Curated OER
A Thoreau Look at Our Environment
Sixth graders write journal entries o school site at least once during each season, including sketched and written observations of present environment. They can use sample topographical maps and student's own maps. Students can use...
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TE Activity: Nidy-Gridy
Middle schoolers make a grid and coordinate system map of their classroom as they investigate why it is important to have a common map making system. They look at how landmarks are used for navigating an area.
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Wetlands: Pave or Save?
Students discuss the characteristics of wetlands and how to make them more productive. Using a map, they locate the major wetlands in the United States and color them using a key. They read an article and in groups answer discussion...
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Trouble in the Troposphere
Learners create graphs using NASA data, compare ozone levels of several U.S. cities, analyze and evaluate the data and predict trends based on the data, and discuss and describe how human activities have modified Earth's air quality.
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Rising Tensions Over The Nile River Basin
Students analyze the concept of global commons dilemma. In this investigative lesson students read an article on the Middle East Media Research Institute and answer questions accordingly.
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Retrograde Motion of Mars
Young scholars investigate the motion of Mars. In this space science lesson plan, students use transparencies to trace the path of Mars through constellations. Young scholars discuss the characteristics of the planet.
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Climate Control
Students explore the locations, characteristics, and natural and human dangers to the Earth's biomes to better explain the relationship between daily life and the environment.
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A Different Kind of Rock Star: Part 2
Students examine our society's fascination with Mars. For this journalism lesson students read an article that outlines the various ways Mars has captured our imagination and are given topics for discussion and a chart to complete.
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Introducing NatureMapping
Students model the NatureMapping program in order to study habitats and biodiversity.
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Science: Trouble in the Troposphere
Young scholars research a NASA Website and record information about an assigned city's tropospheric ozone residual monthly climate. In groups, they graph the information for the past year. They form new groups and compare their city's...
PHET
Where to See an Aurora
Where can you see an aurora in North America? After completing an astronomy activity, scholars can locate the exact coordinates. Pupils plot points of the inner and outer ring of the auroral oval and answer questions based on their...
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Plate Tectonics Day 3 Sea Floor Spreading: Evidence for Continental Drift
Students are introduced to Sea Floor Spreading and how it provides evidence for Hess's and Deitz's theory of Continental Drift. They use paleomagnetic data to calculate the rate of Sea Floor Spreading.
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Sea Water Mixing and Sinking
Learners investigate the role of temperature and salinity in determining seawater density. They use a Temperature-Salinity Diagram to examine the effects of mixing on density.
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Differences Between Ground and Air Temperatures
Middle schoolers examine the differences between air temperature and ground temperature. In this investigative lesson plan students find NASA data on the Internet and use it to create a graph.
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Snow Cover By Latitude
Students create graphs comparing the amount of snow cover along selected latitudes using data sets from a NASA website. They create a spreadsheet and a bar graph on the computer, and analyze the data.
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Cartography
Students research about cartography and how to be a cartographer. For this math lesson, students draw a map of their classroom. They use a robot to explore navigation using a compass rose.
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Science: Reading a Compass
Students demonstrate how to take bearings using a compass. In pairs, they select objects in the classroom then write down its first initial and bearing. They exchange papers and try to disciver their partner's object.
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Seasons and Cloud Cover, Are They Related?
Students use NASA satellite data to see cloud cover over Africa. In this seasons lesson students access data and import it into Excel.
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Aquatic Exotics
Students identify and describe the aquatic exotic species found in Illinois. Using the internet, they research the species origins and discover their effects on native species in the area. They discuss how appropriate it is to introduce...
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Northwest Hawaiian Islands
Students compare and contrast places around the world. Students analyze the effects of human activity on the physical environment and devise plans to address the consequences. Students also focus on geographical topics such as formation...
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Theobroma - Food of the Gods
Students discuss the history of cacao and its use in the production of chocolate. They analyze actual cacao pods and record their observations. Finally they create a five minute contour drawing of the cacao pod and seeds.
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Geology Rocks
Middle schoolers discuss information relating to Illinois geology. They examine top mineral resources in Illinois to find detailed information about geodes and where they can be found. Students complete geode lab to explore external...
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Oregon Rainshadows
Students brainstorm list of possible highest locations in Oregon, identify and label places from list on map using color code, and discuss and identify causes of a rain shadow.
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Deforestation
Students identify the different tropical rainforests in the world using a map. In this ecology activity, students describe the different methods of deforestation. They create a memo and present it to class.