Lesson Plan
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Physical Changes and the Water Cycle- Three

For Teachers 3rd
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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Dimming the Sun

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Young scholars collect, interpret and analyze weather variable data. They describe atmospheric variables that affect evaporation. Students create graphs and analyze the information collected.
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How Does Climate Affect Our Shelter Needs?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate how weather influences shelter choices. They explore the concept of insulation and discuss some traditional Native American shelters. They discuss the shelters used by the Okanogan people during the various...
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Erosion in Different Soils [Erosion Races]

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders review how erosion can happen by wind, water, and gravity which they studied in previous instructional activity. They attempt to discover if all soils erode at the same rate. In small groups, 4th graders experiment with...
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DAY AND NIGHT

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students use a lamp as the sun and his/her body as the earth. They rotate in different directions to explain how the earth moves around the sun. Using specific questions in their discussion, students discover the reasons for day and night.
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How the Environment Effects our Feelings

For Teachers 1st
First graders compare images and discuss their feelings created by an artist's work. They explore the correlation between experiencing feelings in art and literature and feelings caused by changes in weather.
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Keep in Touch: Communications and Satellites

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate how satellites help people communicate with others far away and in remote areas. They discuss a scenario of someone travelling to an area with no mode of communication, observe a teacher demonstration, and create a...
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Is it Really Winter in Australia? It is June!

For Teachers 8th - 12th
The purpose of this activity is to determine how the location of a place on the Earth (hemisphere) determines what season that place is experiencing relative to the Sun's rays. Day one the students will be introduced to the terms...
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The Seasons

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students determine the effect of the earth's tilt on the amount of incoming solar radiation throughout the year. They simulate the earth's orbit around the sun using a light bulb and a globe to simulate the seasons. Assessment questions...
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Exploring Magnetism

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study magnetism.  In this solar wind lesson students complete several activities on space and weather.
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Clues to Climate Change

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study topics related to global weather patterns and their local effects. They hone their research and presentation skills using online resources content specific tools, and graphing data. They create simple PowerPoint...
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Thar She Blows!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students identify the advantages and disadvantages of wind farms and turbines. They examine how weather conditions can affect their effectiveness and how engineers are trying to solve the problem. They discover how engineers use this...
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Clouds

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the characteristics of clouds, their formation, symbols used in their identification, and the relationship of clouds to weather. The lesson focuses on how they are formed and their classification.
Lesson Plan
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How Does Climate Influence Civilization

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers demonstrate their knowledge of the Earth's systems.  In this climate lesson students identify the climate of a chosen area and the effects it has on the lifestyles of those living there. 
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Cloud Database

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Pupils research information on the types of clouds. They create a database and use a formula. They create various reports and access electronic information to obtain accurate pressure and temperature readings from the National Weather...
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Planet X

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students select a wide variety of presentation methods to compare Planet X and Earth. Students share these with their classmates. Students select other methods to present their ideas about a livable planet for human life forms. ...
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Ozone Layer

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders develop an understanding of the ozone layer, it's affect on Earth, and the effect of human activity on the ozone layer. They then interpret data from satellite pictures and develop an understanding of longitude/latitude...
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Environment: Climate Change

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore climate change and the greenhouse effect. Using provided definitions, they assess local weather conditions and analyze long term climatic data for their areas. Once they explore the concept of and connection between...
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Mayonnaise Jar Greenhouse

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine the Greenhouse Effect, how it operates and finally allows the student to experiment using a model created in the classroom. They explain how the greenhouse effect affects the Earth.
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Physical Characteristics of the Troposphere

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students lexplore environmental trends in the troposphere- temperature, dew point, pressure and wind speed- by checking their hypotheses against data collected by weather balloons.
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Tracking Ozone

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students track an ozone event in Groton, CT. They compare weather changes and the subsequent ozone levels. Also, they make comparisons and determinations about ozone levels.
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Physical Characteristics of the Troposphere

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students examine troposphere graphs and mcompare their hypotheses with data collected by weather balloons launched from the NOAA ship, Ronald H. Brown. they write summaries about the physical properties of the troposphere.
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Create a Cloud in a Bottle

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students observe an experiment showing the formation of a cloud. They write a paragraph summarizing the condition that are necessary for a cloud to form and explain the weather situations cause cloud formation.
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Dishing the Dirt Part 1

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create a soil center on their school grounds. They begin to write in their science journals. They participate in an experiment that helps the community begin their own gardens.