Montana Teacher Resources

Eighth graders examine the components of a watershed. They view overheads, discuss the hydrologic cycle, and observe a demonstration of a soil erosion box.

Young scholars research the impact of Buffalo Bill Cody and his Wild West Show on the world's view of American western culture. They create a poster advertising the Wild West Show.

Learners estimate the number of civilizations in the galaxy by first estimating the number of craters on the Moon and then by performing estimates of multiple-variable systems culminating in the use of the Drake Equation.

Students systematically investigate the time frame for complex life to develop on Earth. They approximate how many other planets there may be harboring Earth-like complex life in our galaxy.

Students discover how remote sensing is used to identify the signatures of life even when the particular life form is not directly observable. They investigate how a satellite "sees" objects on the surface of Earth.

Students plot and analyze NASA data to determine the period of an invisible planet orbiting a wobbling star. They explore the motion of a two-body system around a center of mass to better explain how extra-solar planets are discovered.

Students download NASA Hubble Space Telescope views of star-forming regions in nebulae and look for evidence of planetary systems forming beyond our own solar system. They hypothesize about mysterious objects in NASA HST images.

Students view NASA images and movies of Venus, Earth, and Mars to deduce weather patterns and manipulate computer models to test competing hypotheses. They manipulate computer models to investigate the influence of solar distance and...

Students explore the orbital characteristics a planetary home needs to support Earth-like life forms. They develop an understanding of critical planetary mass to determine which newly discovered planets might be capable of supporting life.

Students explore the limits of life on Earth to extend their beliefs about life to include its possibility on other worlds. They investigate three hypothetical environments and the bacterial life forms that could exist on Earth.

Students explore how organisms adapt to their environments through changes in their genetic codes. They create make-believe creatures and environments that have specific characteristics.

Students examine digital images and how satellites orbiting Earth send information and pictures to Earth over the Internet. They use a digital camera to put pictures on a computer and decode a satellite image from space.

Students plan the first manned mission to Mars. They discuss, in small groups, some of the information that the group might have heard regarding the red planet and decide which types of occupations should be included in a crew for the...

Students determine rotation rates of a variety of solar system objects using images and the Internet.

Students download NASA Hubble Space Telescope images of the Martian polar ice caps in summer and winter, and measure and compare various images of the changing Martian and Earth polar ice caps.

Students utilize the concepts of greater than, less than, and equal to, in order to classify student height, object size, and planet size. They build scale models of the planets based on their discoveries of planet size.

Students observe the position of an object in the sky by describing its location relative to another object or the background, describe an object's motion by tracing and measuring its position over time, and create their own myths about...

Middle schoolers study the components and functions of the respiratory and circulatory systems. They take blood pressure using a stethoscope and investigate ways to maintain a healthy respiratory system.

Students study the components of the skeletal system naming the bone groups that make up the appendicular and axial skeletal systems. They name the different layers of bone and the types of joints. They create an animated skeleton.

Fifth graders investigate concepts of electricity by watching a video about Ben Franklin, participating in a web activity about simple circuits and experimenting with creating simple circuits. They examine conductors and insulators.

Students calculate the area of regular and irregular polygons by counting the number of whole an half squares within the polygon. They determine the formula for regular polygons and label the area in square units.

Fifth graders experiment to find the physical properties and commercial uses of the mineral talc. They create a soapstone sculpture and a rubric for the creation.

Seventh graders investigate the scientific methods of testing the effectiveness of soap use against germs. They study the history and chemistry of soap as it has helped control the spread of germs. They make bubble soap.

Students participate in a plant identification game. Using worksheets, they collect plant samples and identify the basic parts of the plant. They note the similarities and differences between the various diagrams. They use heavy books...