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As a Matter of Fact
Elementary-aged scientists discover that all matter has mass. They are shown the difference between mass and weight, and learn how to calculate mass using the appropriate tools and methods. The scientific method is used while estimating...
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Ice Melting
Students design investigations to test various materials to prevent heat gain in frozen water. The task assess students' knowledge of scientific inquiry including the following skills: observation, data collection, measurement,...
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Comparing Local, National, International Biomes
Learners calculate averages of climate sets of data. In this ecology lesson plan, students analyze data to determine identity of a biome and collect meteorological data to understand process. Learners also compare data sets.
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Changes in Pulse Rate
Eighth graders practice making observations and collecting data after determining a baseline pulse rate then collect data on the changes in that rate with exercise. Students must organize their data and analyze their observations.
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The Ups and Downs of Weight and Mass
Students explore the concept of mass, and how it differs from weight. They also calculate their weight change as they ride up and down on an elevator. They record the changes in their weight as the elevator moves
graph the collected data.
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Trends of Snow Cover and Temperature in Alaska
Students compare NASA satellite data observations with student surface measurements of snow cover and temperature. They practice data collection, data correlations, and making scientific predictions.
Polar Trec
Playground Profiling—Topographic Profile Mapping
The Kuril islands stretch from Japan to Russia, and the ongoing dispute about their jurisdiction prevents many scientific research studies. Scholars learn to create a topographic profile of a specific area around their schools. Then they...
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Deep Freeze
Students practice various sampling methods for retrieving data under water, ice, and soil. They use the sample material to make temperature measurements, chart contents, and draw their own conclusions as to what is happening in the...
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Color Enhanced Maps
Students download or create maps with numerical weather data. They add isolines and color to create regions on their maps. They explore the visual properties of color palettes and create a visualization applying their knowledge.
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Sand in Bottles
Eighth graders calculate the speed of bottles as they roll down a ramp with varying amounts of sand inside. Using their data, 8th graders estimate speed of three labeled bottles with different amounts of sand and compare those results...
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Mapping Possible Solutions
Fourth graders propose possible sites for the heart of Florida state capital by mapping collected data onto a Florida state map and recording data in a Travel Log.
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Biotechnology Laboratory Research
Students participate in an extended laboratory research to experience how scientific information is obtained, upon which we build scientific knowledge and understanding.
NASA
Just How Far is That Star?
Pupils often wonder how we know the distance to various stars. Starting with a thought experiment and progressing to a physical experiment, they determine the brightness and distance to various stars. The evaluation requires...
University of California
Hot! Hot! Hot!
Calories are not tiny creatures that sew your clothes tighter every night, but what are they? A science lesson, presented at multiple levels, has learners experiment with heat, heat transfer, and graph the function over time....
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Finding Caterpillars
Young scholars examine how animals protect themselves from predators and camouflage themselves. They participate in a simulation in which they locate red and green yarn "caterpillars," organize their data, and generate a bar graph using...
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Opinion Surveys
Students examine the factors that affect the accuracy of opinion surveys. They calculate probability and chance using data they have collected. They practice reading tables and graphs as well.
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Fast Food: You Can Choose!
Students research the nutritional value of fast food. They assess which fast foods are best and worst to eat. They organize their data into tables and graphs and explain their findings to other students.
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Annotated Example of Socratic Questioning: Climate: Global Warming
Learners compare and discuss short-term and longer-term global temperature data. They evaluate data from three sets of graphs and then participate in a structured whole class Socratic discussion on the possible causes of climate change.
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Build Your Own Car
Young scholars design and build their own cars. In this physics lesson plan, students test their car's speed and make changes when necessary. They graph data and analyze results.
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Monitoring Oxygen Level
Students measure oxygen percentages in room air and air exhaled after they perform various activities. They explore various websites, and record and analyze the data from the experiments.
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Eyewitnesses to Change
Students explore recent changes in the Artic's climate that have been observed by Artic residents. They watch videos, take notes and create a concept map. They also look at historical weather data from a specific Artic community. The...
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Mineral Exploration Using Remote Sensing
Students use quantitative data that they gather to figure out where there is an ore body in their model. They describe how geologists could use similar information in order to figure geologic patterns and geologic history for a specific...
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Factors That Affect Climate
Fifth graders use captured portions of the Internet ("mininets") to perform research into climate. They create graphs of the data recorded using latitude as the independent variable and temperature as the dependent variable.
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Flowers, Pods, and Seeds
Students gain an understanding of living organisms. the complete a plant growth data log to chart plant growth and to make observations, predictions, and personal reflections.