Lesson Plan
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Kinetic Molecular Theory

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze and evaluate evidence that matter is made of tiny particles. They observe a series of phenomena involving solids, liquids, and gases to make inferences about the spacing, interactions and relative kinetic energies of the...
Lesson Plan
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Heat Energy

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students study how matter changes from solids to liquids or liquids to solids. In this physical science lesson plan, students discuss heat energy and experiment with heat by changing a candle into a liquid using a hot plate.
Lesson Plan
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Photovoltaics and Solar Energy

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students experiment with photovoltaic cells and determine the energy use of their appliances. In this renewable energy lesson, students calculate the energy emitted by a photovoltaic cell through an inquiry-based lab. They keep track of...
Lesson Plan
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It's Just a Phase: Water as Solid, Liquid and Gas

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students construct models of the way water molecules arrange themselves in three physical states - solid, liquid, and gas. They explain the molecular behavior of ice, water, and water vapor.
Lesson Plan
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Water Cycle Activity

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students build a model and observe the cycle of evaporation and condensation that occurs in the water cycle. They see how the water cycle works, such as water condensing on the side of the jar and drops precipitating into rain that...
Lesson Plan
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Transfer of Thermal Energy

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students define temperature and heat, distinguish between temperature and heat flow, calculate amount of heat energy released or absorbed in chemical process, and design procedure, through experimentation, to gather and evaluate data to...
Lesson Plan
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Marshland Ecosystems

For Teachers K - 12th
Students identify animals in ecosystem depicted on 16th Century ceramic basin and classify them as herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores based on physical characteristics and prior knowledge, determine which life forms in ecosystem are...
Lesson Plan
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Flipping Coins: Density as a Characteristic Property

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Young scholars explore linear functions in a crime solving context. They collect and analyze data using linear equations, then interpret the slope and intercepts from a linear model.
Worksheet
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Conservation of Mass

For Students 6th - 8th
For this conservation of mass worksheet, students experiment with vinegar, baking soda, a balloon and a flask. They compare the mass of the closed system of reactants before the experiment to the mass of the products after the experiment...
Lesson Plan
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Ice Cream

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students create ice cream in a bag and snow ice cream to study the effects of freezing on foods.  In this ice cream lesson, students understand the effects of freezing on cells.
Activity
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The Bio-fuel Project: Creating Bio-diesel

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students investigate bio-fuel. In this investigative lesson, students create bio-fuel from vegetable oil waste. Students will analyze, predict, collect and synthesize data from their experiments with bio-fuel.
Lesson Plan
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STATES OF WATER

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students identify the various states of water. They use hypothesizing and hands-on experimenting on changing the states of water, the properties of water, and the role of heating and cooling in the changes of state.
Lesson Plan
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Hydrologic Cycle Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the water cycle using educational resources. In this water cycle lesson, students use a global climate DVD to complete a scavenger hunt on the hydrologic (water) cycle.
Lesson Plan
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The Solar System: Go Green with the Sun!

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders learn how to use solar power.  In this sun, technology and energy lesson, 3rd graders learn how the solar power from the sun can give off energy, learn about solar panels, discuss their uses and benefits, and design a...
Lesson Plan
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Introduction to Friction

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students study the properties of the frictional force between two surfaces in contact. They inspect various phenomena in nature where friction plays an important role and demonstrate
Lesson Plan
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Volume and Surface Area: Which Is More?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the volume and surface area of three dimensional figures. Through the use of video, students discover three dimensional shapes, their uses in real-life applications, and methods used to calculate their volume and surface...
Worksheet
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Ecology

For Students 4th - 6th
In this ecology activity, students read information about ecology and the nine ecology subdivisions and answer comprehension questions. Students answer ten questions in this matching and fill in the blank activity.
Lesson Plan
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Marine Protected Areas (MPA)

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders explain the purpose of MPA's. In this biology lesson, 9th graders identify MPA's in Southern California. They simulate coastal sampling using candy from two buckets. Students analyze their results and share it with the class.
Lesson Plan
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They Called Him Sequoyah

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers become familiar with George Gist and his life as a Cherokee.  In this Cherokee lesson, students research the ways people have communicated in the past and presently.  Middle schoolers recognize that better...
Lesson Plan
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Good Food, Good Health

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students investigate how food provides energy for the human body. For this physical health lesson, students access online resources to identify how certain foods can affect their health. Students discuss how many servings of each food...
Lesson Plan
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Plant Nutrition and Nutrients

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students observe seeds growth and examine the different parts of the seedling. In this biology instructional activity, students compare the growth of seeds planted in soil and in hydroponics. They record their observations in their...
Lesson Plan
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Reaction Reasoning

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders experiment with chemical reactions and examine what happens to the atoms when different reactions occur.  In this matter lesson students divide into groups and complete a lab experiment. 
Lesson Plan
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Survival Science: How Evaporation and Condensation Can Save Your Life!

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders demonstrate how scientific principles can be used to provide resources in an emergency situation.  In this evaporation lesson students view a demonstration on a solar still and see a brief PowerPoint presentation. 
Lesson Plan
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Help Wanted: A Lighting Engineer For Popular Rock Group

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are assigned to groups, and determine each member's role in the group. They will design an experiment to determine a way to produce the three primary and five secondary colors. Students discuss color and mood. They listen to a...