PBS
Climate Change as a Scientific Theory
Get your class thinking about climate change as a scientific theory. Guided by a handout, emerging earth scientists read articles and take notes about glaciers and sea ice. To conclude, they write an evaluation of the evidence for...
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Investigating Our Past: Where Did Humans Come From?
Investigate the theories of human evolution. In this research based instructional activity, learners research and discuss how geographic isolation, interbreeding, generalization, and specialization are factors in the history of humans....
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Introduction to Scientific Theory
Ninth graders explain how scientists set up investigations. In this scientific process lesson, 9th graders review the principles of the scientific method and use these skills to answer an open-ended question about how to set up a...
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Defining the Difference Between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells
Students examine microscopic life by conducting a scientific investigation. In this cell analysis lesson, students define the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and discuss their word origins. Students view each type of cell on slides...
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Diffusion
Students design and carry out an experiment according to the scientific method. The experiment must test the effects of time and concentration on the rate of diffusion of potassium permanganate into potato cubes. After performing the...
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Scientific Method in Action
High schoolers investigate the current environmental movement by cleaning up their own campus. In this environmental care lesson, students practice cleaning their "environment" by picking up trash on their campus and decrease litter by...
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Investigating Factors That Affect Rate of Enzyme Action
Young scholars explore the properties of enzymes. In this chemical reaction activity, students explore enzymes through a Web-quest and investigative study. Young scholars will collect and summarize data and create a class presentation....
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Is That a Fact?
Investigate popular scientific claims and gather evidence to defend or argue against an author's stance. Writers synthesize information and compose their own "Really?" columns modeled after those found in the weekly "Science Times"...
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Hic-Hic-Hooray!
What is really the best way to get rid of hiccups? Investigate some old wives' tales and folk remedies related to health. Middle schoolers explore the science behind why people might believe these myths to be true and find the real...
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Sustainable Livestock
Students investigate healthy eating habits by researching livestock. In this food sustainability instructional activity, students research the negative impact factory farming has on our environment due to pollution. Students define...
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Allowing Students to Explore Simple Physics and Marketing in English Class
Scientific method, linear measurements, friction, inertia. Imagine learning scientific vocabulary in an ELA class. Before researching and developing a presentation about simple machines, class members build a common, but decidedly...
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Diving into Iceland's Genetic Pool
Investigate ethical issues surrounding the Decode project in Iceland. Middle and high schoolers take the positions of the Icelandic government, scientific researchers, and citizens and defend or refute the Decode project in a Reykjavik...
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Population Growth in Yeasts
Students design an investigation using yeast. In this environmental engineering lesson plan, students design an investigation to determine how environmental factors affect the growth of yeast. They will collect quantitative data and...
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Plants in Your Gas Tank: From Photosynthesis to Ethanol
Explore ethanol and how it is produced. Young scientists investigate photosynthesis and fermentation to the concept of conservation of energy and mass. They discuss the environmental and economical benefits of ethanol as a fuel additive.
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Radiation Reassessed
Students investigate the dangers of radiation by exploring recent nuclear tragedies. In this scientific debate lesson plan, students define the idea of radiation "half life" and determine if low doses of radiation are truly damaging to...
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Mineral Identification
Students investigate the environment by examining mineral characteristics. In this mineral lesson plan, students perform scientific observations in groups in which they identify minerals found in everyday objects by using a worksheet. ...
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Wild Dog Urine
Students investigate biology by researching wild animals. In this animal extinction lesson, students research African wild dogs and discuss the impact of the environment on their survival. Students read and analyze an article titled...
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Marshland Ecosystem
Students classify animals based on their physical characteristics and eating habits. In this animal identification lesson plan, students investigate the life forms shown on a Parisian ceramic basin, and discover ecosystem the artist was...
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Designing the Experiment and Answering the Question
Students investigate scientific methods by analyzing an article from the Natural Inquirer. In this data analysis instructional activity, students read an article from the magazine and discuss at least 2 scientific methods that could be...
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In Search of a Land Ethic
Students research the theory that everything is connected to everything else. Students explore the concept of how do we put normative values on our nonhuman environment. Students investigate an ecologist and write an informational...
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Our Eye in the Sky: The TIROS Weather Satellite
Students investigate the political context of the creation of a weather satellite. In this technology and society lesson plan, students explore the historical, technological, and political context of the TIROS weather satellite. They...
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Supermarkets, Sustenance and Sustainability
Students investigate jungles and the people who depend upon them. In this sustainability lesson, students research wild life conservation and discover the importance of a jungle to Amazonian people. Students create a group presentation...
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Logs of Straw: Dendocronology
Students investigate the age of trees by analyzing tree rings. For this dendocronology lesson, students examine sample images of tree rings and identify their age by the amount of rings. Students complete a chart identifying the age,...
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Now You're Speaking My Language; Deciphering the Symbols of Early Civilizations
High schoolers explore early attempts at written language. For this early civilizations lesson, students investigate first attempts at written communication. Among the civilizations covered are Mayan, Greek, and Egyptian.