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Power, Work and the Waterwheel
Students use a two-liter bottle, dowel rod and index cards to design and construct a water wheel. They then calculate the power created and measure the work done by the water wheel in Watts and Joules.
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Is That Natural?
Students examine how they use and waste natural resources. They participate in a class discussion about natural resources, in small groups complete a worksheet identifying ways students misuse natural resources, and create an...
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I See a Coyote
Students role-play coyotes looking for natural resources. In this natural resources lesson, students examine the relationship between animal life and the environment. Students play a game that demonstrates how natural...
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Biodegradability
Students study the effects of water, salt water and heat on common household materials. They separate an emulsion and show that the materials are completely recoverable and observe the effect of acetone and water on polystyrene.
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Climate & Atmosphere: A Global & Local Perspective
Young scholars complete a series of activities in which they study atoms, molecules, and the presence of atmosphere. They study the water cycle and the Greenhouse Effect by investigating and completing handouts.
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How Many Birds Would It Take To Keep A Jackal Alive?
Students examine the role of large families in some animal populations. They work together to complete an activity related to food supply. They discover the relationship between preys and predators.
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'Round and 'Round it Goes!
Students discuss and interpret background knowledge on poster copy given on the water cycle. Students complete the included activity sheets using the poster as a reference in small groups. Students identify and name where water can be...
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Please the Trees, But Not These, Please!
Young scholars study trees. In this forestry lesson, students complete a variety of activities where they learn the basic parts of a tree and their functions.
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Migration Isn't Just For The Birds
Fourth graders explore the concepts of conservation using a reading story that describes a flock of geese. The ecosystems are also described in the lesson and the effects of pollution.
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Companion to Superfund -- The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Program
Students examine the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. They work together to discover how their local community handles waste disposal. They complete a worksheet to end the lesson.
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Graphics Creation and Statistical Interpretation: Relating Local Economics and the Global Environment
Students apply statistics, and graphical interpretation to economics, the environment and populations. In this statistical lesson students construct graphical displays and classify data.
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Biological Relationships - Coral Reef Memory Game and Chain Game
Students familiarize themselves with the interconnectedness of species within an ecosystem, and to use this knowledge to evaluate how the removal or decimation of one species can have far reaching effects.
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Urban Ecosystems 3: Cities as Population Centers
Students discover that throughout history cities have been centers of population but that human exploitation of fossil fuels was key to the growth of large cities worldwide. They research urban growth through a number of websites.
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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost
Young scholars expand their understanding of solid waste management. They examine the effects of packaging decisions. They study engineering advancements in packaging materials and solid waste management.
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Who Takes Care of the Maya Forest Corridor?
First graders study the animals in the Maya Forest Reserve. In this conservation lesson, 1st graders create a graph to compare the environment of animals to their own. They design a 3D model of these two environments.
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Amazon Rainforest Conservation, Brazil
Students explore rain forests. In this rain forest lesson, students participate in a "BioBlitz" of their schoolyard, observing and recording every living thing in a designated area. Students visit websites about rain forests...
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What Do Bread and Beer Have in Common?
Students listen to an explanation of yeast cells and how they effect bread and beer. They discuss the ways alcohol affects the human body and participate in an indirect observation about cell respiration in yeast-molasses cultures.
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Acid Mine Drainage
Students use cabbage, backing soda, cobblestones, and more to test the acid in the water. For this acid mine damage lesson plan, students complete 13 experiments to test and treat acid.
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Micro-Ecosystems
Students create a sustainable, self-contained ecosystem in a ten-gallon aquarium.
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Coral Reefs
Students research an inhabitant of a Caribbean coral reef using a list of common organisms that live on or near it. Students then write a description of their organism and draw a picture or a 3-D model of it. Eventually they all work...
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Corals & Coral Reefs
Students describe a coral reef, how it is formed and its inhabitants. They explain the ecological and economic importance of coral reefs and discuss its present-day threats. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
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Waste Management
Students investigate the amount of trash they generate, the problems that result and possible solutions.They complete four activities regarding household trash, biodegradability, packaging, and recycling.
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Investigating Factors That Affect Rate of Enzyme Action
Students explore the properties of enzymes. In this chemical reaction lesson, students explore enzymes through a Web-quest and investigative study. Students will collect and summarize data and create a class presentation. This lesson is...
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Marine Protected Areas (MPA)
Ninth graders explain the purpose of MPA's. In this biology lesson, 9th graders identify MPA's in Southern California. They simulate coastal sampling using candy from two buckets. Students analyze their results and share it with the class.