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What Can I Do About Global Environmental Change?
Young scholars complete a unit to evaluate their impact on the environment and greenhouse gas emissions. They conduct Internet research, develop a list of their electrical and energy use, calculate their share of greenhouse gases, and...
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Hands-On Weather Data Collecting
Fifth graders use Internet sites to complete a study of weather and atmosphere. They compare weather data from cities around the world. They use thermometers, the Beaufort wind scale, and simple weather symbols to measure weather around...
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Objects in the Sky
Students explore what the sky looks like at different times. They identify objects in the sky and recognize changes over time. Students observe the sky and look for objects that are common in both the daytime and the nighttime sky.
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Wide Open Spaces
Students examine the problem of groundwater pollution. In groups, they develop a solution to solve the problem of a local polluted water source. They also practice measuring the space between sediment particles and the rate of water flow.
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The Wedding of a Mountain
Students examine the differences between weathering, erosion, and deposition as it pertains to mountains.
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Time Zones and Migration Patterns of the Leatherback Sea Turtle
Young scholars identify the different time zones by plotting the migration patterns of the leatherback sea turtles. They discover that traveling around the worlds includes passage through different time zones.
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Physical Changes and States of Matter- Two
Third graders explore the concept of evaporation as they observe how the water level changes in a cup that is left out. Working in groups they observe physical changes in a group of everyday items. They record the changes in shape, size,...
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Exploring Weather Websites
Students research and locate their own weather data using a weather website. They examine how to locate valid information on the www.weather.com website, and explore the website. Next, they select a city they want to visit, and compare...
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What is Happening to Our Water?
Students compare and contrast Wisconsin's water resources to that of Puerto Rico. They research books about islands, particularly the Puerto Rican islands. Student view illustrations of island ecology. They discuss the illustrations and...
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Moon Landing
Students research about the July 20, 1969, moon landing. They demonstrate their knowledge of the first moon landing by creating peek-a-boo rocket books. Also they can make their own moon rocks with an easy-to-make dough.
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Sea Turtle Savvy
Students explore sea turtles. They create paper plate sea turtles and brainstorm other organisms that live in the sea turtle's habitat. They role-play scenes from a nonfiction book, A Baby Sea Turtle's Journey. They play a game...
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Exploring the Night Sky: Summer
Learners explain how moon phases occur. They describe and explain at least two common misconceptions that people have about the moon. Students explain what a star is. They explain 3 ways that the night sky has been used throughout history.
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Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil: Topographic Mapping, Crustal Deformation, Rock Porosity, and Environmental Pollution
Students review an interpretation of geologic history and relate it to the formation of oil deposits. They explore and explain factors controlling the porosity and permeability of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Pupils also interpret...
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Life in a Cup
Third graders make and maintain a mini terrarium. They keep a daily journal of what happens in their terrarium and record daily observations and measurements.
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Tides & Lunar Cycles
Students demonstrate how the moon affects the tides, a neap tide, and spring tides by using their bodies as models. After students observe the model they created, they draw and label the diagram on a provided worksheet. They then log...
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Celebrate Winter!
Students understand, and participate in, both the historical and scientific aspects of this year's celebrations by introducing them to a selection of activities.
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Mining Simulation
Eighth graders put their knowledge of rocks and minerals into perspective by seeing how minerals can be mined and the difficulties and costs of mining. They explore the environmental impacts of mining.
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Capturing the Sun's Warmth
Students explore the variety of ways to use solar energy. They investigate the thermal energy storage capacities of different test materials to determine which to use in passive solar building design. They explain how passive solar...
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Properties of Water
Students study the three physical properties of water-solid, liquid and gas. They classify materials as solids, liquids, and gases. They define the terms solids, liquids and matter and explain that when materials are manipulated,...
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Lakes and Ponds
Students describe and recognize the difference between a lake and a pond. They name six ways in which a lake or pond can be formed. They describe the importance and act of evaporation on a waterway.
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World In Motion Curriculum
Students explore the night sky and its solar system. Using a Digitarium planetarium system, students observe four constellations. They discover the phases of the moon and eclipses. Students recognize the difference between normal and...
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Differences between Climate and Weather
Students collect weather data over weeks, graph temperature data and compare the temperature data collected with averaged climate data where they live.
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Magnetic Field Activities
Students explore the idea of magnetic field through investigations of magnetic fields as produced by various common magnetic materials and direct currents. They study the vector nature of fields, the ubiquity of field sources in the...
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Effects of Ozone in the Air
Fifth graders, in groups, conduct an experiment in which they measure ground level ozone levels using an ozone measuring kit. They analyze and compare the weather conditions and locations where ozone readings are highest and lowest.