California Academy of Science
Rapid Brainstorming: How Can We Conserve Our Water Resources?
Water covers around 75 percent of the earth, yet humans struggle to find enough fresh water to live. The fourth of 10 lessons focusing on Fresh Solutions requires brainstorming. Young scientists consider various problems related to fresh...
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Fossil Fuels, Who Needs Them
Ninth graders explore how electricity is created and distributed through alternative production methods. Students participate in hands-on activities, research, lecture based instruction, and CD ROM resources.
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Electric Current and Resistance
Students are introduced to the topics of electric currents and resistance. In groups, they distinguish the difference between conventional and electron flows and state Ohm's Law for electrical components. They calculate the resistance of...
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Electrical Safety Emergency Plan
Students discuss Picture 7 which is a hairdryer near a basin. They discover that if the hairdryer is plugged in and turned on and falls into the water it will form a circuit and anyone touching the water or hairdryer may be electrocuted....
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Science and Technology
Eighth graders explore the roles of science and technology in today's world. They research a topic based on the uses of science in society. Students discuss medicine, power, transportation, water and sewage treatment and stereos, TVs....
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Will the Lights Go Out?
Students diagram nuclear power plant, describe process for generating electrical power, discuss nuclear disasters in the 20th century, and draw conclusion about value of nuclear power for the future.
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It's Elemental, My Dear Students
Eighth graders research the structure of the atom. They identify the properties of subatomic particles, including mass and electrical charge. Students access the websit www.chem4kids and extract 10 main facts from the content provided...
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The Elements
Students watch video, The Elements, research information about elements using both the Internet and CD-ROM program, and create atoms out of gumdrops and licorice.
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What's Wrong With Nuclear Power, Anyway?
Students see that the production and use of nuclear energy has been both praised and condemned as a source of electrical power for our daily living. They examine the reasons for the conflict of opinions in our society.
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Greenewables
Students form expert engineering teams working for the (fictional) alternative energy consulting firm, Greenewables, Inc. Each team specializes in a form of renewable energy used to generate electrical power: passive solar, solar...
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Learning the Structure and Function of DNA
Students read about Humane Genome Project, examine structure and function of DNA, and participate in gel-electrophoresis lab. They complete Internet activity to test their knowledge of DNA.
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Comparing Covalent and Ionic Substances
In this covalent and ionic substances activity, students use the internet to find information about the characteristics of covalent and ionic substance and explain what causes the differences in these types of substances.
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Applied Science- Physics
Young scholars investigate how something at home uses physics to work. In this practical physics lesson plan, students develop a theory of their own to conclude how an object might work. This lesson plan includes a worksheet.
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How Much Do We SPend For Electricity?
Students investigate the concept of energy and focus upon the usage and the cost associated with it. They conduct research using a variety of resources while working in cooperative groups. Students graph the usage of energy as estimates...
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Electricity – Ohm’s Law
Students investigate the relationship between voltage and current. In this physics instructional activity, students observe and collect data from the experiment. They graph the result and share them to class.
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Circuits and Conductors
Students explore electricity by completing Internet activities. In this physical science lesson, students identify an electric circuit and describe the characteristics of conductors, giving examples as well. Students collaborate in...
National Woman's History Museum
Hedy Lamarr, An Inventive Mind
Hedy Lamarr led a double life. Best known as an actress, Lamarr was also a brilliant inventor, responsible for the technology found in Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. After studying primary and secondary source materials, groups conduct an...
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Methods of Power- Hybrids
Students list the reasons why people chose hybrid cars over traditional cars. In this technology lesson plan, students create a poster describing how hybrid cars work. They discuss ways to save fuel and improve a car's efficiency.
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Arc Flash and Arc Blast
In this arc flash and arc blast learning exercise, students answer ten questions about the conditions that lead to arc flashes and arc blasts. They describe each and explain how to protect from these occurrences.
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IPC-Sources of Energy Assignment
In this sources of energy learning exercise, students complete a concept map and they choose one of the sources of energy in the concept map to research. They create a magazine ad, a newspaper editorial, a newspaper article or any other...
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Micro-controller Principles
Learners research micro-controllers and complete this 20 question worksheet on micro-controller circuits using schematics. This worksheet is printable and the answers are revealed online.
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Are Your Computers Wasting Energy?
After reading about the amount of energy that is used to power a personal computer, learners take a look at their own computer use and therefore, their energy consumption. They do this through a series of questions and computations on...
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Ego Trip- Exploring the Inner Workings of the Human Body
Students gain an understanding of how systems and organs in the human body work. They create their own fictional account of a trip through the human body, and describe one response the body makes to stimuli.
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Bubble and Boyle
Even middle schoolers still enjoy experimenting with bubbles! They execute a series of experiments enabling them to distinguish between convex and concave surfaces, explore the properties of buoyancy, surface tension, and density,...