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The Water Cycle
Seventh graders discover how water circulates through the earth and its atmosphere while determine how much of the Earth's water is suitable for drinking. They discover the meaning of evaporation, transpiration, and precipitation and...
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Build An Earthquake City
Middle schoolers work together to build an earthquake city. They simulate the shaking during an earthquake to discover if their structure is built well enough. They discover how engineers complete these types of tests to develop better...
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Sun Shadow Cycles
Learners use diagrams to review how the Earth rotates around the sun. In groups, they use the same diagrams to explain how the sun shadows are produced and how they differ between seasons. They describe the Earth's rotation and...
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Our Water Resources
Students build a model aquifer to study groundwater zones and water table formation. Students use the models to measure the movement of polluted groundwater.
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Creeping
Students observe, measure, and graph a model of slow down slope movement representing soil creep. This task assesses students' abilities to collect, record, and organize data, set up graph axes, plot data points, draw line graphs, apply...
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Easy as Pi
Students describe the importance of structural features that increase surface area in a coral reef habitat. In this investigative lesson students quantify the impact of modifications on surface area in model habitats.
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Walking on Frozen Ground
Students listen to an Elder speak about permafrost structures in their area. In this permafrost lesson plan, students listen to the guest speaker, take a tour outside to view permafrost structures, and draw them.
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Volcano!-Thar She Blows!
Learners describe how volcanoes are formed. They name the types of boundaries where volcanoes occur. They utilize models to illustrate the occurence of volcanoes and earthquakes along plate boundaries. They compare and constrast the...
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Populations and Ecosystems
Seventh graders create a model of an ecosystem and label it to show structure and function. They research the food web of an aquatic animal and also trace energy flow from the primary producer up the food chain.
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A Bight is Born
Pupils sequence and model the events leading to the formation of the southeastern coast of the United States, including the formation of the South Atlantic Bight.
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Trouble in the Troposphere
Students Use data sets from MY NASA DATA to produce graphs comparing monthly and yearly ozone averages of several U.S. cities. They analyze and evaluate the data and predict trends based on the data. In addition, they discuss and...
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A Hydrothermal Adventure
Students analyze hydrothermal vents. In this hydrothermal vents lesson, students discover the effects of hydrothermal vents on tectonic plates. Students make model hydrothermal vents to understand how they form and operate.
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On Our Own- Surviving on Another Planet
Pupils investigate current models for Lunar and Martian settlements and study the mathematics behind these designs. They design their own Lunar or Martian settlement with an explanation of why their model would work best.
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River Planning
Students use a model to conduct an experiment involving dam construction. Based on their observations, they draw conclusions about social, economic, and and environmental issues and make a decision concerning dam location. As a group,...
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The No Zone of Ozone
Students explore the causes and effects of the Earth's ozone holes through discussion and an interactive simulation. Using gumdrops and toothpicks, they conduct a large-group, interactive ozone depletion model.
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Hold on Tight!
Students explore the close connection between plant roots and the soil in which they grow. They investigate the roots of plants, make models of plant roots using pipe cleaners, and examine photos and images to explore the connection...
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Bhutan, the Last Shangri-La: Sandwich Squash: How the Himalayas Were Formed
Young scholars create and record a model of mountain formation. They identify major mountain building formations. Students understand how the Himalaya Mountains were formed, why they are located near Bhutan, and why they are becoming...
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Factors That Shaped Indiana
Fourth graders construct a model of Indiana which displays the effects of the glacial period on the state's physical structure. Students work in groups to plan and execute their model based on an established rubric.
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The Growth Of A City
Pupils define what a city is. They investigate the top 10 - 15 most populated cities. SDescribe factors influencing the location and growth of urban sites. They site examples of cities that have grown with different models of urban...
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Science: Draining the Land - the Mississippi River
Students use topographic maps to identify parts of rivers. In addition, they discover gradient and predict changes in the channels caused by variations in water flow. Other activities include sketching a river model with a new channel...
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Wind Dynamics and Forests
Students perform experiments to explore differences in wind speed and forest density. Through experimentation and observation, students realize that changes in vegetation affect the atmosphere and wind conditions. They create a model...
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Evaporation
Young scholars study the evaporation stage of the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson, students participate in an experiment to study the process of evaporation that uses jars and water. Young scholars complete an observation...
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Probing Under the Surface
Eighth graders use a measuring stick to determine the shape of the inside of the bottom of a box, then apply their knowledge to an additional situation. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, collect and...
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TE Activity: Testing the Caverns
Students make model caverns out of paper mache or clay. They bury them in a tray of sand, and test the models by dropping balls into them simulating as asteroid hitting the earth. They discuss the results of the activity in a whole class...