National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Is Measuring an Art or a Science?
Not only do future engineers learn the difference between accuracy and precision, they also get some hands-on experience using different measuring tools.
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Topic: Math, Chemistry, and Food
Students listen as the teacher tells the story of Sisyphus rolling the stone up the mountain. Students prepare two batches of jello, one with fresh pineapple, and one with canned pineapple. While the jello is setting, students work on...
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Ratios, Mars and the Internet
Students calculate real ratios that exist between the planets Earth and Mars. After a lecture/demo, students use worksheets and access Internet sites to do their calculations.
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Infrared-Hot
Learners describe how the sun heats the Earth, explain the nature of infrared light, explain how thunderstorms are formed and use infrared maps to predict severe weather.
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Train vs. Car: Who Wins?
Ninth graders conduct an experiment demonstrating what happens when a train hits a car using easily accessible materials. They calculate momentum, velocity, and distance using the appropriate formulas. Then they write an incident report...
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Does Clear Water mean Healthy Water?
Learners test their local aquatic site to determine its water clarity. They collect a water sample and measure its turbidity using a sensor, then they repeat the experiment to obtain a second turbidity reading to find the average value.
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Timeline
Students develop a timeline that depicts geologic development and the history of life. They write an interpretive analysis essay that discusses and reflects on their observations.
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Radioactive Decay
Students generate a radioactive decay table for an imaginary element, use their data to plot a decay graph, develop the concept of half-life, and use the graph to "age" several samples.
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Determining the Age of Fossils
High schoolers examine the concept of radioactive dating. In this radioactive dating lesson, students investigate how to determine the ages of fossils and rocks as they learn about half-life radioactive decay.
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Environmental Action
Students investigate an environmental problem in order to find and propose possible solutions. The problem is real to add to the engagement of the lesson. This is found through conducting research and then brainstorming is done in small...
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Three Dimensional Art of Vertebrates and Invertebrates
Young scholars, during this twelve week series of lessons, learn basic anatomy through life sketches of human skeletons and shells. They learn fundamentals of line and convey life through sketches learning science through art.
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Electronic Mail - The Postman Delivers
Students examine the use of electronic mail. In this electronic mail lesson, students determine how to use different e-mail programs and how they access information using this medium. They discuss how e-mail differs from regular mail and...
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Aquatic Field Data
Students use laptops and sensors to measure water quality and graph their results. In this aquatics instructional activity students post their results to a website or email.
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Thinking Like An Engineer
Students explore physics. They investigate the strategies used by an engineer to solve a problem. Students construct various models to solve the problem. They display their solutions and explain how they solved the problem.
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Urban Changes
Students explore how landscapes undergo constant changes with urban development. They plan and build their own "city" by including features that have minimal resource demands to sustain the city itself.
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Salmon Run
Students examine the life cycle of the Pacific salmon and the impact of humans on salmon migration. They watch a Powerpoint presentation, trace migration routes on satellite imagery, and complete mock calculations of salmon energy...
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Teaching Biology Through Problem-based Activities
Students plant seeds and observe the life cycle of the organism. They experimentally research the effects of radiation on seed growth. Students determine the effects of environmental pollutants on harvested seed.
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How Did This Happen?
Students use websites and discussion to investigate the 2004 Asian Tsunami. Students identify the Indian Ocean coastline's physical, political and human geography features and consider how they affected loss of life and property in those...
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Final Project Presentations: Water Quality
Pupils synthesize the information they have been researching on water quality to evaluate the potential health risks in a region with arsenic contamination. They prepare and present a persuasive speech that incorporates visuals.
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Classification: Dichotomous Key
Students explain the classification process of organisms. In this biology lesson, students practice writing the names of organisms scientifically. They answer the dichotomous key and discuss answers as a class.
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Creating The Virtual Model
High schoolers engage in a lesson that is about the concept of earthquake design. The lesson includes the integration of technology and how it can be used to create buildings and structures for withstanding an earthquake. Students also...
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Water Quality Monitoring of Natural Water
Students set up their own monitoring system. They collect samples from an appropriate sampling site. They analyze data and determine the water quality. They present their information to the class and draw a conclusion.
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Disease & Epidemics: Architects of History
Students explore disease and its relationship to history and literature. They investigate issues that range from early biological warfare and historical disease treatments, to observing today's race for the cure against current emerging...