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Ceres and Pluto: Dwarf Planets as a New Way of Thinking about an Old Solar System

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students examine the new categories of planets and how planets were reclassified.  In this solar system lesson students complete activities using Venn diagrams and images of planets. 
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Getting to the Bottom of the Pyramids

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students work together to develop logical arguments about pyramids and chain letters. They share their ideas with other groups and create a diagram showing the breakdown. They discuss the results.
Lesson Plan
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Bacteria Change Earth's Atmosphere

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders organize information to explain how photosynthetic bacteria contributed to climatic changes that happened on Earth. Students create a timeline by using a storyboard to tell the story of the change.
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Scoping Out Space

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Pupils research existing and proposed telescope projects and synthesize their knowledge by creating presentations on each telescope and speculating about which project is worthy of additional funding.
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A Galactic Fact Sheet

For Teachers 7th - 8th
In this galactic fact worksheet, students read through important facts about galaxies, their shapes, and distances from the Sun.
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Consumer Credit: Buy Now, Pay Later, and More

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students explore the concept of consumer credit. In this consumer credit lesson, students discuss the costs and benefits of buying with credit. Students examine scenarios to determine the costs and benefits of using a particular method...
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Nebraska Does Business with the World

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders examine the connections between Nebraska and the international economy. They identify the countries involved in trade with Nebraska firms and investigate specific Nebraska companies that export and their international ties.
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After 7 years, capsule of comet dust heads to Earth

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students examine an article on a space capsule and explore NASA.  In this space exploration lesson students brainstorm the pros and cons of space exploration, then rehearse a sketch and present it to the class. 
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The Tax Man Cometh

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars examine websites and resources related to Bush's 2001 tax plan. They discuss the history of taxes and other tax topics. They look for evidence in the local newspaper of government spending at work.
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The Design Revolution: Get the Word Out

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students research the "Design for the Other 90%" exhibition and create a presentation about the low cost designs. In this design instructional activity, students read and watch a video about the project. Students survey people about...
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Astronomical Scales

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students describe the different units of measurement. In this space science lesson, students calculate astronomical distances using a scale. They explain the significance of using scientific notation in expressing very small or very...
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Debate in the Classroom: The Pebble Mine Pundits

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers research and debate the pros and cons of the Pebble Mine in Alaska from a variety of perspectives. They also write a position paper that either supports or opposed Pebble Mine develpoment.
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An Ag Interview

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students examine the role of agriculture in the American economy. They interview a person in the agriculture business and create original questions to ask. They present their findings to the class and write thank you letters to the...
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Optional Laboratory: Calculating Board Footage in a Tree

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students work together to complete an experiment calculating the amount of board footage in a tree. They record their data and answer questions at the end of the lesson plan. They create their own hypothesis as well.
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Waste Management

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students set up a recycling program in their school. They first estimate the kinds and amount of trash generated and brainstorm ways to reuse the recyclables and create flyers explaining how their program will work at the school.
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What Is Sustainability

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students investigate the concept of how people are dependent upon natural resources and how they can apply them to be maximized in usefulness. The students are encouraged to develop an appreciation for the environment. They conduct a...
Worksheet
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Ellipses

For Students 7th - 12th
In this ellipses activity, students measure and calculate the eccentricity of each ellipse and then calculate the percent deviation. This activity has 10 problems to solve.
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Gambling Sparks Battle at Civil War Site

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students examine different battles of the Civil War. They discuss the proposal to put in slot machines for revenue at the battleground. They examine many key turning points of the war through an interactive program.
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Science: Down Home Dinosaurs

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
students participate in hands-on activities to discover the different types of fossils. Using teacher-provided materials, they make models of cast and trace fossils. After writing essays describing how traces are formed, students plan a...
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THE HUMBLE Beginnings of the Hamburger

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students listen to numerous claims concerning the hamburger's origins and then compose an original tall tale on the subject. Students name some tall tales they have heard or read about. Students make books that feature tall tales...
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Brain Watching

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify the different parts of the nervous system. In this biology lesson, students research methods to diagnose and cure neurological disorders. They present their report to class.
Worksheet
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Breaking News English: Japan to Resume U.S. Beef Imports

For Students 5th - 10th
In this English worksheet, students read " Japan to Resume U.S. Beef Imports," and then respond to 47 fill in the blank, 7 short answer, 20 matching, and 8 true or false questions about the selection.
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Solid Waste/Recycling

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students see that when we throw away garbage, it usually ends up in a landfill. Landfill space is getting increasingly scarce, and every time we throw something away we throw with it the energy, the money, and the raw materials it took...
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Solar System (Lesson 2)

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders identify the objects that make up the solar system. They define new vocabulary and practice using them. They discover that the sun is a star.