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Soil Investigations
Middle schoolers examine the basics about soil. In this soil lesson students describe the physical properties of soil and explain what soil profile is.
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Marine Debris
Students perform experiments to examine if debris float, or blow in the wind. The effects of these characteristics on the marine debris are then discussed. They determine how a material can influence what becomes marine debris.
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Prairie Predator and Prey
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of animals that live on the prairie, and classify them as predators and prey. They conduct interviews where they ask the animals what they need to look out for to sustain life on the prairie.
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Rover Landing Design Challenge
Young scholars examine the concepts of forces and motion. They work together to design protective devices for their egg rovers as they are dropped from a specific height. They record their observations and discuss.
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Recycling-Taking it Easy on the Environment
Learners review the garbage/landfill graphs included with the lesson. They discuss the information on the graphs and discuss which garbage products come from their homes. Students collect examples of over packaging to share with class...
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March of the Polar Bears: Global Change, Sea Ice, and Wildlife Migration
Students study global change and how these changes impact wildlife. In this polar bears lesson plan students analyze maps and data to understand climate change.
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What Shapes a MPA?
Learners identify the three types of MPA in California. For this marine science lesson, students analyze information provided to design a new MPA. They justify their reasoning in class.
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Alien Invasions
Students create an educational pamphlet on the origins, spread and impact of invasive plant species in their community.
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Protecting Our Planet
Students examine the impact of pollution. In this pollution lesson, students watch Protecting Our Planet, then participate in a simulation of the effect of pollution on a variety of organisms.
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Mini Rockets
Students explore gases. For this chemical energy lesson, students will observer chemical reactions and infer a conclusion about reaction producing gasses.
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Stewardship of Yosemite National Park
Students devise a plan that would be true to John Muir's spirit of stewardship toward Yosemite. They analyze a core map to determine the original plan and usage of the park and compare the original plan to a current park map.
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The Energy Debate - Energy of Peanut
Students articulate the difference between the terms heat and temperature. They calculate the amount of energy associated with a given temperature rise and design an experiment to measure the energy of a fuel.
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The Environment and You
First graders examine the human environmental impact and discover ways to lessen effects. They create a pollution damage flow chart and write down what they think Mother Earth might say. They create inventions from recyclable materials.
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"Web of Life" Game
Students relate members of an ecosystem by their interactions. In this ecosystem lesson, students toss a ball to other members of their group (each representing a member of an ecosystem) and tell how they are related to that member....
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Rock Cycles, Crayon Cycles
Students examine the rock cycle and the path that rocks go through to rearranged in different ways. They define key vocabulary terms, then in small groups conduct a variety of experiments using crayon shavings as simulated rocks and...
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Evidence of Climate Change
Sixth graders examine climate change in the state of Colorado. In this climate lesson, 6th graders watch 2 video clips regarding the topic and research the subtopics- snow pack, precipitation, temperature, forest fires, river flow,...
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Stopping Global Climate Change
Learners synthesize or express concepts towards solving the question posed at each lab station about climate change. After all lab teams have finished, the teacher facilitates a class discussion on teams' responses to each station.
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Mountain Pine Beetles
Students 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...
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Zoo Poo
Students use Internet research to determine the amount of carbon dioxide produced per unit energy for biomass and coal. In this alternative energy lesson, students research to find out how much energy and carbon dioxide several coal and...
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SAVE OUR EARTH
Students research current environmental problems in order to develop and deliver an oral presentation. The presentation persuades the audience to act on the student's point of view on the issue.
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Lemon Batteries Revised
Fifth graders investigate how chemical energy in food and batteries is potential or stored energy. They discuss how batteries function, and create a class list of different forms of energy. Students then create a lemon battery that...
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Investigating Erosion in an Outdoor Classroom
First graders observe the effects of erosion. They work in groups to simulate erosion in a streambed, participate in class discussion, read books about fossils and rocks and then go on a fossil hunt.
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Women in Science
Students study the roles that women have played in science throughout history. They work in small groups while visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
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Outdoor Survival
Students are introduced to basic outdoor survival concepts. They identify the seven basic needs for survival. Students describe the symptoms and treatment for frostbite and hypothermia. They compare and contrast the value of different...