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Air Pollution Over Where?
Students predict the movement of an air borne pollutant using their understanding of air currents. They determine which governments and/or communities should be contacted to be forewarned. They also explore the properties of their...
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Measurement of the Depth of the Ocean
Students comprehend the physical properties of pressure and Boyle's Law by designing a depth gauge. They construct a capillary depth gauge and calculate the calibrated depth marks of the capillary tube. They determine the margin of error...
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Urban Impact on Chollas Creek (California): A Field Study
Students, in groups, take samples from a creek and keep a field journal on their samples. They also perform tests on their samples.
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Air Masses
Middle schoolers examine the physical characteristics of several types of air masses to discover how air masses can be identified and defined by their temperature and moisture content.
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Current Interactions
High schoolers design an experiment to see how wind, temperature, and salinity work together to influence ocean currents and present it in a report format. They explain to their classmates how experiment findings relate to ocean currents.
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Where Does the Water Around Our School Go?
Students in groups, map quadrants of the area around the school and make predictions about the direction of waterflow and zones of accumulation that will occur when it rains. Then when it does rain they check to see if their prediction...
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Sediment Tubes
Students observe how different density soils and rocks behave in wind and in water. They make predictions and careful observations as they explore sediment transport and sediment rates in streams and rivers.
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Wind
Fourth graders watch an experiment that demonstrates the causes of wind. They design and make an original weather craft.
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Origin of Coal
Students explore how coal is formed. They then discuss the information and answer any questions that they may have on the formation of coal. Students then answer questions in reference to the coal discussion and reading.
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Frozen Film
Students are introduced to the topic of light interference through this hands-on activity. They observe how light reflects off two surfaces and then meets to form an interesting variation of color on a film surface.
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Carbon Adventures Game
Sixth graders examine the processes and transformations that occur in carbon pools. They play a game to identify paths taken by carbon through the environment.
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Amazing -- Saturn Is So Far Away!
Students work together to create a scale model of the distances between the planets. They write a paragraph to describe Saturn and their make-believe trip to the planet. They identify other characteristics of Saturn as well.
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Solar
Students study solar energy. In this renewable energy lesson students complete several lab activities using different controls and variables.
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Machines: Useful But Dangerous
First graders study, observe, and use a simple machine. They study necessary safety and review posted safety rules related to using a machine and identify strategies for reporting any accidents or injuries.
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Animals
Second graders discuss the term "endangered". They identify the reasons some animals are in danger of being wiped out. They discover ways humans can help the species survive.
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Perpetual Motion
Middle schoolers discuss movement of air currents and then experiment to create visible models of air currents. Students connect the model to weather patterns.
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Air Pressure
Fourth graders observe a demonstration experiment showing air pressure. They explain air pressure by completing the worksheet.
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Making a Food Web and Learning About Ecosystems
Third graders examine the difference between a food web and food chain. They also examine the importance of the sun in a food web and food chain. Students understand what happens when you remove parts of the chain.
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Jupiter's "Monstrous" Magnetosphere
Students explore Jupiter's magnetosphere. In this Jupiter lesson, students examine a diagram of the magnetic field that surrounds Jupiter.
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Rain Forest Rally
Students discover facts about rain forests, list the common products that come from rain forests, recognize how important rain forests are to our daily lives, and list and describe the layers of rain forests.
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Cookie Bar Coal
Students observe the effect of heat and pressure on materials representing those involved in the formation of coal.
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Graphing and Analysis of Water Quality Reports
Students practice making graphs and interpreting them. They compare and contrast different sets of data. They use Microsoft Excel to create different types of graphs.
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Oxygen: What a Gas!
Eighth graders explain how oxygen reacts to other elements. They also explain why oxygen is a reactive substance, how it has weight, and how it reacts with other substances. They construct an experiment to relate their findings.
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Effects of Ozone in the Air
Fifth graders learn how ground-level ozone is an air pollution problem. Students measure ozone levels and graph the results.