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Day and Night
Third graders view a classroom simulation that demonstrates how the Earth's rotation creates day and night.
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Looking Back, Up and Ahead
Students explore how scientists have forecasted the 2002 Leonid meteor shower. They pose their own predictions for peak meteor rates per hour during the 2002 shower and compare their results with actual observed rates.
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Where's the CAT? a DNA Profiling Simulation.
Young scholars explore DNA technology. Students participate in a simulation to perform at the basic steps of a DNA profile. They observe copies of DNA sequences, construct DNA probes, and discuss outcomes of their experiment.
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The Best of the Solar System (Grades 4-7)
Students explore planetary research and become familiar with the planets and their characteristics. They compare and contrasts planets and moons.
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The Best of the Solar System (Grades 6-8)
Learners are introduced to planetary research and become familiar with the planets and their features. They view images of the planets, and fill in an information chart which is imbedded in this plan.
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Save the Bay!
Students explore environmental protection by creating a presentation in class. In this Chesapeake Bay lesson, students discuss the current threats from human beings towards the delicate balance of life near the bay. Students identify the...
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Social Studies: Your Family Does What?
Sixth graders compare and contrast their own personal culture with that of Japan. They fill out questionnaires, compile the results, and match them with Japanese answers to the same forms. Students create a Venn diagram of the...
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Going Through A Phase
Students are introduced to remote sensing equipment used to gather information about the moon. They learn basic facts about the moon such as size, landforms, temperature and gravitational influence on the earth's tides.
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How Do We Forecast Weather?
Third graders investigate how scientists collect weather data in order to forecast the weather. They work in small groups in order to research one type of weather technology such as, satellite images, radar, surface observations, or...
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Worms in a Bottle
Students gain a better understanding of the worm and its role in the recycling of organic materials into simpler forms by constructing worm bottles and observing for 60 to 90 days.
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Geologic Time: Relative and Absolute Dating
Students investigate relative and absolute dating; determine the difference between the two dating systems; and apply this knowledge by creating a geologic timetable of their own.
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Sun too close? We'll just change Earth's orbit
Students study an article and discuss what would happen if the Earth's orbit changed. In this Earth's orbit lesson plan students answer a list of questions and complete an activity.
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Who Wants to Be a Thrillionaire?
Learners explore the investments undertaken by the "thrillionaire" Paul G. Allen, and propose future areas of high-tech scientific investment for Mr. Allen to pursue.
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The Flat Stanley Project
Students read the book Flat Stanley. In this environmental stewardship instructional activity, students participate in earth-friendly activities based upon the book. This instructional activity includes ideas such as using recycled...
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Sunscapes
Students share their observations of the Sun, then analyze images collected by NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. They create exhibitions for presentations.
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Little Me in a Big World: Ants
Students use the life cycle of an ant to learn about their own self-esteem. In this self-esteem instructional activity, students read books about ants and discuss obstacles from the stories as well as the ant behavior.
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Investigation 4 - Plot Studies
Third graders use a plot map to study the plants and animals living in a small area of their environment.
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The Appearance of the Moon
Third graders watch a demonstration on how craters were formed on the moon. Individually, they care given a set of materials that represent the moon surface and make their own craters. To end the lesson, they measure the size of the...
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Recipes for the Future
Students engage in real time interactions with researchers and are exposed to innovative research. They conduct an experiment designed to investigate the strength and maximum deflection of a composite material with and without the use of...
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Plane Weather
Students examine the important issue of plane safety. In groups, they are introduced to how NASA determines if it is safe to fly on a particular day given certain conditions. They use the internet to research the types of tools and...
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"To Terraform or Not to Terraform?"
Students analyze an article written by an engineer at NASA proposing colonizing Mars with human explorers on the fastest track possible. They are invited to react to the article through several activities.
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Planetary Research (Grades 9-12)
Students are introduced to planetary research and familiarize them with the planets and their features. They see that each planet has unique features. Planets have some common features and that images can be used to study the planets and...
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Predicting the Greening of Spring With Red Emperor Tulips
Learners examine seasonal changes by watching tulip plant growth across the continent utilizing the Journey North website. They develop hypotheses as to why the plants emerge and grow where they do.