Lesson Plan
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Indoor Environment: A Magazine Publication Project

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Young scholars demonstrate knowledge of Indoor Air Quality by creating a class magazine. A link to order a free Action Kit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is provided so teachers can build background knowledge....
Lesson Plan
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Using Fulcrums

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students engage in a lesson that concentrates on the use of a lever and fulcrum. They define how a lever is used to lift a load. The lesson has background information to justify it. Students demonstrate how to use the lever while lifting...
Lesson Plan
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Floodplain Modeling

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students simulate the impact of fluctuating river volumes on structures and landforms. They experiment with table top-sized riverbed models and water. Students consider how human design can help mitigate the effects of a flood.
Lesson Plan
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TE Activity: You're in Hot Water

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars study different ways of using solar energy. They design a solar water heater and determine how much water it can heat in a set amount of time. They examine how the heaters work by solar radiation and convection.
Lesson Plan
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Let the Sun Shine!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate how the sun can be used for energy. They read a handout, discuss the pros and cons of passive solar building design, develop flashcard questions, and identify jobs that can be helped by solar energy.
Lesson Plan
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Powerful Pulleys

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore the building of a pyramid and how pulleys were used to change the direction of applied force. They demonstrate the mechanical advantage of using a pulley and apply it to modern engineering.
Lesson Plan
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Wheeling It In!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars use everyday materials (milk cartons, water bottles, pencils, straws, candy) to build a small-scale transportation device that incorporates the wheel and axle and the lever. They race their carts/trucks, measure distance,...
Lesson Plan
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TE Lesson: Renewable Energy

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine renewable energy sources such as solar, water, and wind. They experiment to determine how renewable energy is transformed into electricity. They investigate the role of engineers who work in the field of renewable energy.
Lesson Plan
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Capturing the Sun's Warmth

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the variety of ways to use solar energy. They investigate the thermal energy storage capacities of different test materials to determine which to use in passive solar building design. They explain how passive solar...
Lesson Plan
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Falling Water

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners drop water from different heights to demonstrate the conversion of water's potential energy to kinetic energy. They see how varying the height from which water is dropped affects the splash size. In seeing how falling water can...
Lesson Plan
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Stations of Light

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Student groups rotate through four stations to examine light energy behavior: refraction, magnification, prisms and polarization. They see how a beam of light is refracted (bent) through various transparent mediums. Young scholars...
Lesson Plan
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Weather

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students explore the earth's atmosphere, weather, and climate. They begin class with a discussion about weather patterns, atmosphere, and the layers of the earth. After the class discussion, students rotate through four stations to...
Lesson Plan
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Magnets

For Teachers K - 8th
Learners explore how the earth is a magnet and that magnets have two "poles".  In this magnetic lesson plan students complete an activity by designing their own compass. 
Lesson Plan
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Where Am I: Navigation and Satellites

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the concept of triangulation that is used in navigation satellites and global positioning systems designed by engineers. They determine ways these technologies can help people determine their position or the location of...
Lesson Plan
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States of Matter

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students discuss a given set of questions based on Chemistry and matter and review a glossary of terms. They conduct experiments on each state of matter: "Dry ice and water, Dry ice and soap and Dry ice and Isopropyl Alcohol." and...
Lesson Plan
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Good Food, Good Health

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students investigate how food provides energy for the human body. For this physical health lesson, students access online resources to identify how certain foods can affect their health. Students discuss how many servings of each food...
Lesson Plan
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The Energy of Light

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students discuss different ways engineers use light. In this engineering lesson, students are introduced to the properties of light and the way light is used. They view a demonstration of light waves using a slinky, and practice using...
Lesson Plan
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Discovering Planet X

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Pupils investigate the movements of the planet Pluto. Students participate in a hands-on activity to record data similar to the movements of the planet Pluto. Pupils compare their data to that found on a website.
Lesson Plan
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and and Ocean Views of Earth by Remote Sensing

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explain how satellites help scientists to see more than with the unaided eye and how Landsat technology works. Students identify vegetation and fire sites in the rainforest and detect erosion along rivers. They are able to use...
Lesson Plan
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Looking at The Force on a Vehicle

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students build a vehicle following technical drawings. They set up a system to pull the vehicles. Students compare and discuss how the motion of the vehicles changes more or less weight on a string is used to pull them.
Organizer
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Matter

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this matter worksheet, students complete a graphic organizer by describing the properties of matter, the changes of matter, and how matter can form mixtures.
Lesson Plan
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Visit to the Local Weather Station

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students understand the preparation involved everyday to present the day's forecast and how the instruments are used to create an overall model for predicting weather. They will understanding of the terminology and symbols used in...
Lesson Plan
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MINI-UNIT on ELECTRICITY

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students identify hypotheses related to static electricity, to begin to test the hypotheses, to begin to develop conclusions related to observations, to demonstrate that like charges repel and unlike charges attract each other, to name...
Lesson Plan
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What is Sound? How Can We Change Sound?

For Teachers 4th - 7th
In this instructional activity, students investigate the phenomenon of sound! Students compare and contrast how sound travels through solids, liquids, and gases. They explain how length and thickness affect sound. Students know the...