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Is a Pulley a Special Kind of Lever?
Fifth graders use information from their text to read and discuss pulleys and levers. They examine a top sketch of the arrangement of a fixed pulley. Working in groups, 5th graders perform experiments to test the effect of using a pulley...
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Beaver, or not?
Young scholars study the role of the beaver in Illinois during the 1800's and how overtrapping cause the near extinction of the beaver colonies in Illinois by 1900.  Students role play various people in 1945 who have an opinion about the...
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Can You SEA Walls?
Students explore how wave energy that is generated and transferred in the ocean. They explore the aspects of a wave and how its energy affects the ecology of the seashore. Students engage in an activity that uses the nature of science...
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An Uplifting Experience
Fifth graders research and complete a graphic organizer about the principles of flight. For this aviation lesson, 5th graders experiment to understand the work of Daniel Bernouli and his discoveries about air pressure. Students create...
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Guetemala's Changing Forest
Eighth graders compare their local ecological zone to the tropical rainforest. In this natural ecology lesson, 8th graders complete an activity about the differences in ecological zones. They compare their biome to the Guatemalan...
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Theatre Lesson Plan- Tableau (part 2)
Students explore tableaux.  In this social studies and fine arts cross curriculum lesson, students work in groups of four to create "frozen" stage pictures (tableaux) representing vocabulary and concepts from a "From Farm to You"...
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Bovine Oversteps Boundaries
Sixth graders read about Grady, the Silo Cow and analyze the parts of a news story.  In this news article activity, 6th graders discuss writing for different purposes.  Students discover the characteristics of a strong...
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Surviving the Conditions
Students explore Earth science by participating in an environmental care activity. In this natural resources lesson, students discuss ways to protect themselves from the environment if they are ever in need of shelter in the wilderness....
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Thirsty for Drought Relief
Students research a variety of drought-related concerns, acting as part of a 'drought preparedness taskforce.' They propose next steps for the government to take in case of drought and assess the viability of these proposals.
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Natural Resources Trick-or-Treat
Learners explore that some resources are finite.  They are able to deelop an understanding of commodities-some resources are worth more than others so companies choose to spend more money to find them.  Students realize that some...
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Waterdrops Water Cycle
In this earth science worksheet, students read an article about the water cycle. Then they continue the story about the travels of a water droplet through time and space. Students also complete sentences by writing in the correct word...
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The Magic School Bus Holiday Special
Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students learn the importance of recycling as they explore how things can be reused or recycled again and again.
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Information, Please!
Students examine how aluminum is recycled.  In this recycling lesson, students participate in a field trip to a local recycling center to observe the process of recycling aluminum. Students take notes and report their findings.
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Water: Read All About It!
Students discuss newspapers and water and work in groups to develop their own paper focusing on water issues. In this journalism lesson plan, students discuss the value of newspapers and water as an issue. They work as a group to develop...
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Brain Awareness Week
Students explore human anatomy by completing a list of activities over five days. In this brain science lessons, students examine images of brains and identify the different parts. Students complete an in-class quiz regarding brain...
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Energy Efficient Homes
Students observe and gather data from a model simulated home.  In this efficiency lesson students examine the factors that influence energy efficiency, complete a lab activity then draw conclusions from their data.
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The Interpretation of Dreams
High schoolers study Freud and what he thought of dreams.  In this dream interpretation lesson students complete an experiment on dreams. 
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What Shapes a MPA?
Students identify the three types of MPA in California. In this marine science lesson, students analyze information provided to design a new MPA. They justify their reasoning in class.
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3RC (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost)
Students examine the effects of packaging decisions and the engineering advancements in packaging materials and waste management.  They observe biodegradation in a model landfill.
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Energy Transformation
Learners experiment with variety of materials to investigate, develop inferences, and differentiate between concepts of motion energy and heat energy, and the part played by friction in the transformation process.
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Field Trip Preparation
Learners prepare for a field trip. They navigate through a Underground Network site. This "field trip" can be conducted in a patch of healthy grass or soil anywhere you can find it: right outside your building, in a backyard or at a...
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The Atoms Family Album
In this atomic structure activity, students read a story with characters acting as the particles in an atom. They create a trading card for each particle, draw the structure of an atom and sing an atom song.
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The Atoms Family Album
In the atom instructional activity, students read a story about the "Atoms Family" and are given descriptions of the structures of atoms through the story. Students interpret the descriptions by drawing the described atom structure, they...
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Mountain Pine Beetles
High schoolers research and develop power point presentations that answer the question, "What is changing our forests?" In this ecology lesson, students research the niche of Pine Beetles and their increased effect on the forests in...