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Land Use Issues
Students observe and describe the properties of rocks and their significance relationship in the environment. They explain the implications of destroying habitats and the importance of rebuilding them.
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Mighty Minerals
Learners investigate the physical and chemical characteristics of minerals. They make a list of the uses of minerals found in Illinois. They write a report individually based on their observations.
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What Is In The Water?
Students investigate the biotic and abiotic factors that are found in an aquatic ecosystem. The emphasis is upon the investigation of present an projections of future water quality. Then students visit a local body of water to gather...
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Making Plastic
Learners experiment to create a plastic solution. For this science lesson, students use sodium borax and polyvinyl alcohol to create their solution, then identify, discuss, and chart observations on the end product.
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Mighty Minerals-We Use Them Everyday
Third graders investigate the importance of knowing about rocks and minerals. They study the way in which many products are produced from rocks and minerals. Students are shown how we obtain many of the rocks and minerals we use.
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Look At Those Leaves!
Students observe, measure, and sort tree leaves. They examine leaves individually, in groups, and in relationship to the entire tree. Pupils take a walk outside for a "Leaf Walk." Students are each given a lunch size paper bag, so that...
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Conductors, Insulators, and Semiconductors
Middle schoolers will investigate the differences in conductivity of materials, design a variety of complete circuits, and observe the differences between the manner in which light is produced in an incandescent light bulb and an LED.
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Vibration and Pitch
Fifth graders investigate the relation between vibrations and pitch. They observe and discuss an experiment involving a bicycle and a piece of cardboard in the spokes, listen to a comb with cardboard, and listen to various sounds and...
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Fuel Mystery Dis-Solved
Students describe how temperature and surface area exposure affect the rate at which fuel is consumed. They explain why engineers want to know about the properties of a fuel when designing rockets. They create a bar graph of result data.
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Buoyant Force
Students investigate the scientific concept of why some objects float when put in a liquid solution. They apply the laws of motion and force while conducting classroom activities. Students also take notes and answer target questions to...
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Ecology and the Conservation of Natural Resources
Students examine the habits of various organism and evaluate the need for conserving natural resources. They role-play as migrating birds traveling between habitats encountering hazards along the way. They observe animals in a...
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Good Vibrations: Building a Wave Model
Students assess and apply recurring patterns in natural systems. They evaluate the wave properties of frequency, wavelength, and speed as applied to sound. Students develop a relationship to quantify aspects of wave motion. They predict...
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Air...What Gives?
Students investigate the properties of air by capturing it, squeezing it, and feeling its weight. In this forces lesson plan, students capture bags of air and examine its properties. The weight and pressure of air is emphasized.
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Magnets
Students investigate the magnetic attraction of different materials by observing a demonstration, and review the words "attraction" and "materials." Next they conduct exploration of a number of materials which have different properties...
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Not A Drop To Drink
Fifth graders discuss ways that humans pollute our natural water supply. They observe a video about water pollution. Students identify eight different ways water is contaminated. They investigate an oil spill by conducting a hands-on...
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Hide and Seek Science
Students examine macro-invertebrates in order to better understand their link to the food web. Working in groups, they record observations of several areas of a stream or river, collect samples from the river bottom, and identify the...
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Renewable Energy Plants in Your Gas Tank: From Photosynthesis to Ethanol
Students examine the role photosynthesis plays in plant survival. In this renewable energy lesson students document their observations and analyze and interpret their results.
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Preservation and the Power of Light
Students identify the effect of light on objects. In this scientific inquiry lesson, students use a chart to write a hypothesis about what will happen when colored construction paper is left in sunlight. Students observe and discuss the...
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Orthographic Drawing
Students investigate orthographic drawings. In this geometry lesson, students identify properties of three dimensional drawings in space. They solve problems using volume and area formulas.
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Acidity
Sixth graders describe the physical and chemical properties of acids. In this chemistry instructional activity, 6th graders test the acidity of different solutions. They identify acids and bases using the pH scale.
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Food and Fiber: Helping the Environment and You
Fourth graders explore the many uses of corn-based products and the importance of water resources. They consider how biodegradable products help to keep water clean. They perform experiments to observe how corn pellets dissolve while...
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Laboratory - Density of a Material
Students conduct a lab (with water, guar gum and sodium borate) and carefully record physical and chemical properties and changes throughout the session, and experiment with weighing by difference.
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Float or Sink?
Students examine why some objects float while others do not. They place various objects in water to observe their floating capability. Students record the object, its weight, and if the object floated. They construct a graph plotting...
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Magnetic Discovery Bottle
Students examine how to conduct simple investigations and use simple equipment to gather data. In this magnet lesson students decide what types of objects are attracted to magnets.