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Our Ever Changing Earth
First graders discover plate tectonics. They observe the forces of erosion. They observe the forces of weathering. They state three ways the earth changes. They record observations and make conclusions about their observations.
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What's "In" There: A Study of the Inner Planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
First graders identify and explore the four inner planets. In this planet science lesson, 1st graders watch a PowerPoint about the planets. Students read the book Our Solar System and discuss the inner planets. Students create a book...
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Hubble Space Telescope Webquest
Students research the Hubble Space Telescope. In this Hubble Space Telescope instructional activity, students complete a webquest about the Hubble Space Telescope.
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My Place In Space
The purpose of this unit is for students to make the rich set of connections between astronomy and the rest of science and technology, language arts, cultural studies (social studies), math, art, and music.
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Understanding Distance in Space
Students discover the vocabulary used for distances in space and review measurement units and instruments before creating a scale model of the planets. They determine how to calculate the relative distances between the planets using a...
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Science Fiction Stories
Students review the story writing process and the elements such as prewriting, drafting, editing, revising, publishing, and assessment. Next students write a science fiction story that contains a title, the requested number of...
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The Planet Earth
Students explore the planet Earth, outer space, and Earth's axis. They demonstrate reading comprehension skills, including literal meaning, inference and critical analysis.
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Astronomical Scales
Pupils describe the different units of measurement. In this space science lesson, students calculate astronomical distances using a scale. They explain the significance of using scientific notation in expressing very small or very...
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The Great Hubble
Students explain how Hubble telescope captures images from space. In this space science instructional activity, students use the internet to view space photos. They debate on an issue raised by the teacher.
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Lives of Stars
Students explain in their own words how stars are formed. In this space science lesson, students summarize the life cycle of stars. They draw diagrams and label the step of the cycle they represent.
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A Moon with a View
Third graders explore the rotation of Earth and the moon. In this solar system lesson, 3rd graders participate in an Earth and moon simulation in which part of the class "becomes" the sun, while other children represent the moon by...
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Swinging on a Star
Students explore the issues that might arise if humans were to go on an interstellar space mission. They synthesize their understanding of interstellar travel by writing scenes from a science fiction novel that would depict such a mission.
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The Earth Around Us: Air, Water & Soil
Students build an air cannon and study air mass. In this air cannon lesson, students create and shoot an air cannon and observe what happens. Students answer critical thinking questions about air mass and air cannons.
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Science:Effects of Weathering
Seventh graders take an outdoor observation walk around the campus and take soil samples. Working in groups , they conduct experiments with rocks and soil that demonstrate the effects of different types of erosion.
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Planets in Our Solar System
Second graders research climate and landforms on nine planets in our solar system, choose one planet to visit, gather information about their chosen planet's climate and landforms, and "invent" space suit that would enable them to...
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Far Out!
Students research and compare/contrast how routine tasks on Earth would be without gravity. They read and discuss the article "The Life Galactic: A Lot of Work, a Little Play, Plenty of E-Mail." In groups they write a pitch for a TV...
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We Are Lunar tics!
Second graders, working in cooperative groups, will create a multimedia presentation about the Earth's moon. Their research must be presented through three or more methods. (i.e. charts; graphs; oral reports; multi-media; dramatic role...
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TE Activity: Northward Ho!
Students design a simple compass. They examine how the Earth's magnetic field has both horizontal and vertical components. They determine how a compass works and work with cardinal directions.
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Searching for Meteorites
Students examine meteorites and attempt to recover meteorite fragments. In this space lesson students complete a demonstration on the impact of a meteorite using water balloons and make experimental predictions.
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Our Class, Our Earth day
Students understand the importance of participating in recycling and clean-up efforts in the community. In this recycling lesson, students respond to questions after reading "The Wartville Wizard" by Don Madden. Students articulate...
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Black Holes Revealed
Learners explore the concept of black holes through an interactive program. They explore how they form and what materials form them. They can also visit websites in which they can research radio transmission between the Earth and space.
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Runaway Greenhouse Effect Exercise
Students role-play biologists, coal geologists, space warfare experts, astronomers, pollution-control scientists, and hydrophysicists as they answer the question, "Why is Venus so much hotter than the Earth?"
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Earth Energy Budget Pre Lab
Students explore energy by conducting an in class experiment. In this climate change lesson, students conduct a water vapor experiment in a soda bottle. Students utilize graphs and charts to analyze the results of the experiment and help...
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Discover Magazine: Size and Scale
High schoolers research measurements of the moon and Earth as well as the distance between the two in order to create scale models of the Earth-moon system. With a marble to be used as the moon, they must determine how large to make...