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Scale Basketball
Students understand that a spreadsheet can be used to find the best scale to use in a model. They place the distances of the planets of the solar system to the Sun in one column of the spreadsheet. Students try different scales so that...
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Comets and Meteors
Students construct a model of a comet nucleus using dry ice. They add other materials and describe the features. They complete related exercises on an Internet Web site.
Starry Night Education
Comets and Meteors
Comets are also known as dirty snowballs or icy mud balls. With your super scientists, create a model comet nucleus to discover how they are made and take part in a scientific discussion to learn how it behaves.
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SIZING UP SOL
Ninth graders produce a projected, pinhole image of the sun and from measurement of the image and projection distance, calculate the actual size of the sun. They estimate the sun's apparent brightness from different planet.
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The Power of Compounding
Sixth graders examine the concept of compounding interest on invested money. They explore how much interest their money would earn through compounded interest. Students conclude that they should invest early and often.
Journey Through the Universe
Where to Look For Life?
Every year we discover new planets including more than 1,000 in 2016 alone. Will we ever find life on another planet? The lesson includes two activities to help scholars understand this concept. First, they analyze the temperature range...
Journey Through the Universe
Is There Anyone Out There?
What is an alien's favorite game? All-star baseball! Scholars start defining living and non-living. Then, they conduct experiments to research if life exists, keeping in mind that life could be in many forms, not just human.
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Cloud Observations using GLOBE Protocols
Students observe which of ten types of clouds are visible and how much of the sky is cloud covered. They see that by observing clouds, we can get information about temperature, moisture, and wind conditions in different places in the...
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The Beaufort Scale: A Local Model
Students study the Beaufort Scale and use it to study wind in their community. In this wind study lesson, students watch a DVD about climate change and learn about the Beaufort Scale. Students complete a worksheet for the topic.
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Amazing -- Saturn Is So Far Away!
Students work together to create a scale model of the distances between the planets. They write a paragraph to describe Saturn and their make-believe trip to the planet. They identify other characteristics of Saturn as well.
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Meteorites
Students model how meteors fall to the surface of planets. In this space science lesson, students identify different types of meteorites using an interactive online website. They investigate the relationship between a meteorite's size...
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Biospheres
Second graders create models, practice inquiry skills, work with fellow students in teams, and reinforce concepts discussed in class all by using the theme of BIOSPHERES.
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Elders' Weather Forecasting
Young scholars interview an Elder to determine ways of forecasting the weather. In this weather lesson plan, students use the information from an interview to make a weather prediction.
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Measuring Temperature
Students conduct an experiment using the steps of the scientific method. In this scientific method lesson plan, students experiment with temperature and record their findings using the scientific method. Students complete a data sheet...
UAF Geophysical Institute
Carbon Footprint
Your young environmentalists can calculate their carbon footprint and discuss ways to reduce it with a worksheet about climate change. After reading a handout about what impact one's carbon footprint can have on the environment, kids...
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Space: Stars and Planets
Young scholars observe and report that the moon can be seen sometimes at night and sometimes during the day. They describe how changes to a model can help predict how the real thing can be altered. Students explain the essential fact of...
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Extensions - Astronomy Review Unit
Students participate in a review unit in Astronomy using the Layered Curriculum. This allows them to take charge of the type of assessment that is given. The method also allows better differentiation of instruction to occur.
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Earth, Moon, Mars Balloons
Middle schoolers demonstrate size and orbits of Earth, Moon, and Mars. In this space science lesson plan, students will use balloons to show how the size and distance between the planets and satellite compare.
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Science: Daily and Seasonal Cycles
First graders use their observations to describe daily and seasonal cycles. through a demonstration using a suspended ball and flashlight, they determine the time of day in various locations. Next, 1st graders participate in a...
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Specializing in Space
In this literature book review activity, students read a nonfiction book about space or space exploration before choosing a topic to explore further. They choose from 7 activities such as designing a model, writing a letter, write about...
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Earth's Revolution and Rotation
Eighth graders investigate the regular motions of the sun, Earth and the moon and explain how these are related to days, years, seasons, eclipses, tides and moon cycles. They participate in an exercise where they explore the...
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Ellipse
Students explore the concept of ellipses including finding the center, vertices's, foci and eccentricity. They assess how to graph elliptical functions and solve application problems involving ellipses. This assignment is to be completed...
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Ellipse
Students find the center, vertices, foci, and eccentricity of ellipses using the subscriptions website www.explorelearning.com. They graph elliptical functions and solve application problems involving ellipses.
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Expanding Children's Geographic and Economic Worlds
Students learn their addresses and gain a sense of connection between their neighborhood and the rest of the world and the universe.