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Mercalli Scale Illustrated
Students study the Mercalli Scale and analyze how it is used to rate earthquakes. They construct a booklet with drawings that represent each rating of the scale. They study why engineers develop rating scales for earthquakes.
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Effects of the Sun on Our Planet
Students examine the effect of different types of light on the Earth. They discover the role of evaporation and the effects of the sun on the magnetosphere. They also observe different solar phenomena.
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Effects of the Sun on Our Planet (Grades 2-4)
Students observe how the sun's rays can cause evaporation and discuss its role in the weather cycle. They discover what the sun's energy brings to plants. They examine how different types of technology can enhance the amount of solar...
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Structure of the Earth
Eighth graders describe and identify the three layers of the Earth. They work together to construct their own earth model. They share their creation with the class.
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Day And Night
First graders examine how the earth experiences day and night by using a flashlight and a globe as a model.
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The Earth-Sun-Moon System
Third graders construct a model of the earth-sun-moon system using students as the sun, moon, and earth. They discuss ways that time is related to the movement of the earth and moon.
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Earth to Saturn, Earth to Saturn!
Students compare and contrast the characteristics of Earth and Saturn. They practice writing analogies using those characteristics. They complete a worksheet to end the lesson plan.
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What's down there?
students analyze how oil is formed and where in the Earth we find it. Students take a core sample to look for oil in a model of the Earth. They analyze their sample and make an informed decision as to whether or not they should "drill...
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Harvesting Oil from the Earth
Fourth graders research sources of fossil fuels especially oil while determining how scientists take core samples from an Earth model. They look at oil consumption and production in the US and throughout the world.
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Transnational Pollution: Why Are You Dumping on Me?
Students research transnational pollution and role-play a hypothetical case of transnational pollution involving the Danube River. They practice, develop and defend a position in a debate and evaluate each other's presentations.
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Let's Think About Day and Night
Students explore day and night and the relationships between the Earth, the sun and the moon. They discuss the ways in which the sun and moon help us. They watch a short video that helps illustrate these concepts.
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"Mother Earth" -- Past
Students examine our connection to the Earth. They identify how Native Americans believed in a "Mother Earth". They discover how the earth and life are connected.
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"Mother Earth" -- Present
Students examine the Native American belief of "Mother Earth". They read stories from Native American authors and reflect. They illustrate this concept through art and haikus.
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The Starry Night Time and Day Time
Second graders complete a unit of lessons on the solar system. They complete various art projects inspired by Van Gogh's 'Starry Night,' create a moon phases book, create a moon phase wind chime, develop a timeline of space exploration,...
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Natural Resources
Students use magazines and newspapers to examine the Earth's natural resources. They identify ways that natural resources are protected, threatened, managed and mismanaged. They find the location of each story on a world map and...
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Martian Sun Times
Students become weather reporters for the Martian Sun Times newspaper to gather. interpret, and compare current weather information for Mas and Earth. Final articles be posted on-line. There are seven investigations in this unit.
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Celestial Motions
Ninth graders complete a unit of lessons on the history of our knowledge of celestial objects. They conduct Internet research, plot the motion of a planet, construct a model of the sun's apparent motions, and create diagrams of the solar...
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The Nine Planets
Sixth graders examine and investigate the solar system. They participate in a Webquest, and create a Powerpoint presentation that is meant to be a research guide to help alien visitors find a suitable habitat in the solar system.
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Explosive Ideas!
Students explore the layers of the Earth and the dynamic changes that they cause on Earth's surface. Volcanoes and earthquakes become the focus of the lesson as the Oregon State quarter and its Crater Lake images are linked to the topic.
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The Tides
Students experience a computer based applet that explains why the Earth experiences tides.
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Adding the Moon: Using a Classroom Model to Explore the Movement of the Sun, Earth, and Moon
Students observe and discuss motions of the Earth and the Moon as they spin and orbit the Sun.
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Earth Science: The Sun-Earth Relationship
Pupils examine the sun's impact on the Earth. They read online articles, explore various websites, and answer questions using information found on the Internet.
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Moon Glow
Pupils identify the Earth-Moon relationship and the phases of the Moon. They participate in an activity that illustrates why the Moon has so many different looks within a lunar cycle. They discuss solar and lunar eclipses.
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Solar System: Sun
Students research information about the Sun, sunspots and how the Sun creates nuclear energy. They investigate how the Sun affects Earth.