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Mars Landing Site
Students, through the use of candy bars at room temperature, explore the problems selecting a landing site on Mars.
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Wreck Detectives
Junior archaeologists examine types of artifacts from the Bronze Age on the internet. In collaborative groups, they create a story about a ship from this period and then construct a model of the ocean floor after their ship has sunk....
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The Wedding of a Mountain
Students examine the differences between weathering, erosion, and deposition as it pertains to mountains.
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Recent Volcanoes And Earthquakes:
Students investigate the current model for the structure of the Earth. On a world map, they mark areas where they think earthquakes and volcanoes occur and compare those areas with earthquake and volcano location patterns.
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Changes Inside Planets
Students relate meteorites to the mantle and crust of asteroids. In this planetary lesson students complete experiments to model the separation of light.
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What Goes Around Comes Around!
Students create an ecosystem in a jar to show a model of the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle. Working in small groups, they research and present orally the information they find on this cycle.
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Stressed to a Fault!
Eighth graders describe how stress builds up in the Earth's crust by the movement of tectonic plates. In groups, they relate the three types of stresses to the types of plate movements and explain how the stress causes faults to form. ...
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Earthquake Proof Structures
Eighth graders build a structure that is able to withstand a simulated earthquake. They research earthquakes, earthquake measurement, and society's preparation for and reaction to them. Pupils build models and present them to the...
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Fossil Adventure
Students create a book about the process of a dinosaur becoming a fossil. In this earth science lesson, students are taught about fossils and create a book that tells what happened to a dinosaur's bones after they die.
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Impact Craters: Holes in the Ground!
Students simulate crater formation through a lab activity. In this space science instructional activity, students calculate how much energy is transferred during meteorite impact. They identify different factors affecting the size and...
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Earthquakes
Students inspect the causes and effects of earthquakes and examine how seismic waves travel. In this earthquake lesson, students determine where earthquakes happen and why, before determining how to build an earthquake resistant...
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Introduction to Coral Reefs
Students identify locations of coral reefs, both in the water and around the globe, identify relative depth of corals in the ocean by observing behavior of cold and warm saltwater, and create models of coral reefs.
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Franklin Mountains
Fifth graders examine photographs of the eastern and western Franklin Mountains. As a class, they discuss what is shown and the different colored rocks and the orientation of the layers. In groups, they are given clay of two different...
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Earthquake Unit
Eighth graders watch the "Earth, the Environment & Beyond" video on earthquakes. Take notes and give an oral summary. They build a working, two dimensional model of a strike-slip, thrust, or normal fault.
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Investigation 6 - Soil Profile
Fourth graders study the components of soil. They observe the basic components of soil and relate the components to plant growth. They record color, texture, and kinds of materials on their profile log (light color, denser, grittier -...
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Paleoclimates and Pollen
Students analyze soil for types of pollen to determine the probably climate conditions. In this earth science activity, students make conclusions on what a climate is like based on soils samples. Students use a model soil...
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Cosmic Wheels
Students build a scale model of the Solar System and determine the time other planets take to travel around the Sun in comparison to the time of the Earth's revolution. The velocity of the planets are also determined in this lesson.
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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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'Round and 'Round it Goes!
Students discuss and interpret background knowledge on poster copy given on the water cycle. Students complete the included activity sheets using the poster as a reference in small groups. Students identify and name where water can be...
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Weather History
Students study how weather is measured. In this climate lesson plan, students research how samples of the ocean floor reveal facts about the climate thousands of years ago. Students use clay samples to create layers that simulate real...
Teach Engineering
Electromagnetic Radiation
How can nanoparticles be used in the battle against skin cancer. Class members take on the question as they gather information about electromagnetic radiation, specifically ultraviolet radiation. Pupils learn about the mathematical...
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Structural Geology Laboratory
Learners explore modeling of geologic structures in experiments. They study how compressive and tensile forces produce these structures. The compression makes the flatlying strata shorter and tension make the strata longer.
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The Rock Cycle
Students study the rock cycle of different types of rock. They arrange cut-outs of the parts of the rock cycle in the correct order and then draw the rock cycle or research different types of rocks.
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Rocks and Minerals: Sedimentary Rocks
Students explore the concept of rock formation. In this sedimentary rocks instructional activity, students observe and record their findings about sedimentary rocks. Students then create limestone, coal, and sandstone models...