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Down To Earth
Fifth graders study the physical properties of minerals in order to identify them. They examine how minerals are used before taking part in a activity in which they market toothpaste made from specific minerals.
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Tower Challenge
Young scholars are given a problem to solve which is to construct a "Cost-effective" tower which supports a designated load. They work in teams to devise plans to create a tower capable of holding a standard brick using index cards.
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Structural Stability - Legos
Students are introduced to a variety of design elements that promote structural stability including beams, joints and pins. They demonstrate the use of these elements with Lego constructions and compare the stability of several...
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The Voting Booth
Students construct a "voting booth" to gather data using RCX programmable brick and touch sensors. They identify a survey question, construct the booth, and analyze the results by uploading data.
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Exploration of Civil War Webquest
Students use the internet to research what life was like for Confederate and Union soldiers in a specific battle of interest to them. In groups, they complete a webquest on the battle in which one represents a Confederate soldier and the...
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Reclamation and Recycling
Students learn the importance of plants and animals, ecosystems and habitats... and see how these factors guide mining reclamation projects. They then discover the importance of recycling, and the difference between manufacturing with...
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LEGO Mini-Golf
Students work together in teams to build a LEGO golf course. They build holes with sensors on them for the golf balls. They answer questions about their project to end the lesson.
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Paper Packaging Design
Students discuss the relationship between technology and manufacturing. They then use their ideas to construct a model of a paper board carton package. Next they view a PowerPoint presentation to learn about the history of packaging...
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Project Wetlands
Students develop a joint undertaking designed to solve an environmental problem in their local community. They tackle the problem of erosion of banks and chemical run-off into a nearby lake, which is within walking distance of school.
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Engineering: Lego Cars and Light Sensors
Students build Lego cars with attached light sensors. They program the car to enter a tunnel and reverse out when it records a darker light reading.
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Music Box
Young scholars work together to build a music box. They create figures that move when a song plays. They answer discussion questions to complete the lesson.
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Peak Performance
Students design and build a car that is capable of traveling across the floor quickly, and also up a steep ramp.
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Measuring Water Temperature
Students measure the temperature of three water sources. They collect data points every second for twenty five seconds for each sample using Lego Robolab temperature sensors, complete a worksheet, and analyze the data.
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Flower Pounding
Students create wall hangings from fresh flowers using a technique called flower pounding. Wall hangings can be used to create a classroom quilt as well. This is an activity that can be adapted for many grade levels.
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Termite trails
Students observe termite trail-following behavior. Termites tend to follow lines made on paper by ballpoint pens because the ink contains a chemical that is similar to the trail pheromones used by termites to lead colony members to food...
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Community
Learners use computer software to make a postcard. In this community resource lesson, students make a postcard for a place in their community using multimedia software on the computer. Learners write a few sentences describing the place...
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Lesson 1 Walk Through and Notes
Fourth graders take notes on a class discussion. In this economy lesson students discuss Indiana's economy over a span of history. The students use a map and a timeline.
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All Wrapped Up
Students explore packaging. In this cross-curriculum lesson, students bring in samples of food packaging and identify the packaging as natural or manufactured.
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What Will I Do?
Eighth graders investigate future career choices by looking at classified ads in the newspaper. They consider their lifestyle choices when looking at career options. They prepare a written essay which details how they will prepare for...
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Maple Syrup
Students comprehend the process of making pure maple syrup. They identify differences between pure syrup and artifical maple syrup. Students are asked what is in the displayed containers. They sample the syrups and try to figure out...
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Flour Beetles
Students observe life stages in flour beetles and graph the results. They write a summary report.
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Sodium Bentonite Swelling Index
Students research the effects of sodium bentonite being combined with water. They discuss the reasons why this chemical is used in landfills. They measure the swelling index of sodium bentonite clay.