Physics Classroom
As the Crow Flies Lab
A simple, yet memorable, way of practicing with displacement vectors is described here. Divide your class into groups and assign each a different landmark on campus. They measure smaller legs of the path from the classroom to their...
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Solar Heating in the Himalayas
A fascinating lesson on how solar power is utilized by people who live in the Himalayas is here for you. In it, learners perform a case study which will help them understand that solar energy is a renewable resource, that geography...
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Volcano Contour Models Activity
Students experiment with water levels and plastic topographic volcano models to determine the contour lines that would be used to create a topograpohic map of a volcano. They use the traced lines to actually develop the map.
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Come Into my Parlor
An interesting cross-curricular lesson on dairy farming awaits your students. Elements of language arts, math, social studies, and agriculture are all present. Many excellent worksheets and a good article on dairy farming are included in...
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Families and Neighborhoods
Students distinguish where their homes are in relation to the city of Pittsburgh. For this geography lesson, students read the book All Families Are Specialand find their city on a map of Pennsylvania. Students locate...
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The Grand Excursion GPS Map
Eighth graders investigate the uses of a global positioning system. They create waypoints and have to find them using the system. Students must review the geographical concepts of latitude and longitude. The media requirements of the...
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Air Pressure and Wind
Fifth graders study air pressure and learn how it can change the weather. In this air pressure instructional activity, 5th graders study the given diagrams and complete the experiments to learn how air pressure can change the weather....
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What Makes Day and Night? The Earth's Rotation
Students discover that the Earth rotates on its axis in a cyclical fashion. They examine how this rotation results in day and night.
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Motion of the Sun and Earth: Using a Playground Model to Explore Rotation and Revolution
Students experience the rotation of the Earth and the Sun and the Earth's revolution around the Sun, using a playground mode.
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High and Low Tides
Young scholars collect real world data from the Web regarding high and low tides at various locations in the United States. They find a function which models this data and make predictions on tide levels based on the information found.
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Mapping a Stream
Students map an actual local waterway. They create full color scale drawings that include windfalls, plant cover, streambed composition, and landmarks such as trees, boulders, and slumps. This is a long-term project that involves...
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Mud Maps
Students discuss the location of stores, buildings, and homes in their community. Afterwards, they create a 'mud map' demonstrating the route from one point to another. In pairs, students read travel directions from a brochure, while...
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Making Personal Maps
Students study maps and become familiar with how to use one. In this investigative lesson students create a map of an area and provide a legend.
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Klondike Fever
Middle schoolers consider the geographical aspects of the gold rush. In this gold instructional activity, students research just what gold is and where it has been found. Middle schoolers create maps that highlight the regions...
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Cartography Project
A lesson involving mapping, the use of a compass, writing and following directions, and exploring the first two themes of geography is here for you. Learners create original maps that show the routes they take through their own...
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Rosie's Walk
Learners use maps and globes to locate and describe locations, directions and scale. Using the maps, they identify man made or natural features of different environments. They practice using geographical terms to describe a specific...
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The Mekong River
Junior geographers explore the region through which the Mekong flows, its pathway, the landscape, how people depend on the Mekong, and future uncertainties. They apply the five themes of geography to examine the region. They create a...
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Genetics
Students explain the difference between dominant and recessive genes, identify what causes differences in the traits of parents and their offspring, and explain how sex is determined. They will also improve their reading and...
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Community Map of The Giver
Learners read "The Giver" after finishing the unit on inventions and inventors. Using the information in the novel, they develop a geographic map illustrating the community in the story. They identify human and physical features and...
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Planet Earth
Students explore and analyze data from different maps in order to explain geographic diversity among the continents. Student groups research continents' physical features and examine how they contribute to quality of life for inhabitants.
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The Battle of Brandywine
Students explore the Battle of Brandywine, how to analyze maps, and construct a model of a battlefield.
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Book: The Northern Colonies: Quest for Freedom
Students, after reading Chapter 1 in the book, "The Northern Colonies: Quest for Freedom," assess the diseases that killed Native Americans as well as the causes for the spread of disease during this time period. They contemplate medical...
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Living in the Desert
Conduct an investigation on the plants used by the Hohokam tribe. To survive in the harsh desert environment the Hohokam used many natural resources. Learners read, research, map, and graph multiple aspects of Hohokam plant use as a...
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Trash Talkin
Students investigate recycling at several scales, including local, state, national and global. They become aware of recycling, re-use, reduce efforts and policies. Students read the article Where Does Your Garbage Go. They look up where...