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What Plants Need
Students plant seeds in milk cartons, over the next two weeks, they watch the plants closely to see how they grow and change. They keep a photo journal to record the growth of the plant.
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How Germs Spread
Students conduct a test to help them visualize the spread of
germs. They identify that a pandemic is an epidemic (an outbreak of an infectious disease) that spreads across a large region or even worldwide. Finally, students state...
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The Invention of the Airplane
Students explore the history of the airplane and the Wright brothers. In this aviation lesson students examine the Wright brothers stories and kites.
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Heat Misconceptions
Third graders determine that gloves do not provide heat, but rather, they insulate or hold in any heat that is in their hand. They discuss the different temperatures found in ecosystems around the world. What do animals that live in...
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A Cup of Sound
Students study sound and how it is created. In this sound waves lesson students complete a lab activity that shows students the variables that affect sound.
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Thinking About Newton's 1st Law
Students discuss the lives of both Aristotle and Newton in order to bring important differences between the two to the forefront. They evaluate two statements about motion and use the ideas from the discussion to determine which...
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Sun Seeking Plants
Students investigate the story "The Tiny Seed" by Eric Carle. This story is used to introduce the children to the concept that seeds change and grow into plants when conditions in the environment including temperature, light, water and...
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The Rotten Truth
Fourth graders watch a video about how much solid waste is produced by each person and how it is disposed of. Using the internet, they identify and interpret data on the type of trash thrown out the most. They offer possible solutions...
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Arctic Microclimates
Students identify, measure, and average micro-climatic temperatures in a particular region. They draw a small-scale map of an area to be sampled (classroom, playground, park, backyard) and identify potential locations for...
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Feeling Pressured
Young scholars explore pressure in our atmosphere. They examine the relationship between pressure and depth. Students construct an experimental apparatus and take measurements. Young scholars evaluate the impact of pressure on the lungs.
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The Atmosphere and Flight
Students investigate evaporation and condensation, and apply the concepts to understanding cloud formation.
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The Water Cycle
Fifth graders examine the stages of the continuous water cycle that exists on Earth. They observe a water cycle model that is set up in the classroom and write descriptions of what they see. As a class, they discuss models of the water...
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Oil Spill
Fourth graders watch a video about the types of products made from oil or oil used as energy to produce the product. In groups, they identify the positive and negative aspects of oil and participate in various activities. They use the...
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Magnus Effect
Young scholars examine the Magnus effect and its history. In this forces lesson students investigate the lift of a rotating cylinder.
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Dinosaurs 1: Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students explore dinosaurs and their extinction. In this dinosaur lesson, students view dinosaur websites and videos to gain an understanding of the world long ago. Discussion questions follow. Students create a paper mache dinosaur egg.
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Water and Ice
Students observe water as it changes form. For this water lesson students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state.
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Gardening for Beauty, Food, and Enjoyment
First graders create their own garden. In this plant lesson plan, 1st graders discover the essential elements for a plant to grow. They planted their own garden and read the amount of space needed and the sunlight preferred for each...
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Properties of Dust
Students examine the dust in their classroom and relate it to the dust in space. In this investigative instructional activity students collect dust and graph their findings.
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How Does Climate Affect Plant Growth?
First graders compare plant samples obtained from two different sites to explore how climate affects plants.
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Guess What?! (a lesson about atoms)
Students investigate atoms as particles that make up all matter. They examine the mass of matter.
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Clay Hill Animal Sampling
Students create animal print casts from molds in the classroom. They use the cast patterns to identify animal prints on a field trip in which they locate animal tracks, identify the location with GPS and create field casts of the...
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Breathing Victory
Pupils discuss anaerobic respiration and how it relates to sprinting. After discussion of related processes, students create a brochure that explains the complex processes behind every muscular interaction.
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Lesson 6: Resonance
Students participate in a lab activity using three tuning forks of different frequencies and a Resonance Tube Set purchased from Sargent-Welch to take measurements of resonant lengths of the tuning fork frequencies. Students then try to...
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PBS - Scientific American Frontier:Affairs of the Heart:Teaching Guide:Exploring Vessel Physics
Learners explore the relationship between pressure and vessel diameter. They are given an open-ended design challenge in which they engineer their own remote repair device. Students see a model that represents how elevated blood...