Lesson Plan
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and and Ocean Views of Earth by Remote Sensing

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Young scholars explain how satellites help scientists to see more than with the unaided eye and how Landsat technology works. Students identify vegetation and fire sites in the rainforest and detect erosion along rivers. They are able to...
Lesson Plan
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Electromagnetic Energy and Its Spectrum

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explain how electromagnetic radiation travel in space. In this physics instructional activity, students design and implement an experiment to reduce UV exposure. They discuss and share their findings in class.
Lesson Plan
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Discovering a Law of Space Physics

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners use data collected by an astronomer to determine the relationship between the time it takes the planet to orbit the sun and the average radius of the planet's orbit around the sun. Students use trial and error to find the...
Lesson Plan
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Properties of Air

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders participate in a demonstration lesson using bubbles in which they determine that air fills the bubbles. Next, they work in small groups as they they experiment with the properties of air at separate work stations. After...
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A Tour of the Solar System

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students construct a spacecraft out of Lego blocks and other materials. They work on their models in small groups while building. They become familar with the planets while working cooperatively.
Lesson Plan
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Traveling Sound

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Pupils explore how sound waves move through liquids, solids and gases in a series of simple sound energy experiments. They describe how sound needs molecules to move and that changing the medium that it travels through changes the sound...
Lesson Plan
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Stellar Fingerprints: the Spectra of Stars

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students explain how an element can be identified using emission spectra. They relate the emission spectrum of hydrogen to its absorption spectrum and identify hydrogen absorption lines in the spectrum of stars.
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Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students examine how water changes state, from a liquid to a solid.  In this water lesson students study the water cycle and how temperature and pressure effect it. 
Lesson Plan
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How do protons stick together in a nucleus?

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students explain that the Standard Model of the atom includes particles beyond protons, neutrons, and electrons. They describe the nucleus as conglomeration of quarks that manifest themselves as protons and neutrons.
Lesson Plan
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De-composers - Terrarium

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Learners explore the environment by building a mock ecosystem. In this rainforest analysis lesson, students define many environmental and rainforest related vocabulary terms and discuss the current status of our planet's rainforests....
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Minerals, Crystals, and Gems

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students discover the relationships between minerals, crystals and gems. They bring in rocks that they find at home, in the schoolyard, etc. and examine them and attempt to identify them. They set up a classroom exhibit that includes all...
Lesson Plan
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Apply Scientific Inquiry and Scientific Habits of Mind

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners review the components of the scientific inquiry method. In groups, they develop hypothesis on a variety of different topics and design an investigation or experiment to test it. They share their conclusions with the class and...
Lesson Plan
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Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students identify the plant parts and bee structures that are involved in pollination. They simulate pollination in a group activity and process the information.
Lesson Plan
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Climate and Cultures of Africa

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students gain an understanding of the relationship between climate and culture in the sub- Saharan Africa. Students will complete short exercises pertaining to the various cultures of Africa and the climate in which they live....
Lesson Plan
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Dinosaurs Were Real!

For Teachers Pre-K - 3rd
Students investigate the history of dinosaurs, as real animals. In this dinosaur lesson plan, students examine basic concepts that help them understand the history of all life. Included in this article is information on the world of the...
Lesson Plan
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Lift and Drag: Principles of Flight and the Soaring Imagination

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Learners construct models of early gas balloons and gliders. In this balloon and glider instructional activity, students create models of early gas balloons and gliders, discover how the forces of lift and drag effect aircraft in...
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Healing Fallen Warriors

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students read ancient Greek texts to explore evidence for healing wounds and compare ancient healing practices to those of modern times.
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Extreme Environments

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine extreme environments and the characteristics that make them.  In this adaptation instructional activity students see how animals have adapted to these environments. 
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Water Resources

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study water resources that are important to the people of North American and Africa. They use satellite images and data to explore how human actions can degrade, improve, or maintain water resources. They analyze and interpret...
Lesson Plan
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"Water is Life" Global Water Awareness

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine and calculate the percentage of potable water remaining on the earth. In this ecology and geography lesson, students brainstorm the main factors affecting water distribution. Students use mathematical problem solving to...
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Extraterrestrial Communication: Can We Talk to Anybody Out There?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine the possibilities of communication with other living organisms within our solar system through research and hands on activities, as well as observing and analyzing teacher demonstrations.
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Lord of the Rings - A Study of Tree Rings

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students examine trees and discuss how the environment effected the tree. They also predict what the area look like in fifty years.
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Rocks and Their Properties: Day 5

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students demonstrate their knowledge of rock formation processes in varied ways by sharing their cooperative research projects with the class. They generate well-framed questions in response to each presentation.
Lesson Plan
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How a Liquid Changes to a Gas

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders identify three forms of matter- solids, liquids, and gases with 100% accuracy. They observe water evaporating from an open container and water evaporating and condensing in a closed container. The students assess that a...