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Ornithology and Real World Science
Double click that mouse because you just found an amazing lesson plan! This cross-curricular Ornithology lesson plan incorporates literature, writing, reading informational text, data collection, scientific inquiry, Internet research,...
Virginia Department of Education
Weather Patterns and Seasonal Changes
Get your class outside to observe their surroundings with a lesson highlighting weather patterns and seasonal changes. First, learners take a weather walk to survey how the weather affects animals, people, plants, and trees during...
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Cartoons for the Classroom: The Climate Change Debate
Is global warming all smoke and mirrors? Find out what your scholars think with this handout, which has them analyzing two political cartoons on the topic. Background information gives context, detailing the computer hacking during the...
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Being Responsible for Earth
Eighth graders explore the characteristics of responsibility. In this character lesson, 8th graders complete a self-evaluation. Students view a responsibility video. Students write a newspaper article on selected environmental issue.
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Genetic Analysis
Students formulate a hypothesis regarding the validity of the current status of the Arizona Hedgehog cactus as a distinct variety of cactus. They design a procedure to isolate DNA from the tissue of plants, given a list of chemicals and...
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Stories of Hope: Dragonfly and Mosquito
Students identify and interpret the value of the dragonfly as a predator of the mosquito. They create their own folktales using the dragonfly or a creature of their choice to solve the malaria problem or another issue. Students also...
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Disasters - Where, When, Why
Fourth graders research natural disasters that have occurred in the US in the 20th Century. They create a computer database of the disasters and write a paragraph with the information.
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Science: Handwritten Personality
Students watch an episode of "Frontiers" and discover the scientific basis for handwriting analysis. In the video, they discover how size, shape, and slant of handwriting suggest personality traits. After a discussion, students offer...
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I Want to Believe: Astrologers and Sceptics in King Lear
Students examine two conflicting writings on solar eclipse that occurred on Black Monday and discuss them in the context of Shakespeare's King Lear. In this Shakespeare lesson, students discuss astrology and read the speeches made in Act...
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Garden in an Egg Carton
Students investigate the growth of seedlings planted in egg cartons in the classroom. Measurements are taken as the plants grow and charts created to organize the data.
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Constrating Cinderellas/ Connecting LA Cenerentola
Students contrast the traditional Cinderella character with a modern, independent and socially conscious Cinderella. To activate prior knowledge by eliciting from the students some of the familiar story elements of the traditional...
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Endangered Species- Florida Panther
Students investigate the concept of the conservation of the Florida Panther and examine the effects of the Everglades water restoration project. They conduct a web based activity that includes the following: Listing what they know,...
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The Transit in Pictures
Students investigate the Transit of Venus and create and produce a public service commercial promoting the Transit of Venus and providing information about its safe viewing.
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I Can See You
Second graders explore living without sight. In this senses instructional activity, 2nd graders review the different senses and what they use for each sense. Students discuss what it would be like to not be able to see and they read a...
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Evaluating the Strength of Scientific Evidence: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker
A happy discovery occurred in Arkansas in 2004: a woodpecker, believed to be extinct since the 1940s, reappeared! Or did it? Middle to high school ecologists examine scientific evidence and use critical-thinking skills to determine...
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The Egg "Airbag" Lab
Students use what they know about momentum and impulse to construct an effective "air bag" to protect an egg dropped from the top of the football stadium or other tall structure. They complete a final written report of their findings.
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Waddle You Know About Penguins
Second graders study the similarities and differences of the seventeen species of penguins. They investigate habitats and how these habitats are suited to each species characteristics. They see how animals adapt to their environments.
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The Tale of the Feral - Care and Multiplication of Feral Cats
Students differentiate between a feral cat and a domesticated cat. For this cat lesson plan, students use the scientific method, calculate averages, solve story problems, and learn how a caretaker can help a feral colony live safely.