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Weather through the Seasons
Students examine the year's cycles by observing the four seasons, their distinctive weather patterns that affect our activities and the weather changes that each brings. The fourteen lessons of this unit offer a good opportunity for the...
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Earthquake in the Classroom
Students discover how engineers construct buildings to stand up against earthquakes. They build their own structures out of marshmallows and toothpicks. They test how earthquake-proof their building is with jello.
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Vitamin C Testing
Students determine which of three beverage samples contains the most vitamin C. They then apply their knowledge to an additional situation. Students use beverages that have a large, definite difference of vitamin C content to...
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Scientific Method
Learners explore the steps in the scientific methods. Through activities, students discover the scientific is a tool for solving problems of any kind. Learners will fill out a scientific method chart, and determine what information is...
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The Mystery of the Disappearing Tracks
Fifth graders watch as the teacher projects a series of pictures on the wall showing bird tracks heading toward each other but not meeting, two tracks converging into one, and two tracks converging and then being scuffed up. They write...
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Bird Beak Adaptation Lab
Students investigate bird beaks to determine which physical adaptations are necessary based on the types of food the birds eat. They participate in a lab by visiting multiple stations to determine which beaks are most efficient, and...
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What is Wrong with My Pond?
Middle schoolers examine various pond water samples to identify water quality. For this water quality lesson, students will identify levels of nitrates, ammonia, pH, hardness,and alkalinity in pond water. They will explain importance of...
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What Makes Day and Night? The Earth's Rotation
Students discover that the Earth rotates on its axis in a cyclical fashion. They examine how this rotation results in day and night.
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Footprint Detectives: Making Inferences Using Dinosaur Trackways
Students analyze and discuss footprints and dinosaur tracks. They listen to books about paleontologists, create and analyze their own trackways using black paper and chalk, examine the data, and form hypotheses about footprints and...
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Meteorology Madness
Students probe the dynamic weather changes through several hands-0n activities in this seven lessons unit. The hydrologic cycle, clouds, atmosphere, air movement, fronts, and forecasting form the components presented in this unit.
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American Chestnut
Middle schoolers discuss importance of American Chestnut tree, explore its value and uses, examine how it has almost become extinct, and identify ways certain groups are working to help regain American Chestnut tree population through...
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The Rotten Truth
Fourth graders watch a video about how much solid waste is produced by each person and how it is disposed of. Using the internet, they identify and interpret data on the type of trash thrown out the most. They offer possible solutions...
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Solar System: Let's Take a Trip
Third graders consider outer space. In this introductory solar system lesson, 3rd graders complete a KWL chart and listen to the story The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System, by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen. They will contribute...
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Puberty: Day 2
Students investigate human health by researching sexual health facts. In this puberty lesson, students identify the changes that will occur in a teenage body over the next several years and what the eventual outcome will be. Students...
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Can You Find Me Now?
Students locate points using longitude and latitude coordinates. They locate their home using longitude and latitude, explore the uses of GPS, and accurately use a GPS.
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Electric Circuits
Students model the flow of electrons in a circuit, draw diagrams of an electric circuit and build an electric circuit. Students explain how to tell when the path of an electric circuit is complete, and test the conductivity of a variety...
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What's A Pest?
Students examine the common characteristics of household and lawn pests. They discover the life cycles of the pests. They also learn different ways to control the pests.
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Chromatography
Pupils investigate the separation of mixtures using plant pigments. Using everyday items, they demonstrate the separation of pigments in plants through the process of chromatography.
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The Captain And Lake Wilmar
Tenth graders examine the ecosystem of Lake Wilmar through three coordinated performance tasks. They first investigate the effects of pH on freshwater animals by comparing the zooplankton counts from three different areas. They then...
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Visiting Tetra's Web Site on the Internet
Students visit the Tetra-fish web site. They visit a virtual aquarium. Students select their own aquarium and tank size. They select up to twelve different types of tropical fish and read information about their virtual aquarium.
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Rain Forest Stencils
Fourth graders explore animals of the rain forest. They create a drawing of an animal in the rain forest. Students research the animal and write a paragraph about the animal. They use a stencil to create a picture of a rain forest animal.
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Oobleck
First graders explore Oobleck. They manipulate and observe the properties of Oobleck. Students discuss the differences between solids and liquids. They investigate Oobleck. Students write a sentence describing what they observed about...
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Darwin's Evolution
Students examine the impact of Charles Darwin and his theories on our life today. After watching a video, they discuss how he formulated his theories and how they have impacted the world both positively and negatively. To end the...
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Breathe In, Breath Out
Students discover how plants breathe. In this biology lesson plan, students learn that plants take in carbon dioxide and find that plants need sunlight to absorb the carbon dioxide.