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Electromagnets
Students conduct a series of experiments on electromagnets. For this physics lesson, students build their own electromagnet and explain how it works. They determine the factors that affect its strength.
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Reed Switch
Students build simple electromagnetic reed switch motors. In this physics lesson, students explain how it works. They cite real world applications of reed switches and relays.
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How Pollution Disrupts Our Natural Environment
Students conduct experiments to illustrate global warming. For this air pollution lesson, students first examine how a layer of greenhouse gasses might impact the earth's atmospheric temperature, then evaluate how the layer of gasses...
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Monkeying Around
Third graders study machines. They watch a video about and identify and chart machines they find at home and at school. They design and build simple and compound machines, create an advertisement for them and attempt to sell them at the...
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Dripping Wet or Dry as a Bone?
Students use a sponge and water model to explore the concept of relative humidity and create a percent scale. They define humidity and saturation, build a simple humidity/saturation model, collect, predict and interpret data, and create...
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Go to the Source- Your Town's Tap Water
Students investigate their town's tap water. In this water quality activity, students complete a simple taste-testing experiment and online research to investigate tap water.
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Lenz's Law
Young scholars conduct a series of experiments on electromagnetic induction. In this physics lesson, students apply the right hand rule to determine the current direction and electromotive force. They test Lenz's and Faraday's law by...
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How Stuff Is Put Together (Chemical Bonding)
Fourth graders participate in a simple experiment that shows the ratio of elements that make up water.
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Squiggly, Wiggly Worms
Students, who are in early elementary grades, pair with fifth grade students to study worms. They observe worms in experiments, create research questions, and complete the research using Internet sites. They participate in a "Worm...
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Understanding: Flight
Young scholars review the principles of flight before performing a series of simple experiments. Working in small groups, they complete hands-on activities that demonstrate the principles that make it possible for an airplane to lift...
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Making Your Dog Your Best Friend
Students delve into dog training. In this biology lesson plan, students learn that hands, voice and heart is the basis of dog training and through demonstration and take part in a hands-on experience to teach a dog simple commands and to...
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"Stick to It!" Properties of Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tapes
Students investigate the strength of different adhesives. In this physical science lesson plan, students compare the force needed to peel adhesive tapes from a surface. They analyze collected data and make a generalization.
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Tornado In A Bottle
Students are able to visualize a tornado usig a simple experiment. They are divided into small groups. Students drill a 3/8 inch hole in the center of each bottle cap. Students connect the caps to the top of each other using glue. ...
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Turning the Air Upside Down
Students analyze how engineers study temperature inversions and convection currents to understand why pollution levels may be higher in some areas than others. They participate in an experiment that allows them to build simple models to...
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Not So Neutral Views
Students explore ways to use indicators to distinguish between acids and bases. They conduct an experiment to model and discuss the harmful effect of acid rain in our living and non-living environment.
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Fractals, An Inquiry: Day 3
Students develop questions for their inquiries and plan their experiments. They are supported by a modeled case study of Max the Dog's Inquiry Planning Process, as well as supported by a planning template, The Inquiry Organizer.
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Fractals, An Inquiry: Day 4
Students put their growing understanding of the scientific inquiry process to work. They use paint to implement their plans to experiment with how changing one aspect of the fractal making process influences their appearance.
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Alexander Calder: Master of Balance
Students build simple mobiles. In this equilibrium lesson, students investigate the functions of three types of levers as they analyze artwork by Alexander Calder. Students then create their own simplified mobiles.
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Language with Linguistic Legos
Young scholars visualize and manipulate sentences as building blocks, and, given a key, use Legos™ to demonstrate how to construct sentences of variety (simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex).
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What Plants Need in Order to Survive and Grow: Light
Students conduct an experiment to evaluate whether plants need light to survive and grow. They observe and gather data about plant responses to different growth regimes, analyze the data, and make conclusions about basic plant needs.
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Wind
Students conduct an experiment. In this wind measurement instructional activity, students learn about instruments that measure the wind and then make a weather vane. Students record wind speed over a few days.
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DEW POINT
Fourth graders investigate conditions causing saturation and measure the dew point of the atmosphere performing simple experiments.
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I've Got That Sinking Feeling
Students design a simple boat and predict how much weight it can carry. They should also discover why objects float or sink and how this can be determined experimentally. A great lesson on buoyancy!
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Wet Pennies
Students conduct a simple test to determine how many drops of water, rubbing alcohol and vegetable oil can be placed on a penny before spilling over. They consider how varying surface tensions allow for different amounts of each liquid...