Lesson Plan
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Botanical Discoveries

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders study the chronology of major events of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They use primary and secondary resources to obtain information about the plants which were identified by Lewis and Clark.
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Take A Meal Worm To Lunch

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders, using a magnifying glass, observe mealworms in a cup.
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Super Glue Fuming of Latent Fingerprints

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore latent fingerprinting. They observe a supervised demonstration of the process that real-life crime scene investigators sometimes use to identify latent fingerprints. In addition, they brainstorm ways to improve the...
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The Mechanisms of Decay and Decomposition

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study how all living things die. They are introduced tot he life cycle and the concept of an ecosystem. Students have a introductory exposure to trophic levels (producer-consumer-decomposer) in the environment.
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Methods of Heat Transfer

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders discuss the forms of heat transfer that relate to the human body. Discussion revolves around the ability of different designs of hats to change the rate of heat transfer to and from the body. Students then experiment...
Lesson Plan
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Process This

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students chart the steps, including the problem-solving tangent, and discuss the idea of procedures serving to give us a "road map" or guide to help tackle tasks with preparation and forethought.
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Designer Genes For A Designer World

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars explore how organisms adapt to their environments through changes in their genetic codes. They create make-believe creatures and environments that have specific characteristics.
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Weather Whys- Cloud Watching Journal

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners examine how natural processes change the earth by identifying their local water cycle. Individual students complete a cloud journal over a specific period of time. They observe clouds daily and take photographs of the clouds...
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Aphids and Ladybirds

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students record observations of ladybird beetles and aphids. They develop questions concerning the behavior of ladybird beetles and aphids that are testable by a classroom experimentation. Students develop an investigation.
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Moon Journal

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students review the planets and major moons in the Solar System. In groups, they research and describe the various phases of the moon. They record their observations of the moon phases over a specific period of time and use the...
Lesson Plan
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Weather Where We Are

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students investigate the reports of local weather. They identify types of weather data and correlate it to the conditions. Using the data students draw a picture of the current weather. They conduct the same investigation for all four...
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Rain Forest

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study the Amazon tropical rain forest. In this rain forest lesson, students discuss the Manu Biosphere reserve and watch a video about conserving the rain forest. Students create mobiles for the rainforest that includes research...
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It All Began With a Bean

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students explore human anatomy by participating in hands-on activities. In this digestive system lesson, students read the book It All Began With a Bean and discuss the process of food digestion in our body. Students utilize soda...
Lesson Plan
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The Miracle Fish: Learning to Design an Experiment

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students develop procedures to explore the behavior of fish.  In this scientific experiment lesson students from a hypothesis, write a question, identify different variables and controls in their experiment. 
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Density and Buoyancy Experimental Design

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students must plan, design, and conduct an experiment that answers the scientific question: "Come up with a question that addresses the factors (variables) of the water and its effect on whether an object floats or sinks."
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Seed Growth

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars develop an independent procedure to investigate the germination of two types of seeds. Students must construct data tables or charts to record observations and results, graph the data, and analyze the data.
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Barometer Investigation

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners construct a barometer to use in an experiment that they design to measure the air pressure on a daily basis. These observations of air pressure allow students to determine how weather is affected when a storm is approaching and...
Lesson Plan
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Friction Force

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate friction force on a variety of objects such as bricks and cardboard boxes. They use a force probe to collect data on the changes in force required to drag the objects across a variety of surface types.
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Coffee Cooling

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the factors that affect how long coffee stays hot. They develop a question and a testable hypothesis for one factor such as initial temperature or size of opening of the container. Then they design and conduct an...
Lesson Plan
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Exploring the Dynamic Nature of the Sun

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students compare and contrast images of the sun taken at different times and viewed at different scales. They record their observations in a journal and create a graphic organizer to help analyze their observations.
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Movement of Air Mind Map Activity

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
Students explore the movement of air.  In this air activity, students discuss and give examples of air ventilation.  Students compare outdoor and indoor air quality.  Students create mind maps as a visual representation of...
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Picture This!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners compare and contrast different types of light on the electromagnetic spectrum.  In this investigative lesson students create a photographic image that demonstrates the infrared, ultraviolet and polarization phenomena. 
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The Flame and the Atom:

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars investigate the structure of atoms. Students read information about the Rutherford model, the Bohr model, and the Quantum Mechanical model examining each for its scientific validity. They watch a PowerPoint presentation of...
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Electromagnetic Spectrum/Spectroscopy

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine the electromagnetic spectrum and demonstrate the elements within.  In this investigative lesson students complete a demonstration and calculate the energy of a photon.