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Strawkets and Thrust
Students investigate the effect of thrust on rocket flight. They construct two paper rockets, one with a smaller exit nozzle, and compare/contrast the distances traveled by the rockets.
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Frozen Film
Students discover how light reflects off surfaces. In this hands-on demonstration, students examine how variations in color are produced by light interference.
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Solar Power
Learners discover how engineers use solar energy to heat buildings. They investigate the thermal properties of different materials. They evaluate the usefulness of each material.
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What's down there?
young scholars 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...
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TE Activity: Pitch and Frequency
Students experiment with a vibrating ruler and a kazoo to study the different pitches and frequencies they produce. They create both high and low pitch sound waves. They examine how engineers use sound energy when designing electronic...
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Waterwheel Work
Students investigate the history of the waterwheel and common uses for water turbines today. They construct an experimental waterwheel using a two-liter plastic bottle, measure the rate of revolution of a waterwheel, and complete a...
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Let the North Star Tell You Where You Are
Students participate in activities in which they find the Big Dipper and locate the North Star in the night sky, examine the relationship between the angle to Polaris and latitude, and determine latitude by using an astrolabe.
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Water Into Gas
Students investigate how temperature and pressure cause a material to change phase. They heat water to reclaim a gas. They demonstrate that different liquids evaporate at different temperatures.
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Sound
Students explore sound wave motion and conduct simple experiments to demonstrate how sound travels.
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Suspension Bridge Construction
Students study types, strength and construction of a variety of bridges. They build a model bridge and test the amount of weight it support.
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Introduction to the Circulatory System
Fifth graders are introduced to the human circulatory system. After watching a Bill Nye video, they identify any misconceptions they had before watching it. They practice taking guided notes and discuss the video as a whole.
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The Respiratory System
The student will calculate the vital capacity of the air in the lungs and trace the pathway of air into and out of the lungs. They describe the pressure changes that occur within the chest cavity when you breathe. They compare air that...
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Create a Soil Aggregate
Students simulate the conditions which occur in a soil aggregate. They explain how IPM affects the environment. They identify the cast of characteristics to develop their aggregate.
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How Long Does Trash Last
Students work in cooperative groups to estimate how long trash lasts in a landfill. They study environmental consequences of not recycling and use graph-making software to create a graph that illustrates the lifespan of trash items...
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Modeling Geologic Time
Students design, construct and interpret a model of geologic time and investigate change through geologic time.
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How Much Water in Snow?
Students determine the volume of water in a given amount of snow. They calculate a ratio for water volume per snow volume.
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Climate Watch
Students participate in a national survey of biological indicators of climate change by gathering and submitting data on local plants and animals.
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Modeling the Greenhouse Effect
Students simulate the greenhouse effect and draw a model of what he/she thinks is happening. They draw inferences from the model and from other resources to determine possible outcomes of increased earth temperatures.
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Gravity Launch
Students use an online interactive to launch a rocket from earth. They have control over the angle and thrust of the rocket to discover the relationship between the two.
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So you Think Air is Nothing?
Students stuff a paper towel in the bottom of a glass so that it does not fall out when you flip it upside down. They have to tell why or why not they think you can plunge the glass all the way into the sink without getting the paper...
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Learning From Leaves: Adaptation Scavenger Hunt
Students participate in an adaptation scavenger hunt at. They obtain various plant specimens, and sort the plants based on whether they came from a desert, tropical rainforest, or wetlands.
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Local Heart Rates
Students determine the type of data needed to test their inferences. As homework, they check and record heart rates of fellow students, teachers and family members. During their next class period, students enter all data into the database.
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Making Community Measurements: Which Plant Part?
Students identify a plant in a given community and make a variety of measurements. They determine how a plant meets its basic needs. In addition to identifying plant parts, they observe seasonal change and compare plants within a community.
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Rocking the Boat
Pupils work together to discover the concepts of stability and equilibrium. They examine how equilibrium is related to an item's center of mass. They create their own action scene in a literacy activity.