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Salt Marsh in a Pan
Students create a model of a salt marsh to discover the impact of pollution and human activities on water-based habitats including bays and the ocean. They recognize the relationship between natural and developed areas. Students impact...
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Getting Fired Up
Students explore first-person accounts of volcanic eruptions throughout time and use second-hand information about volcanoes. They use both types of accounts to write news articles covering the events of a historic volcanic eruption as...
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The Selection and Variation in the Egyptian Origami Bird
Students participate in a contrived natural selection simulation in which they build and modify simple paper airplanes. They study divergent and convergent evolution and how it is isolated in sub-populations.
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Time Machine: Evolution, Geology
Students are taken on a simulated "voyage" backward in time, to the beginning of our planet. They "witness" that beginning, the origin of life, and a number of key events from then to the present.
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The Great Jellybean Hunt
Learners explore natural selection and its influence on the populations to fine tune traits and characteristics. The acquisition of traits developed out of need is examined through a game played in class.
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Eye on the Storm
Students discover the way geologists collect information about past hurricanes to determine patterns that may help with storm prediction. They then research the history of natural disasters in different regions of the United States and...
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Sampling Rocks
Students investigate rocks. In this earth science lesson plan, students collect rocks from the schoolyard and describe each of the rocks. Students measure and weigh each rock and record the results. Students create a rock guide for the...
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The Mysterious Tragedy at Lake Nyos
Students present a convincing explanation of the Lake Nyos event and propose a solution to prevent future tragedies at central and western African lakes.
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Improbability of Evolution
Middle schoolers disprove evolution. In this science lesson, students disprove evolution by attempting to prove that creation is the way it all began. They use the improbability that evolution could exist and expose its fallacies, frauds...
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Is Your Spot Hot?
Eighth graders explore global warming. In this Earth Science lesson plan, 8th graders will look for Harbingers and fingerprints for different areas. The students will identify an area at risk and they will then create a presentation to...
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Whose Water is It?
High schoolers study water quality and water quantity issues in their community. They will examine state water laws, learn about current issues relating to water use and water scarcity in their region and the state, investigate and role...
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After the Garbage Can: Where Does Our Trash Go?
Students explore how waste disposal has changed over time and what the current issues are. In this disposal instructional activity students collect data and create graphs.
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Our Zoo Friends
First graders plan and create a model zoo depicting the natural habitats of animals. Their models include animals and a display of written factual information about the animals. Students present their project by conductig a tour of...
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Changes in the Atmosphere or Hydrosphere
In this atmosphere and hydrosphere worksheet, students work on assigned topic which are either categorized as human activity or natural activity which impact the atmosphere and the hydrosphere. Students work in groups and answer...
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Get Ready to Rumble
Students use the Internet to examine earthquakes. They discover the theory of tectonic plates and analyze faults throughout the world. They also examine the science of seismology to explain how earthquakes are measured.
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Issue Players and Their Positions
Students identify Environmental Health Problems caused by both living and nonliving things. They summarize Issue Components (event, problem, issue, players, and positions) involving environmental health issues such as contamination in...
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Archaeology and Storytelling
Students identify and interpret both individual families and whole cultures learn about their pasts by collecting and analyzing stories and artifacts. Then they identify that not all archaeological finds readily reveal their history to...
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Seeds! What is Inside; How does it Grow and Why is it Important?
Students discover the importance of seeds in relationship to nature. In this plant growth lesson plan, students create a collection of seeds and discover the best type of environment to plant them. Students plant their own wheat seeds...
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Shape Shifters- Trees and the Environment
Learners make a tree sculpture. In this trees and the environment lesson, students learn about the parts of a tree, discuss what a tree needs in order to grow, find images of trees in art and nature, use various materials to create a...
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The Wilderness Concept: Our National Parks, History and Issues
Middle schoolers examine the history of the National parks. In groups, they discuss the concepts of conservation and preservation. They discuss the use of natural resources and how some are renewable and non-renewable. To end the lesson...
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Understanding Community Environment
In this understanding community environment worksheet, students, after exploring 5 parts of a study unit (link provided), choose a project (make a video, book, game, plan a garden or nature map, collect data, write a rap or crossword...
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Food Chains
Fourth graders study food chains, producers, consumers, and decomposers. They play a food chain game and create food chain mobiles or posters. They take a nature hike around the school and observe various parts of a food chain.
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Teeshirt Printing
Young scholars become responsible and involved citizens. In this t-shirt printing lesson plan students design and create a teeshirt with a message about citizenship and responsibility. Natural objects are used as stamps.
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Breaking News: Second Explosion at Japan Nuclear Plant (14th March, 2011)
Students explore current events by sharing information about the Japanese nuclear plant. In this nuclear energy lesson, students discuss the pros and cons of nuclear energy plants and whether or not they can typically withstand natural...