Lesson Plan
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How Do We Generate a Large Amount of a Specific DNA Sample?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the Polymerase Chain Reaction technique that is used to create larger amounts of a gene. They watch and discuss a PowerPoint presentation, explore a website, and write a report listing the materials needed to...
Lesson Plan
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Matter and Energy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students participate in a small group read aloud of the short story, "Cerium" by Primo Levi. They answer several questions about the story and then relate the reading to a lecture on Kinetic theory. After the lecture they apply the...
Lesson Plan
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Magnetic Discovery Bottle

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine how to conduct simple investigations and use simple equipment to gather data.  For this magnet lesson students decide what types of objects are attracted to magnets. 
Lesson Plan
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How Much Energy is a Kilowatt Hour?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the conservation of energy.  In this energy instructional activity students explain the differences between potential and kinetic energy.
Lesson Plan
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Please Turn Up the Lights!

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders discuss series and parallel circuits and design an investigation to test a hypothesis on total resistance of series and parallel circuits in combination. After discussion, groups design their experiments, run tests, and...
Lesson Plan
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Projectile Motion

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders experiment with a projectile that is launched horizontally after a demonstration and small discussion about two pennies, one dropping from a table top and the other being slide off the top and hitting the ground at about...
Lesson Plan
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Getting the Oil Out

For Teachers K - 6th
Students discover ways of obtaining oil by participating in an experiment.  In this natural resource lesson, students identify diagrams of oil derricks and pumps in order to visualize how oil is retrieved from the earth....
Lesson Plan
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The Scientist in Me

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Young scholars make a poster.  In this scientist lesson, students define the term scientist, draw pictures of themselves as scientists, and write about what they would study as a scientist.
Lesson Plan
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Investigating the Earth-Moon-Sun System

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders research Native American legends involving the sun, moon, and stars and compare them to the origin of present day knowledge. They create a written report and make an oral presentation of their findings to the class.
Lesson Plan
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The Miracle Fish: Learning to Design an Experiment

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students develop procedures to explore the behavior of fish.  For this scientific experiment lesson students from a hypothesis, write a question, identify different variables and controls in their experiment. 
Lesson Plan
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Electricity Layered Curriculum

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students describe how electric charges exert forces on each other as well as compare the strengths of electric and gravitational forces. They distinguish between conductors and insulators. In addition, students examine voltage and...
Lesson Plan
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Salinity in Mill Creek

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders use water samples collected at three different locations of Utah's Mill Creek to test salinity of water, hypothesize about salinity levels at each location, record results, and discuss their findings with classmates. ...
Lesson Plan
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Capacitors

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students explain the concepts of charge storage and how a capacitor works. They construct a capacitor and measure the stored charge using the appropriate equipment and measurements. They also demonstrate capacitance and how it can be...
Lesson Plan
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Mixtures

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders experiment with mixtures. In this chemistry lesson, 6th graders determine which mixtures are considered heterogeneous, a suspension, a solution or a colloid. Students create a data sheet of what they discover.
Lesson Plan
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Not A Drop To Drink

For Teachers 5th
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...
Lesson Plan
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Finding Mass

For Teachers 8th
Student measure mass to discover how pennies have changed in their composition. In this measurement lesson, 8th graders investigate through an open-ended problem to discover how the US pennies composition changed in the 1980's.
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Integrated Pest Management

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars investigate the different methods used in integrated pest management. In this biology instructional activity, students evaluate experiments and case studies on IPM. They discuss the pros and cons of using this method.
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Cosmic Rays

For Teachers 6th - Higher Ed
Students study cosmic rays and the energy behind them.  In this atmospheric lesson students complete a cosmic ray telescope project. 
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Sundials

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students investigate the different types of sundials and their history.  In this shadows and time of day lesson students build their own sundials. 
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Chemical Reactions and Balancing Equations

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students perform various laboratory activities involving chemical reactions. They write balanced chemical equations for all reactions observed using computer software.
Lesson Plan
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Projectile Motion II

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore projectile motion and kinematics in two dimensions. They determine, using an adjustable projectile launcher, what angle makes a projectile go the highest.
Lesson Plan
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Visual Models of Solutions and Concentrations

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students model solutions with beakers of colored glass or plastic spheres. In this solutions lesson, students use beakers of colored spheres to represent pure substances. They mix the spheres to demosntrate solutions. They discuss...
Worksheet
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Balance Point

For Students 10th - 12th
In this math/science worksheet, students find the balance point of a variety of objects, and complete ten problems. Students look at sketches of objects and calculate the balance point, and also use meter sticks and weights. This is an...
Worksheet
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Gauss Law Activity

For Students 12th - Higher Ed
In this science-related worksheet, students explore and experiment all the sides and views of an infinitely long cylinder with their eyes opened and then closed as they answer twenty four questions.