect and compare bugs using magnifying lenses and graph data based on their comparisons. In this bugs lesson plan, students also make an aspirator by using a jar, tubing, and screen.
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Get the Drift?
The anticipatory set is clever: give groups five minutes to work on the puzzle and then discuss what strategies they used to match the few that connected. This introduces middle schoolers to the concept of continental drift. A portion of...
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Air Quality Issues
Students identify the different layers of the atmosphere. They examine the different types of air pollutants. They also discover laws in effect that work to protect the environment.
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Desalination: Turning Salt Water into Fresh Water
How does San Francisco supply its citizens with enough water, even during a drought? Learn about reservoirs and why desalination could be a good solution with a reading passage about water conservation. After kids finish the...
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Are You One of Us?
Students compare and contrast insects and arthropods, identifying characteristics of each. In groups, they sort pictures of arthropods into the five different classes of arthropods. They also sort pictures into insect and non-insect piles.
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F.B.I.
Students create a worm bin full of fruit and vegetable scraps wit paper and observe what happens over time. In this decomposers lesson plan, students observe that the fruit and vegetable scraps become new soil.
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Analyzing the Relationship between Snowpack and River Flow
Students use the Internet to research current and past snowpack levels and river gauging station readings. They determine the relationship between snowpack and river flow. They predict future river flow.
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Are You One Of Us?
Young scholars discover how to classify things based on their similarities and differences. Students give the characteristics of insects and create a classification list. Given examples of various types of insects, young scholars...
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Home-Made Clouds
Fourth graders witness cloud formation in a jar during a teacher lead simulation. They research, draw and predict weather using information they gather about clouds.
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Crystal Growing
Learners grow crystals and document their observations by recording timeing and growth. Additional characteristics of crystals are observed under a black light, by growing under different conditions and mineral content is determined.
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Ozone Hole Expert Groups
Research topics associated with the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Researchers write five facts about their topic and one question for each of those facts. They present what they learned to the rest of the class. Six topics are...
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Isoseismal Maps
Students examine the difference between magnitude and intensity in earthquakes. They complete map work and write a first hand account of a person living in each level of intensity on the Modified Mercalli Scale.
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Which Falls Faster?
Second graders study force and what it does. In this motion lesson students complete a demonstration on force and gravity and share their ideas.
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Chemical Compounds
Your young chemists will find these slides very informative. Groups and periods of the periodic table are labeled and described according to the charge. Comprehensive explanations of physical and chemical properties and how they relate...
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The Interactive Periodic Table of the Elements
Students study the different types of metals. In this investigative activity students watch a demonstration on the effects of temperature on atoms and take a tour through baone matter.
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Losing An Island
Students examine carbon dioxide and determine the impact of greenhouse gases on the earths spheres. In this pollution lesson students complete a lab activity to see the impact of gases on the environment,
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Physical Changes and the Water Cycle- Three
Third graders take note of the changes in the water level in a cup of water that is left out. Using a model of the water that depicts a lake and landscape that is being heated by a heat lamp, the students observe precipitation, and...
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Water, Water Everywhere, and Nary a Drop to Drink!
Students sing the continent song and locate oceans between the continents on a map. They read "They Earth is Mostly Ocean" and copy notes into their journals. They watch a demonstration of water and saltwater evaporated to see what is...
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You've Got to See It to Believe It!
Fifth graders examine smog and particulate matter as two major visible air pollutants. They discover how the pollutants formed and how engineers work on visible air pollution. They design an advertisement for a hybrid vehicle.
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Cycles Review
Eighth graders discuss the four major cycles of matter. In this general science lesson plan, 8th graders decide which of the four is the most important. They share their opinion in class.