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Determining the Age of Fossils
High schoolers examine the concept of radioactive dating. In this radioactive dating lesson, students investigate how to determine the ages of fossils and rocks as they learn about half-life radioactive decay.
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What is Energy?
Students define energy and identify the different types that exist. They identify places they see, hear or feel energy. They understand the role of engineering in finding and testing sources of energy for the production of electricity.
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Dinosaurs - Online Research
Second graders familiarize themselves with dinosaurs through online research.
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Harvesting Oil from the Earth
Fourth graders research sources of fossil fuels especially oil while determining how scientists take core samples from an Earth model. They look at oil consumption and production in the US and throughout the world.
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Naturally Speaking
Learners identify the Earth's natural resources and classify them as renewable or non-renewable. They simulate the distribution of resources and discuss the fairness and effectiveness of the distribution. They identify ways that they use...
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Who's Down the Well?
Learners identify several sources of contaminants to groundwater. They discuss the movement of possible contaminants through that groundwater from outside sources. They describe how environmental engineers analyze contaminants to...
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Gardening for Beauty, Food, and Enjoyment
First graders create their own garden. For this plant lesson, 1st graders discover the essential elements for a plant to grow. They planted their own garden and read the amount of space needed and the sunlight preferred for each plant.
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Cartography
Students follow directions to draw a map of an island. They complete the island map adding their own details using symbols and a legend.
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Aerospace
Students experiment with weight and balance of a glider. In this flight instructional activity students construct their own flying glider and record their experiment with it.
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Electrifying the World
Students explore the fundamental concepts of electricity. They examine different circuit diagrams to study how electricity flows. They finish by creating their own simple circuit.
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From Sunlight to Electric Current
Students explore concept of current in electrical circuits. They examine how energy from the sun can be used to power everyday items, including vehicles.
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Unlocking the Endocrine System
Fifth graders use an analogy to the mail delivery system to study the workings of the human endocrine system. They discover the interrelationships between the human body systems while comparing them to engineering communicating with...
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Do Plants Eat?
Students explain that photosynthesis is a process that plants use to convert light energy into glucose. They summarize photosynthesis as a chemical process in which the plant uses carbon dioxide and water to form glucose and oxygen.
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The No Zone of Ozone
Students explore the causes and effects of the Earth's ozone holes through discussion and an interactive simulation. Using gumdrops and toothpicks, they conduct a large-group, interactive ozone depletion model.
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The Science of Swinging
Students learn how a pendulum works in the concept of an amusement park ride. In this pendulum lesson, students are introduced to Newton's first law of motion and how it works in an amusement park ride. Continuous motion and inertia are...
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Aquatic Field Data
Students use laptops and sensors to measure water quality and graph their results. In this aquatics instructional activity students post their results to a website or email.
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All About Me
Students answer short answer questions, state their likes and dislikes, say what roles they have, and more about themselves. In this all about me lesson plan, students read books about how we are all different and the same.
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Landfills: Building Them Better
Students investigate the three methods of waste disposal. They listen to a teacher-led lecture, answer discussion questions, and write a letter to the E.P.A. from the viewpoint of an environmental engineer.
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Nerve Racking
Fifth graders study the components and function of the nervous system. They investigate how engineers design biomedical equipment to assist the nervous system and explain how the five senses are affected during spaceflight.
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Just Passing Through
Pupils examine the functions of the kidney and its place in the urinary system. They discuss how astronauts go the bathroom in space, examine labeled diagrams of the urinary system, and draw a large scale drawing of the excretory system...
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Career Planning and Research
What do you want to do when you finish school? Most high schoolers have an idea of what they'd want to do, but little idea of how to achieve this goal. After researching a career of their choosing, learners identify qualifications,...
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Science Center Ideas for Students Who Finish Work Early
A science center can be a great way to extend the learning of students who finish their work early.
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Interactive Timeline
Students examine the development of ragtime music and its relation to jazz. They participate in an online Interactive timeline and read about the history of ragtime music, listen to examples of music, and in small groups create short...
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Food Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines
Students examine Food Guide Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines. They look at samples of serving sizes, sort different foods into their correct groups, complete worksheets to discover which types of foods they eat regularly, and discuss...