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It's Alive! Or is it...?
Students apply their knowledge of the characteristics of living things to unknown creatures to determine whether they can be considered "alive." They watch a Star Trek episode, then describe the characteristics of life.
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The Great Rock Sort
Students describe and sort rocks according to their physical properties. They listen to a story and discuss what they know about rocks, then work with a partner to discuss how their sample rocks differ from each other.
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Microorganism Multiplication
Sixth graders conduct experiments with yeast to study characteristics of microorganisms. They, working is small groups, change the variables in the experiments and note the results which they later discuss as a class.
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Rock vs. Mineral - Lesson #1
Students describe visual, textural, and other physical qualities of sample rock specimens. Using compare and contrast skills, students sort and classify the specimens according to their assessments of the qualities present in each....
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Rock vs. Mineral - Lesson #2
Students visually distinguish between those rocks that appear to be made of one substance, vs. those that appear to have more than one. This leads to the distinctions that indicate the different types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary and...
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Measuring the Effect of Adrenaline on the Heart Rate of Zebra Fish
Students investigate the heart beat of zebra fish in timed intervals. They record the heart beats and average three counts to display in their data tables. They repeat these steps increasing the adrenaline solution.
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"Five Little Seeds"
Fourth graders complete various activities related to the plant life cycle. They read the book "The Tiny Seed," read and discuss the poem "Five Little Seeds," complete a "Plantenstein Mystery" and other online activities, write and...
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Aquatic Organisms and Their Habitats
Students investigate the presence of specific organisms in a freshwater habitat to determine the quality of that habitat. They conduct a field study and distinguish and classify organisms found during the field study.
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The Whole Trut about Whole Grain Breads
Students comprehend the nutrition benefits whole grain breads. They explore how to overcome the common barriers to eating whole grain bread. Students investigate how to choose and store whole grain breads. They comprehend the...
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Inventing Insects
Students explore the world of insects and discover what it might be like to live like one. They create an insect with physical characteristics and demonstrate how it moves. Students also compare and contrast insects to spiders and how...
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Plants: Scattering Seeds
Students collect and microscopically examine seeds from the school yard and neighborhood. In small groups, they draw and discuss the shapes of the seeds to determine each plant's method of dispersal. they also test two types of seeds...
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Structure of Seeds and Effects of Fertilizer on Plant Growth
Investigate the structure of seeds and the effects of fertilizer on the growth of plants. Young scientists observe a peanut and determine if it is a monocot or dicot plant. They plant seeds and make varying solutions of fertilizer, then...
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Fun Activities Using Seeds
Learners analyze the size, shape, and form of several different seeds. In this all about seeds lesson plan, students complete four activities involving characteristics of seeds. Learners observe the seeds, record information about the...
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Microorganisms: Good Guys or Bad Guys?
Young scholars discover the role microorganisms play in our lives. In this decomposition lesson, students examine decaying foods and plants in order to analyze the different bacteria that grows. Young scholars discuss the good and bad of...
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Wigglers, Tumblers, & Bloodsuckers
Students explore the life stages of a mosquito. In this animal biology instructional activity, students read Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema and complete several activities including an experiment with mosquito...
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Flower Dissection
Students dissect three different flowers and compare and contrast them. In this flowers lesson plan, students learn about the flower anatomy and then dissect their own flowers.
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Plant Pollution
Middle schoolers study the different parts of a flower and their functions. In this pollination lesson plan students study a flower under a microscope.
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Seed Socks
Learners explore how seeds travel. In this seed disbursement lesson, students head outside in their bare socks. Learners walk around then before going inside they take the socks off and examine what their socks picked up. As a class the...
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Smile...you're on Insect Camera!
Students study insects. They go on an outdoor insect outing and look for insects in a variety of places--in the air, under rocks, on leaves, in water, etc. They record information about the insects they find, including habitat, weather...
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Splendid Spores
Students explore fungi. In this fungi lesson, students take a slice of bread and leave it outside for a day. Students record their observations of the fungi on the bread the following day.
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Camouflage: A Study of Stealth and Survival
Students study insect camouflage. In this organisms lesson, students design and create their own 3D insect models to blend into a habitat. Students write a paragraph about the camouflage their insect has and explain how their insect is...
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Invertebrate Diversity
Learners observe different animals with bilateral symmetry. In this biology lesson plan, students compare how these animals move. They discuss the evolutionary history of observed animals.
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Micro-organisms
Students learn what a micro-organism is. In this micro-organism lesson, students understand that micro-organisms may be too small to see. Students learn microorganisms could be bacteria, fungi, something beneficial or a harmful microbe....
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The Energy of Light
Students discuss different ways engineers use light. In this engineering instructional activity, students are introduced to the properties of light and the way light is used. They view a demonstration of light waves using a slinky, and...