Curated OER
Pestilence and Plague
Students investigate various disease epidemics that have devastated the world population at different points in history and examine the diseases' effects on the countries they impacted.
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Vision Of The Future
Students investigate ways in which new vision tests and technologies can be used to help detect and correct vision problems. They begin by reading the Times article, Software May Replace the Eye Chart on the Wall. They stage a medical...
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Beating the Odds
Learners act as medical researchers and investigate the development of artificial heart, heart assist devices and other advancements in cardiology. They report their findings, both orally and visually, to their 'colleagues' at a conference.
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Don't Burn, Baby, Burn!
Students consider products that provide protection from sunburn and other negative effects of the sun's ultraviolet rays. They develop or improve upon sun-screening products that are meant to provide protection for populations at risk...
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Gazing Into the Faces of AIDS
Students consider whether or not there are generalizations that can be made about people who are infected with H.I.V. or who have the AIDS virus. They create public service ad campaigns to educate the public and consider other ways to...
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Special Treatment
Students determine the role of the FDA in approving new drugs. They investigate some of these new drugs and consider the pros and cons of taking part in a clinical study.
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Executing Justice
Students explore the reasons for postponing the execution of Timothy McVeigh, assess key legal definitions in relation to the case, and formulate personal responses.
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Don't Drink To That!
Students simulate the effects of alcohol on their vision and motor skills. Then, after doing additional research on the dangers of driving while intoxicated, students create an educational activity that might convince a particular target a
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Rights-Minded
Students expand their knowledge and understanding about the civil rights movement by investigating the lives of some of the people who contributed to it.
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Isn't It Ionic?
Students research the properties and health risks of organic chemical solvents. They create a Safety with Solvents newsletter to share with others in their school and community.
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Working Like a Dog
Students consider ways animals help human beings with certain chores, then research more specific tasks dogs are trained to do. They create a help wanted ad enumerating the traits a dog should have before applying for a particular position.
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You Say You Want an Evolution?
Young scholars estimate the number of living organisms they might find in their local environment. After researching the types of organisms that existed during various geologic time periods, students describe how life forms have changed...
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It's A Dog-Eat-Dog World
Students examine the dangers of owning and breeding aggressive dogs. They debate whether aggressive dogs should be kept as pets. They write an essay from their point of view about aggressive dogs as pets.
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Return Of The Living Dead
Students research endangered animal species that have 'beaten the odds' as they continue to survive longer than scientists had expected. They write individual pages for a class book about endangered species.
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A Civil Action
Students explore the roles of law enforcement officials, the news media, and civilians in crime prevention and criminal apprehension. They envision ways to build and strengthen community partnerships to address concerns about crime.
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When Things Fall Apart
Students examine the impact of colonialism on African nations, researching and analyzing post-colonial literature from those countries. They develop and present a creative display of their novel and its historic parallels.
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The Mighty Hudson Stretches its Mussels
Students brainstorm possible causes of zebra mussel migration and population expansion. They identify the key causes and effects of the disturbance of the Hudson River ecosystem and research causes and effects in the disturbances of...
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A Matter of Life and Death
Young scholars research burial tombs of ancient Egypt and Acting as pharaohs of Egypt, students create burial plans to illustrate what items they would include in their own tombs and why. They then act as archaeologists and analyze other...
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One Giant Leap
Students brainstorm important scientific advancements of the twentieth century. They examine the implications of the completion of the first rough draft of the human genome on society. They research a selected scientific advancement of...
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The Importance of Tropisms
Middle schoolers investigate plant tropisms using the scientific method. In this life science instructional activity, students learn about tropisms and test the response of corn seedlings to gravity. Response questions, extensions,...
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Tree Seedling Planting- My Relationship and Responsibility to our Forests
In this trees lesson, 4th graders read the book, A Tree is Growing and complete a KWL chart on how trees grow and how they are used. Students research the symbiotic relationship of humans and trees, create tree collages, plant a...
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Design a Deep- Sea Vertebrate or Invertebrate
Learners design a deep-sea animal. In this research based lesson, students research and design a vertebrate or invertebrate that lives in a methane hydrate habitat. They compile a class chart of the adaptations animals have in this...
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Woodland Indians
Third graders research Woodland Indians. In this Woodland Indian lesson, 3rd graders have a classroom discussion and write facts about the Miami Indian group. They write a narrative from the perspective of an Indian child.
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Tribal (or Ethnic) Self Portrait
Young scholars create self-portraits in which they represent themselves as a member of a tribe.