California Academy of Science
Exploring Our Growing Need for Water
Pupils explore the amount of water people use in agriculture and for personal use. They compare water usage for various crops to that of raising animals before considering solutions for increased access to safe drinking water worldwide....
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How Does Your Soil Stack Up?
Young scholars examine the soil in their local area and create a soil profile. They record observations in the field and the classroom. They create their own display of the soil profile as well.
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Location
Students explore the tools used by Columbus to chart his latitude. They study the change of a location over time.
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MAPS AND TOPOGRAPHY
Students analyze the details of a topographic map and create one of their own by utilyzing a map of elevations.
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Trash Bashing
Learners define trash, garbage, or solid waste, discuss ways of disposing of trash, list examples of biodegradable materials, and have trash relay race in order to sort trash into appropriate containers labeled biodegradable, reusable,...
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Soil, Designing the Small Farm of the Future
Young scholars examine the history of farming. In this environmental farming activity, students explore the web and complete a variety of activities in order to understand the necessity of local, sustainable, and small farms for the...
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The Earth Moves Under My Feet
Learners study earthquakes, monitor seismic activity using the Web, and plot real-time activity. They examine movement of the Earth's tectonic plates. They create an earthquake preparedness project.
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Navigating by the Numbers
Students observe how math is important in navigation and engineering. They study how surveyors use math and science to calcute, count, measure, label, and indicate distances on a map. They estimate specific distances.
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Design an Island
Students explore islands. They create a two- or three-dimensional map of an island. They explain how the topography of an area influences the location of water sources, ecosystems, and human settlements. Lesson includes adaptations for...
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What's In Your Stream?
Students conduct hands-on fieldwork in order to investigate water quality of a nearby stream. They discuss watersheds and how it affects water quality as well as identify any causes of changes or pollution in the area water before...
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People Change the Landscape
Students examine ways in which humans have brought change to the natural environment. In this ecology and literacy lesson, students listen to the book Island Boy by Barbara Cooney. Students observe and define map-reading vocabulary as...
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Natural Resources
Students explore Iowa geography and topographic maps. In this geography and topographic maps lesson, student investigate maps, newspapers, Iowa flora and fauna. Students gain an understanding of how different landforms can be identified...
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Natural Inquirer Ecosystem Article Lesson
Students discover new ways to preserve the ecosystem by completing graphic organizers. In this environmental lesson, students read an article from the Natural Inquirer in small groups and fill out a graphic organizer based on the...
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See That Sound?
Students study sonar and will explain the concept of it and its major components. In this design lesson students build a low-cost sonar system.
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Faulty Movement
Students discover the faults throughout the Earth. They describe the different types of faults and how they are related to earthquakes. They build models of the faults.
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Exploiting Antarctica
Young scholars read the story and diary "Lizzie's diaries from Antarctica and Antarctica" to get massive clean-up. Students discuss their knowledge of life in Antarctica and raise the fact of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and its...
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To Dig or Not to Dig: The Stadium Showdown
Pupils examine an ethical public dilemma. For this cultural resource lesson, students role play to examine their personal beliefs regarding the protection of cultural resources. They evaluate possible actions they can take to protect...
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Earthquakes
Students observe the melting of ice. In this phase change lesson, students observe ice as it melts. They discuss the process and create a Venn diagram comparing water and ice.
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I Know Where You Are!
Learners study what a GPS is and use it to challenge themselves and find positions on a map. In this investigative lesson plan students find various points on a map using a GPS system and answer questions on a worksheet.
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Where Is That Place?
Students determine the difference between a country, state, and a city while recording the weather conditions for their school in Nebraska. They examine weather for another school in the state while practicing using weather equipment to...
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Rainy Day Hike
Students develop awareness about the water cycles. They identify the watershed in which their school is located. They explain the role the schoolyard plays in the watershed.
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Community Improvement
Students examine a local body of water to determinet the health of its ecosystem and monitor it during the year. If needed they write a report on any conditions that need improvement including photographs and relevant data.
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Dishing the Dirt Part 1
High schoolers create a soil center on their school grounds. They begin to write in their science journals. They participate in an experiment that helps the community begin their own gardens.