University of Southern California
Discovering Plants
Students construct a small greenhouse and plant lima beans. They read books about plants, tend the lima bean seedlings, observe and record plant growth, taste a variety of plants and maintain plant journals.
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Sonar Simulation
Students explore how a side-scan sonar can help locate underwater objects. In this hands- on lesson students compare side-scan sonar and other methods used to search for underwater objects by creating their own "simulation" of a...
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The Oceanographic Yo-Yo
Students examine how oceanographers use chemical and physical parameters of seawater to locate hydrothermal vents. For this ocean lesson students complete an activity and worksheets.
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Entering the Twilight Zone
Students describe major features of cold seep communities and list organisms that are found in these communities. In this water habitat instructional activity students examine trophic levels, describe the process of...
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Modeling Subtraction of Fractions: Post Test Questions
For this fraction worksheet, students complete a set of short answer and multiple choice questions focusing on subtracting fractions. Students may click on a link to view correct answers.
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Food Web Mystery
Learners describe typical marine food webs, and explain why food is generally scarce in the deep-ocean environment. They discuss reasons that seamounts may support a higher density of biological organisms than would appear to be possible.
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How Does Your Magma Grow?
Students identify the three types of plate boundaries and the Earth's tectonic plates system. They examine how the Galapagos Islands were formed and hydrothermal vents.
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The Path of Pollution
Students examine the path of pollution that was created by the Chernobyl accident. They discover how air pollution travels from one area to another and sequentially locate the countries where radiation traveled to.
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Mapping Community Values
Students discuss the origin of various maps focusing on the values behind them. Students also explore how human needs and geography influence community settlement patterns. Students extend learning by creating and mapping their own ideal...
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Big Fleas Have Little Fleas!
Students study seamounts and learn the importance of structures to species. In this ocean explorer lesson, students participate in an activity that teaches them how to modify a seamount so that they are more suitable for species.
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Distant Relatives
Young scholars investigate observations between widely separated populations of anchialine cave fauna. In this biogeography lesson students discuss theories that could explain the given observations.
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Edward Burtynsky's Ship Breaking
Seventh graders view Edward Burtynsky's artwork that represents ship breaking. They view images of recycling, the water cycle, rusted metal, and ships to determine factors that threaten the existence of a particular habitat of an...
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Ancient Greece Across the Curriculum
Sixth graders explore Ancient Greece using resources in literature, math, social studies, and science.
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Draw It!
Students follow directions to make two- and three-dimensional shapes. Focusing on polygons, they use the shapes to solve real-world problems and review with the class. They read two of Shel Silverstein's poems and discuss the...
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What Am I?
In this pronoun activity, 2nd graders focus on the capitalization and usage of the word "I." Students recopy 9 sentences on the lines provided making the necessary corrections.
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Mapping Deep-Sea Habitat
Students create a two-dimensional topographic map and a 3-D model of landforms. In this creative lesson plan students create 2 and 3-D objects and learn how to interpret the data from these things.
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Design a Reef!
Students design a functional model of a coral reef ecosystem. In this coral reef activity, students identify the energy sources and material cycles of a coral reef. They write an essay about their niche in their own ecosystem.
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Giants of the Protozoa
Students describe and define xenophyophores. For this protozoa lesson students divide into groups and complete a lab activity.
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Creating a Web Page
Students complete a unit focusing on the creation of a student-generated website. They read and evaluate articles about business ethics, critique websites, and develop a student-created webpage.
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Lindbergh Flies Again
Learners research to find the location of the flight of Charles Lindbergh, and interpret its significance. They identify and analyze the changes in aeronautic technology since 1927. The lesson lists several discussion questions that can...
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Extreme Acceleration
Students explore the concept of acceleration. They determine the acceleration rate of a roller-blader and graph the results.
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Cranes, Crosswalks, and Big Gulps
Students watch a video and answer questions based on wildlife jobs. In this wildlife lesson plan, students learn that biologists don't just play with animals but that there is a lot of study involved.
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Simple Machines, Engines and the Environment
Students examine and describe the six main simple machines. In groups, they work with an inclined plane to calculate the ideal and actual mechanical advantages of the plane. Using their results, they must determine the efficiency of the...
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Paleo-Diving
Students study sinkholes and how they are associated with paleoamerican settlements. In this underwater exploration lesson students explain how sinkholes are formed.