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Dot-Commerce

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students analyze the impact that e-commerce has in their community, as well as in small traditional communities that one might not expect to be part of the dot-com marketplace. They develop business plans for imagined businesses.
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You Light Up My Life

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the relationship between solar activity and the Earth's geomagnetic field in producing the phenomena known as aurora borealis (Northern Lights) by reading and discussing "Earth, Wind and Fireworks." students graph data...
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Safety First

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore safety issues and challenges related to various modes of transportation through readings and discussion. They create blueprints for technological methods to make those modes of transportation safer.
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Popular Mechanics

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars explore the five essential parts of every robot and design their own robots to perform everyday tasks. They explore robots created for fighting competitions by reading and discussing "When Nerds Collide: Robots at War."
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Consider the Source

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explain how to critically compare news reporting from around the world, focusing on coverage of the Taliban regime. They compare and contrast television and print media reporting on the issue.
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Picture Perfect

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore how photographic images can be used to convey the intentions of the photographer based on Hiroji Kubota's photojournalistic show "Can We Feed Ourselves? A Focus on Asia"
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Wanted: A Breath of Fresh Air

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the causes and effects of air pollution, as well as ways in which various industries and government organizations are aiming to control it. They research the topic on the Internet and create posters based on their research.
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Constellation Prizes

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students study meteors, meteorites, and comets by reading and discussing a related New York Times article about the Leonid meteor showers and the methods that scientists are using to study from these meteors. They create a comet in the...
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In the Pilot's Seat

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine a review of several of the new television series launching in the Fall 1999 season and interpret how a critic discusses the notion of 'repurposing' old shows. They work in small groups to create basic character sketches...
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A Whale of a Difference

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research various perspectives on Japan's commercial whaling industry and formulate position papers representing these views. They read the Times article, Yuk! No More Stomach for Whales. Groups present their perspectives on...
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Spacing Out

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore environmental and geological conditions on other planets in our solar system, comparing their findings to information about Earth. They propose technologies that might assist in supporting human life on those planets.
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Delegating Authorities

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students compare and contrast democracies around the world after reading a New York Times article. They create posters and participate in a "democracy roundtable" in which they discuss two democracies.
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Where Does History Stand on the Last Stand?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the Battle of Little Bighorn and its impact on United States and Native American culture through reading current and historic New York Times articles and by creating a research-based exhibit about this historic event.
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Gazing Into the Faces of AIDS

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider whether or not there are generalizations that can be made about people who are infected with H.I.V. or who have the AIDS virus. They create public service ad campaigns to educate the public and consider other ways to...
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Extraordinary Extrapolation

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students study how scientists have estimated the maximum height to which trees can grow, and assess the reliability of interpolation and extrapolation techniques by making predictions with particular data sets and analyzing accuracy of...
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The Sporting Life

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read and discuss "When the Games Began: Olympic Archaeology," examining the significance of the first Olympic Games in Greece. They research and reenact scenes from these Games and reflect on the Games' original importance.
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Government Gripes

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students, in groups, investigate the purpose and jurisdiction of government agencies assigned to regulate different science/technology/health issues, then describe situations in which agencies might have a disagreement, and stage a mock...
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Helping Hands

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students discuss what they can do to help their community, then create posters for the school that list and provide details for 'Ten Things You Can Do To Help' in different social service areas.
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Return Of The Living Dead

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research endangered animal species that have 'beaten the odds' as they continue to survive longer than scientists had expected. They write individual pages for a class book about endangered species.
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The Writing's on the Wall

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine a job-training/violence reduction program that removes gang graffiti in East Los Angeles. They discuss issues confronting their own communities and propose community service programs to address these issues.
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Fittest of the Survivors

For Teachers 6th - 12th
students consider the reality television show 'Survivor' as a means to contemplate what it means to be a survivor. They create fictional characters and explore how different personal qualities would help and hinder their success on...
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Laser, and Pagers, and Cells - Oh My!

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the use of various new handheld electronic devices in schools, and assess the appropriate use of each. They present research to school administrators for possible use in the development of new school policies.
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Safety in Numbers

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate social behavior patterns of primates. Next, students research a specific primate-analyzing individual and group behavior patterns particular to the species. They create informational posters and present findings to...
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Dust in the Wind

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students investigate causes and effects of droughts by participating in a simulation 'town hall meeting.' Acting as community members, students make informed decisions to help a town and its surrounding areas suffering effects of a...