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Dark Skies: Volcanic Contribution to Climate Change
Students examine how volcanic eruptions affect global climate. They listen to first-hand accounts of the effects of a large volcanic eruption and illustrate a landscape to show understanding. They experiment with the loss of light and...
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Three States of Matter
Third graders investigate the three states of matter and the properties of materials as they undergo physical changes. They identify examples of each type of matter, role-play atoms in solids, liquids, and gases, and conduct an...
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Whst Makes You Tick?
Eleventh graders explore the major organs of the circulatory system. In this circulatory system lesson, 11th graders create, identify and describe parts of the system. Students view a list of major organs and predict what their job is....
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Race the Track! Super Slope (Lesson One)
Fifth graders utilize basic physics concepts to calculate speed of an object set in motion from various heights. In this basic physics lesson, 5th graders make observations, calculations, record data, and conclusions throughout experiment.
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Rotational Inertia
Students spin themselves to understand rotational inertia. In this Inertia activity, students will also use ramps, balance beam and pendelum to conduct rotational inertia experiments. Students draw conclusions to explain rotational...
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The Science of Shadow Puppets
Students explore the art of shadow puppetry. In this performing arts lesson, students study the functions of lighting in the puppet theater as they examine the transmission, absorption, and reflection of light. As a culminating activity,...
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Frozen, Canned or Fresh?
Students compare spinach. In this Science lesson, students construct an experiment to test fresh, frozen, and canned spinach taste and texture. Students record their findings in charts and graphs.
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Let's Get Carried Away
Students discover how seeds travel from their parent plants in search of water, sunlight, and nutrients, and conduct experiments in which they note characteristics that encourage seed dispersal by means of wind, water, animal carriers,...
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The Way Levers Work
Fifth graders discover the rules by which the lever slants and balances. They determine that there are a great many tools that employ the lever principle even in their ordinary environments. They consider how to use objects easily...
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Solar Energy Connection
Students conduct solar experiments. They calculate the solar gain and operate a solar cell devise used to generate electricity. Students compare and contrast solar energy gain with students in India. They analyze the difference...
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GPS Sports Field Activity
Learners practice using GPS receivers and explore how knowing the coordinates of two locations allows them to determine the distance between those two points. They use the theory that they already had knowledge of and apply it to a...
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Get to Know Birds
Learners observe animals in their natural habitats. In this bird identification lesson, students observe birds by watching and listening and report on the sightings they made. Learners also document bird signs such as tracks, nests and...
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Flight Dreams - Flight Factors
Students investigate the physics of flight by experimenting in class. In this history of flight instructional activity, students define terms such as gravity, lift, and drag in order to better understand how a plane is able to stay...
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Three, Two, One, Go!
Students work in teams conducting an experiment that demonstrates why the height of an inclined plane affects the speed at which an object travels. They record data on a chart and calculate speed to reveal the results of three trials at...
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Educating K-12 Students about Glacier Dynamics in a Changing Climate
Students determine which of the following parameters, slope, ice, temperature or basal condition affects the glacier speed the most. They create their own experiment to test what influences glacier speed and temperature of the ice.
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Magnets
Students complete a series of experiments using magnets. In this physical science and magnetism lesson, students first predict and test the magnetic properties of various objects, then students determine if the size of a magnet impacts...
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Name That Taste
Students analyze taste buds. In this taste lesson, students complete an experiment in groups of four people. Students have four cups with a different substance in each cup. One student dips a Q-tip into each cup and tests on another...
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Take the Pulse of Your Classroom
Students discuss seismic waves. In this science lesson, students investigate the acceleration of the floor in the classroom similar to a seismograph. Students observe a three-component seismogram from an earthquake and determine what it...
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Modeling the Big Bang and the Formation of the Universe
Sixth graders conduct an experiment to understand the Big Bang Theory. In this Big Bang Theory lesson, 6th graders will observe a balloon with confetti popping to emulate and analyze information related tot he Big Bang theory....
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To Float or Not to Float, That is the Question?
Ninth graders develop operational definition of density, do computations using density equation, categorize pieces of matter as being able to float on
water or not, based on density, explain why some objects sink or float based on...
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Cold As Ice
Fourth graders investigate how glaciers cause the weathering of landforms. They observe a brick that has been placed on a frozen slab of ice, and discuss the results, comparing them to the movements of a glacier. In small groups, they...
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Polymers Lab: Bouncy Ball and Slime
Eighth graders investigate chemical reactions to produce polymers. In this polymers lesson plan, 8th graders experiment with sodium silicate and ethyl alcohol to make a polymer. They also experiment with borax and glue to make a polymer....
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When Dinosaurs Ruled The World
Students discover how a paleontologist digs up fossils and what tools they use. In this paleontology lesson, students discuss the importance of the job of a paleontologist, watch a video on the process of extracting fossils, and...
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Elements of Chemistry: Solids, Liquids and Gases
Students predict if icebergs melting has an effect on the sea level rising. In this global warming instructional activity students complete an experiment to see the effects of melting icebergs and write a conclusion on their data...