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Butterfly Life Cycle
Students investigate the life cycle of a butterfly. In this life cycle instructional activity, students read the book Monarch Butterfly by Gail Gibbons and discuss the four stages of the life cycle. Students illustrate the life cycle on...
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Sound for Sight
Learners study echolocation and understand how dolphins use it to locate prey, escape predators, and navigate their environment. They view a video, "In the Wild-Dolphins with Robin Williams" and see first hand how dolphins communicate. ...
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TE Activity: Environmental Interactions
Students design a web that shows the interactions between the living and non-living parts of the environment. They determine what an environment is and how engineers work together to solve problems. They complete a tally chart that they...
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Spaced Out
Students are introduced to the space environment. This lesson covers the major differences between the environment on Earth and that of outer space and the engineering challenges that arise because of these discrepancies. In order to...
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This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land
Students review and evaluate the ways land is covered and used in their local community. They consider the environmental effects of the different types of land use. Students act as community planning engineers to determine where to place...
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Terrariums: A Look at the Living and Nonliving World
Third graders examine life in a terrarium and relate it to life in a larger environment. For this terrarium lesson, 3rd graders examine how living and non-living things work together by examining the changes in a terrarium. They make...
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Not So Neutral Views
Students explore ways to use indicators to distinguish between acids and bases. They conduct an experiment to model and discuss the harmful effect of acid rain in our living and non-living environment.
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Lunch in Outer Space!
Students explore the challenges astronauts face while eating in outer space. In small groups, they design and construct an original model device to assist astronauts eat in a microgravity environment.
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Soapy Stress
Students investigate the three types of material stress related to rocks. They identify the three types of stress, conduct a simulation by breaking bars of soap using only their hands, and complete a worksheet.
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The Sun-Earth Connection
Third graders research about the location of different planets from the sun. In this earth science lesson, 3rd graders discuss the weather in their place and identify common weather terminologies. They explain how tornadoes form and...
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Experimentation With Plants
Fourth graders experiment with different varieties of plants and draw conclusions after performing a series of lab activities. A very helpful student worksheet is given. This is a nicely done introductory lesson for life science.
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Take Charge!
Students induce an electrical charge on various objects, and experiment with electrical repulsion and attraction. They define related vocabulary, play Bingo and complete a take-home quiz.
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THE PHYSICS OF MOVING THINGS (AND NOT A MOMENTUM TOO SOON!)
Students list three examples of momentum found in their local environment; describe the importance of mass and velocity on momentum; and determine what is necessary to produce the greatest amount of momentum within a particular system.
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Solid Waste Takes Over
Learners explore solid waste and its effects on the environment. They explain some of the major problems caused by waste disposal and the use of landfills. They suggest ways to reduce the amount of solid waste going into a landfill.
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Splish, Splash, I was Takin' a Bath!
Students explore the causes of water pollution and its effects on the environment through the use of models and scientific investigation. In the accompanying activities, they investigate filtration and aeration processes as they are used...
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Quality of Life
Young scholars discover that people influence the quality of life of those around them. They read the literature selection 'Berenstein Bears, Don't Pollute' and discuss the many ways people have changed the environment by polluting.
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Brays Bayou Spiderwort Genetic Study
Students formulate hypothesis based upon data gathered by examining possible crosses of spiderworts using Punnett squares. They present explanations for physiological adaptations of spiderworts that resulted from interactions within the...
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TE Lesson: Habitat Mapping
Students examine the current technologies used in mapping resources in the marine environment. They look at remote sensing, sounding, and underwater vehicles. They examine image from the benthic habitat produced by the GIS in order to...
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Life Underground
First graders build a terrarium in order to observe animal and plant life dynamics. In this biology lesson, 1st graders compare how organisms survive in different environments. They write their observations and analysis in their journal.
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Teaching About the Hydrosphere
Eighth graders are introduced to the Earth's hydrologic system including the cycling of water in the atmosphere and the movement of water on the surface of the planet using the Great Lakes watershed as an example.
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Keeping our Water Clean
Second graders discuss how our actions impact the quality of water. In this environmental science lesson, 2nd graders watch a short film and discuss the problem of polluted water. Students are then divided into groups and record their...
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The Physics of Sound: How We Produce Sounds
First graders construct a KWL chart on sound. In this physics lesson, 1st graders describe different ways to produce sound. They explain how sound waves propagate.
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Chocolate Asphalt Cookies
Students make no-bake cookies to learn basic engineering principles, road construction and material science. They experience properties and changes in matter.
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Campus Habitat Improvement Plan
Students work to improve a plot of land. They assess the needs of the environment and formulate a plan. They plant trees and gardens, build bird boxes, construct waterholes. etc.