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Velocity
Students determine the average speed of a toy car as it travels six different distances set up by Students. Three trials are done for each distance. The only requirements is that the longest distance must be at least three times longer...
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The Beaufort Scale: A Local Model
Students study the Beaufort Scale and use it to study wind in their community. In this wind study lesson, students watch a DVD about climate change and learn about the Beaufort Scale. Students complete a worksheet for the topic.
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Opposites Attract
Learners demonstrate the attraction of small pieces of paper to a charged plastic rod and conduct experiment with other objects to determine whether they can hold a charge. They then use online applets to apply their experiments to...
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Simple Machines
Fourth graders choose a simple machine and write about they way they believe it will work. Students experiment, write down procedures used and record observations. They will find a picture of the machine and add it to their report.
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Friction of a Block Weight
Fifth graders hypothesize and design an experiment to study the relationship between a block weight and the number of washers it takes to pull a block across various surfaces. Students graph results and apply their findings to a...
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Asteroids
Students examine a potential asteroid impact site. They describe evidence and theories for extinction events.
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Twister: The Tornado Story
Students examine dangerous weather by researching tornadoes. In this extreme weather activity, students identify the states included in Tornado Alley. Students create a virtual tornado using 2 plastic bottles.
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Suspension Bridge Construction
Students study types, strength and construction of a variety of bridges. They build a model bridge and test the amount of weight it support.
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Measure for Measure: Weight and Energy
High schoolers study the friction of a particular sport. In this weight and energy lesson students choose a sport and us the Internet to research it then present their findings to the class.
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Wave Equations
Students manipulate a model of a wave in order to solve the wave equation in 1 dimension. By using a model of a wave on a string the student is able to change the tension, length, and mass of the string as well as fix either end of the...
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Solar System: Let's Take a Trip
Third graders consider outer space. In this introductory solar system lesson, 3rd graders complete a KWL chart and listen to the story The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System, by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen. They will contribute...
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Activity Two Teacher Page: Explosions
Students identify variables that affect the system, and specify which variables are independent and which are dependent.
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Balls and Ramp
Students role several balls of different weights down a ramp and into a paper cup and record how far each ball made the paper cup move. They then answer questions that help them analyze their results and reinforce the idea that energy...
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Momentum And Colliding Spheres
Students explain that mass times velocity equals momentum. They investigate the impacts of collisions and their results and determine the vector of an incident.
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Airplanes
Fourth graders experiment with gravity and lift by building paper airplanes. In this physics lesson, 4th graders compare the falling rate of a crumpled vs. flat sheet of paper. Then after class discussion and demonstration of Bernoulli's...
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Pangaea Puzzle
Students explore plate tectonics and the formations of the Earth's surface and why maps are distorted. In this Earth's surface lesson students complete a lab and answer questions.
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Energy Conversion
Sixth graders study energy conversions. They watch a demonstration of a working engine and make a chart explaining the energy conversions taking place. They build a simple electric motor and research other types of electric generators.
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The Ups and Downs of Weight and Mass
Students explore the concept of mass, and how it differs from weight. They also calculate their weight change as they ride up and down on an elevator. They record the changes in their weight as the elevator moves
graph the collected data.
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Civil Engineering: Designing Bridges
Students examine the bridges of the United States. They discuss the concept of balance. They draw their own design of a suspension bridge.
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Heat Up the Floating Plates
Eighth graders research the connection between the convection currents within the mantle of the earth and the moving of Earth's plates. A connection to lessons at previous grade levels on the rock cycle and important background...
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Electroscope
Students examine what an electroscope is and who invented it. For this electrical lesson students build their own Emergency Radiation detector Electroscope.
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Cloud Types
Students examine cloud types. In this cloud lesson, students identify cloud types, observe clouds and collect data, and analyze data to identify the most common cloud they observe overhead during the course of a month.
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Earthquake Depth
Students research and locate earthquake epicenters on a map using latitude and longitude. They determine if the depth of an earthquake has any relationship to the distance from a plate boundary.
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Volcano!-Thar She Blows!
Students describe how volcanoes are formed. They name the types of boundaries where volcanoes occur. They utilize models to illustrate the occurence of volcanoes and earthquakes along plate boundaries. They compare and constrast the...