Lesson Plan
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How Things Fly

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explain basic principles of aeronautics such as gravity and lift. In this How Things Fly activity, students visit the interactive, hands-on How Things Fly gallery at the Smithsonian. Students perform three experiments that...
Lesson Plan
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The Changing Earth

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore the Earth's crust. In this earth science lesson, students participate in 2 activities that demonstrate physical and chemical weathering. Students also play Jeopardy with topics including volcanoes, earthquakes,...
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DC Motors

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders build simple electromagnets and small motors using a motor kit in order to illustrate how magnetic fields are produced by a current carrying wire and how an external magnetic field produces a force on a current carrying...
Lesson Plan
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How to Make Water Run Uphill

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students observe science demonstration. In this science lesson, students watch an experiment showing water moving up from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration, due to a change in atmospheric pressure.
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Advertising's Hidden Messages

For Teachers 3rd - Higher Ed
Students explore the hidden messages in advertisements. For this business lesson, students discuss the role that advertisements play in our lives. Students locate advertisements that use various advertising techniques. Students create an...
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...
Lesson Plan
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Shake, Rattle and Roll

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students compare the weathering of materials. in this weathering lesson, students experiment with the chemical and physical weathering of different materials. Students use salt and water as an example of how weathering occurs.
Lesson Plan
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Critical Analysis Leads to Global Action

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners discover the interconnectedness of the world. In this global studies instructional activity, students identify challenges the world faces and craft solutions to the problems they identified. Learners present their findings in a...
Lesson Plan
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The Only Thing We Have To Fear...

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the appeal of fear in today's society and beliefs about the paranormal, specifically ghosts. They create a survey to be distributed throughout the school regarding beliefs in ghosts and other supernatural beings and forces.
Lesson Plan
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Balloon Rocket

For Teachers K - 4th
Learners observe a balloon rocket and how it relates to Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this balloon rocket lesson plan, students make a balloon rocket out of balloons, clothespins, straw, fishing line, and duct tape.
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Solar System: Let's Take a Trip

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders consider outer space. In this introductory solar system lesson, 3rd graders complete a KWL chart and listen to the story The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System, by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen. They will contribute...
Lesson Plan
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The Mesoamerican Mystique

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students gain a better understanding of the cultural diversity in the northern region of Central America. They engage in a instructional activity which focuses on research, archaeology, historical videos, and travel highlights.
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To See or Not to See: The Colors of Light

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders describe and conduct an experiment that identifies the physical properties of light. They explore sources of visible light and an electromagnetic spectrum. Students explain the conversion of one form of energy to another.
Lesson Plan
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Let's Take a Rock Apart

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students take a crushed rock and sort the remains of the rock minerals into different categories based on the different properties. In this sorting lesson plan, students learn what makes up a rock and how to sort something into categories.
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Doing Lewis Dot Diagrams

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students observe the periodic table and draw the Lewis Dot Diagram.  In this investigative instructional activity students construct information on several elements including the Lewis Dot Formation and take a quiz on the...
Lesson Plan
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Walking for Water Mini-Unit

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students participate in an activity that requires them to consider the availability of water. In this "walking for water" activity, students read "Women Bear the Weight of Water," and respond to discuss questions regarding the article....
Lesson Plan
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Modeling the Process of Mining Silicon Through a Single Displacement/Redox Reaction

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers study silicon and where it comes from.  In this solar mining lesson students complete an Internet search of mining and a lab activity. 
Lesson Plan
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Sled Kite

For Teachers K - 8th
Students make and fly a sled kite out of plastic garbage bags, dowel rods, and more. In this kite lesson plan, students plan the kite to have symmetry and make adjustments as they test it.
Lesson Plan
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An Introduction to Simple Machines

For Teachers K - 1st
Students investigate simple machines and their uses in everyday life.  In this scientific method instructional activity, students examine physical tools such as wedges, screws, and levers using a "how does it work" approach....
Lesson Plan
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Pancakes!

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore dietary habits by completing a cooking activity in class. In this breakfast preparation lesson, 2nd graders read several books about pancakes and maple syrup. Students utilize a wheat kit to understand the...
Lesson Plan
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Jell-O-Shakin

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students design a tower made of jell-o. In this science lesson, students investigate what it takes to build a jell-o building that will not fall when shaken. They discuss what causes earthquakes and how it is controlled.
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Paper Gliders

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders study friction and drag. In this science activity, 6th graders use different models of gliders and test to see which of the gliders fly the farthest. Students analyze their data and construct a graph.
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A Model of a Scanning Tunneling Microscope

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders explain how a scanning tunneling microscope works. In this chemistry lesson, 9th graders construct atomic models and simulate how their images appear under the STM. They discuss the limitations of their atomic model.
Lesson Plan
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West African Art

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of West African Art. They conduct research using a variety of resources. They focus upon the history, geography, economics, and political systems. The information is used to...