Lesson Plan
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Finding the Average Temperature

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students calculate averages. In this average temperature lesson, students collect data and use their problem solving skills to calculate average temperatures.
Lesson Plan
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Build a Weather Vane

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Learners construct a weather vane using their knowledge of some geometric shapes. In this weather lesson, students work in pairs to create a weather vane in order to measure wind direction. Learners follow precise...
Lesson Plan
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Measuring Wind Speed

For Teachers K - 5th
Students study wind speed and collect wind speed data. In this wind speed lesson, students visit a website to learn about the local wind speed forecast for their week. Students discuss wind and wind speed. Students collect wind speed...
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Wind

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students build an anemometer and measure wind speed. In this wind speed lesson, students build an anemometer using the student instruction sheet. Students visit the Alaska windspeed website and look up the wind speed forecast. Students...
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Worming Your Way Through the Soil

For Teachers K - 5th
Students study soil, living and non-living particles in the soil, and learn about composting. In this soil study lesson, students study soil samples and discuss the living and non-living components of the soil. Students classify the...
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Polygons, Pingos, and Themokarst! Oh MY!

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Learners complete activities to learn about the common land features in Alaska. In this land study lesson plan, students study an overhead for permafrost features. Learners define ice wedge polygons, thermokarst, and pingos. Students...
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Layering the Soil

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Learners study and classify soil. In this soil science lesson plan, students classify soil by texture and size and study soil horizons. Learners label the soil types with their specific soil horizon and learn about permafrost. Students...
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Collecting Compost

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students observe a composting box. In this soil lesson, students create a composting bin by using a bin, newspaper, worms, and food scraps. Students create a composting food web.
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Identifying Sea Ice

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students study different types of sea ice and interview an Yupik elder or local hunter. In this sea ice lesson, students study the native language for sea ice terms. They interview an elder from Alaska's northern coast about their...
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Displaying Sea Ice

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students display their knowledge of sea ice. In this earth science activity, students create displays reflecting their understanding of sea ice.Students research the development of sea ice on a variety of bodies...
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Permafrost: Permanently Frozen Ground

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Young scholars explore permafrost.  In this 3 states of matter lesson, students identify characteristics of solids and liquids.  Young scholars observe water and soil melting and freezing at various temperatures.  Students...
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Sea Ice and Satellites

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students study satellites and satellite images using Google Earth. In this satellite lesson, students discuss satellites and how they work. Students watch a demonstration of how satellites work and learn what they are used for. Students...
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Close Up and Far Away

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students use magnifiers and telescopes to view things close up. For this magnifiers and telescopes lesson plan, students use the tools to identify things that are close and far away. Students tell details of things they can see closer.
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Japanese Poetry: Tanka? You're Welcome!

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Students analyze Japanese tanka poetry. In this Japanese poetry lesson, students identify analyze the structure of tanka poetry. Students complete the activities at the given links for the lesson and compose two tanka poems.
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Are You Thirsty? The Effects of Pollution on Drinking Water

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Discuss the availability of clean, plentiful water and the causes of water pollution. In groups, sixth graders discuss problem-solving methods for keeping water clean. They explore the function of water treatment plants and perform...
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Timing the Tides

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students collect data and describe how and why the high and low tides change from day to day.  In exploring tides lesson students study tides by taking notes, recording data and analyzing their findings. 
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Weather Report Chart

For Teachers K - 4th
Students complete a weather report chart after studying weather patterns for a period of time. In this weather report lesson, students measure temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, wind speed, and wind direction for a month. Students...
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Weather Observation Journal

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students research weather patterns. For this weather lesson, students read Chester Noongwook's Rules of Weather Observation and keep a weather journal for one month. Students observe the weather patterns throughout the month.
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Traditional Weather Observations

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore traditional methods of weather observation. In this weather lesson, students interview grown-ups regarding wind. Students learn how winds can help forecast weather.
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Cloud Types

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students examine cloud types. In this cloud lesson, students identify cloud types, observe clouds and collect data, and analyze data to identify the most common cloud they observe overhead during the course of a month.
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Solid Water

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students turn solid water (ice) into liquid water. In this solid and liquid water lesson plan, students use water, ice, cups, and heat in order to change water from one state to another. They draw their findings as well.
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Make a Snowflake

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students study the design of snowflakes.  In this snow lesson, students discover the different shapes of a snowflake, and their similarities.  Students study snowflakes outside, then create their own with popsicle sticks...
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Snowfall

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students examine the differences between snow and rain. In this precipitation lesson plan, students measure one inch of rain and snow to calculate the amount of liquid water. Students use a snowfall "conversion" chart to measure how much...
Lesson Plan
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Humidity and Air Saturation

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students experiment with air saturation. In this earth science lesson, students first complete an activity which teaches humidity. Then they use the scientific method to create their own experiments to test how long it takes a...