Lesson Plan
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Melting the Ice: Energy Transfer

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students study thermal energy and energy transfer to sea ice processes. In this energy transfer lesson, students make their own ice cream and discuss energy transfer and thermal energy. Students view a radiation overhead and its role in...
Worksheet
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What Should I Know about Biosphere?

For Students 9th - 12th
If your class is learning about the biosphere, you may find a study guide or reading guide helpful. Focusing on vocabulary, processes, and interactions, the Word document is easy to edit as needed to fit your needs. Another great...
Lesson Plan
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Water and Ice

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students observe water as it changes form.  In this water lesson students observe, measure, and describe water as it changes state. 
Lesson Plan
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Hurricanes

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students listen to a transcript of an interview about an upswing in hurricanes with Stanley Goldenberg, a researcher with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. students participate in a series of discussion questions.
Lesson Plan
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Where Does the Water Around Our School Go?

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students in groups, map quadrants of the area around the school and make predictions about the direction of waterflow and zones of accumulation that will occur when it rains. Then when it does rain they check to see if their prediction...
Lesson Plan
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Food Chains & Food Webs

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders examine how energy is lost through different trophic levels.  For this trophism lesson students construct a food web and view a video. 
Lesson Plan
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Losing An Island

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine carbon dioxide and determine the impact of greenhouse gases on the earths spheres.  In this pollution lesson students complete a lab activity to see the impact of gases on the environment, 
Lesson Plan
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Presto Change-o: Caterpillars to Butterflies

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students use the Internet to explore the four stages of a butterfly's life cycle. They make a model of a butterfly using macaroni, sticks and leaves.
Lesson Plan
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Grounded for Life

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders become familiar with the lives of penguins including their life cycles, habitats and basic needs. Students will experience the lives of penguins through stories and video.
Lesson Plan
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Fallout!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students plot the locations of fallout from two disasters that polluted much of the world's air. They plot the ash fallout from the 1980 Mt. St. Helen's eruption to see what the wind patterns in the United States look like overall. Next...
Lesson Plan
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Air Pollution Over Where?

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students predict the movement of an air borne pollutant using their understanding of air currents. They determine which governments and/or communities should be contacted to be forewarned. They also explore the properties of their...
Lesson Plan
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Soild Waste and Recycling

For Teachers 3rd - 11th
In this unit of lessons, students examine solid waste and recycling. They discover the concept of decomposition. They also observe the decomposition process and make observatins.
Lesson Plan
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The Same but Different Part II

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders experiment with beakers of water and balloons to measure the volume of the gas in the balloon. They determine ways to change the volume of air in the balloon which changes its size but not its physical state. By heating the...
Lesson Plan
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The Right Tool for the Job: Diagnosis Spectrum

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students watch a section of a medical TV show and individually make a written recommendation of appropriate imaging techniques to be used and explain why they chose these techniques. They participate in a discussion revealing their...
Lesson Plan
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Air Masses

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the physical characteristics of several types of air masses to discover how air masses can be identified and defined by their temperature and moisture content.
Lesson Plan
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Physical and Chemical Changes

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders complete several experiments about chemical and physical changes. In this physical and chemical science lesson, 6th graders complete 6 experiments about chemical and physical changes. Students examine the processes of...
Lesson Plan
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Trail Adventure

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create a trail with numbered specimens. Students complete an accurate and functional interactive trail activity brochure. They complete a web page tree identification guide and interactive identification activity. Students...
Lesson Plan
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Butterfly Lesson

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners identify that Idaho is a home to 168 species of butterflies and they are an important part of many habitats. They also identify how to use the Digital Atlas of Idaho and write a report regarding information of their assigned...
Lesson Plan
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Mystery Polymers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine how some natural substances are polymers.  In this polymer activity students complete a lab and give examples of a physical change. 
Lesson Plan
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Home-Made Clouds

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders witness cloud formation in a jar during a teacher lead simulation. They research, draw and predict weather using information they gather about clouds.
Lesson Plan
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Worms, Nature's Recyclers!

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students study what worms need to survive in different environments. They study how worm composting improves soil and reduce waste. They discuss composting techniques and present a puppet show about a worm's life.
Lesson Plan
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How to Recycle a Rock

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the rock cycle and explore how rocks are made, changed, destroyed and recreated. They create representations of these processes with hands-on activities.
Lesson Plan
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Water 2: Disappearing Water

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students will observe the amount of water in an open container over time and also examine the amount of water in a closed container over time. They then will compare and contrast the sets.
Lesson Plan
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Frozen Film

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students are introduced to the topic of light interference through this hands-on activity. They observe how light reflects off two surfaces and then meets to form an interesting variation of color on a film surface.