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Eruption

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students conduct an experiment simulating an underwater volcano based on reading The Magic School Bus Blows Its Top. They create a desktop volcano eruption demonstrating where magma comes from and how lava flows.
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Caldecott Tunnel

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students visit the Caldecott Tunnel. They examine dark brown basalt and the gray-green sedimentary rocks and draw picture of the rock layers in the cliff face. In addition, they write a short paragraph describing what you observe about...
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Insect Collection

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore how to use several types of insect sampling and collectin equipment. They work in groups to collect insects in different areas of their schoolyard. Students are explained that quadrats are generally used to randomly...
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A Tour Down the Hudson River

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers discuss how the Hudson River is an ecosystem made up of both biotic and abiotic factors. They view the PowerPoint the Journal Down the Hudson River. Students become aware of where the Hudson River begins and ends, the...
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Zebra Mussel Population Simulation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are taught how to format and enter data into an Excel spreadsheet. They make a graph, and interpret graphed data. Students discuss the possible impacts of zebra mussels on the Hudson river. They graph zebra mussel data.
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Exploring Volcanoes

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders use the ERIC database to find information on volcanoes. At the end of their research they present their findings, draw a volcano, and write bout what they found interesting about it. They also classify and categorize the...
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Wastewater

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss what happens to their wastewater. They read about the wastewater treatment process. Students are asked what types of things get flushed down toilets or goes down drains in sinks and showers. They are taught what happens...
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Forces, Controls And Aircraft Systems

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students are introduced to the physics of flight through video and PowerPoint presentations. They construct and fly model gliders and compete for height, distance, time, etc.
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Prairie Senses

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders use their senses to explore a prairie or imaginary prairie. They draw pictures to represent the five senses and discover how an artist describes non-visual sensations in a visual way.
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Safari Sentence Scramble

For Teachers K
Students use real life experiences for writing. In this identifying details instructional activity, students use information such as colors, numbers, sizes, shapes and locations to write sentences about the zoo. Students position...
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Letters from the Japanese American Internment

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students delve into primary research. For this Japanese Internment lesson plan, students make deductions about life in an internment camp by reading and comparing letters written to Clara Breed. Along the way, they consider the...
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Shape Hunt

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students photograph shapes around their school and create a shape movie.  In this shape hunting lesson, students recognize shapes in a shape hunt.  Students can identify the shapes recorded by others in the class.
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The Importance of Trees in the Rural Area: Planting a Snowfence

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students discuss the importance of trees and work together to plant a living snowfence. In this tree importance lesson, students discuss why trees are important in rural areas. They use mathematics and team work to plant a living snowfence.
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JEPSON PRAIRIE RESERVE RESEARCH PROJECT

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students research a field question of their choosing.
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Animals of Point Reyes

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders explore how disasters affect animals.  In this animal habitats lesson students create an animal that will survive in Point Reyes habitats. 
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Contraceptives: Which Work Best?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students discover human health by identifying contraceptive methods. In this sexual health activity, students discuss the different methods used to prevent births and STD contraction. Students read assigned text which describes each...
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Texas Estuary Project

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students practice the proper lab techniques of coring, seining, taking temperatures, and salinity. Students analyze and graph data. Students write a 3 part essay and correctly draw and label a food web of their field site.
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Water Quality

For Teachers 6th - 8th
For this unit of lessons, students examine the quality of water. They create poems and make observations about the quality of water. They also examine hot spots and the quality of water in the Great Lakes.
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The Everglades

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students research the Everglades. In this Everglades lesson plan, students select an animal or plant to research and work collaboratively in small groups to prepare a presentation.  
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Polar Food Web Comparison

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders practice the evaluation component of the scientific method while comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences of the food chains and webs of polar animal life. They study about classification and ecology...
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Identifying plants, animals, insects, reptiles, and birds on the prairie

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students identify all of the plant an animal life on the prairie.  In this plant identification lesson plan students divide into groups and draw sketches of things they saw on the prairie. 
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Strands Walk An Ecological Observation

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students examine an ecosystem and analyze the role of two abiotic factors in the ecosystem.  For this ecosystem lesson students complete an activity on their ecosystem.
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Speed of a Forest Stream

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students study stream speed.  In this stream speed lesson students complete an activity and formulate an opinion and study its effects.
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Build a Journal

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners prepare for field journaling at Yosemite Institute. They create and decorate their Institute journal giving them both a place to journal and ownership of it.