Curated OER
Rock Cycle
Third graders identify various types of landforms of the United States. They discuss earth movements that produce geologic structures and landforms and define cycle as it relates to rocks and soil. They demonstrate the processes forming...
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The Ocean Floor
Fifth graders discuss the process of sedimentation and the continental drift theory. They locate major structures on the ocean floor and they identify life forms at each level of the ocean.
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Motions and Forces
Sixth graders investigate the construction of a magnet and the force it produces. They identify various materials as magnetic or non-magnetic, discuss the properties of magnetic properties, and conduct an experiment with a compass and...
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Transformation of Energy: Heat
Sixth graders investigate how heat is transferred and the concepts of conduction, convection, and radiation. They define key vocabulary terms, and observe teacher-led demonstrations of conduction, convection, and radiation.
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Photosynthesis
Sixth graders are introduced to the process of photosynthesis by discussion and then by participating in an experiment. They then answer questions as independent practice project.
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Diversity And Adaptations Of Organisms
Eighth graders study how and why animals are classified into eight groups in the animal kingdom. They work together to identify organisms. They use the key to determine the phylum for the included problems.
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Super Glue Fuming of Latent Fingerprints
Students explore latent fingerprinting. They observe a supervised demonstration of the process that real-life crime scene investigators sometimes use to identify latent fingerprints. In addition, they brainstorm ways to improve the...
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Model Mania
Eighth graders study the conservation of matter. In this chemical reaction lesson students examine what happens during a chemical reaction and complete a lab activity.
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Roving Reporter
Learners write a report about energy use. In this conservation lesson plan, students interview adults about their use of renewable and nonrenewable energy. Learners synthesize this information and write a report from the point of view of...
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Permafrost
Students use a thermometer to analyze soil temperature data to determine which soil sample is normal, and which one is permafrost. In this permafrost lesson plan, students participate in a hands on activity where they identify the active...
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Make it Healthier by Cutting it Down?
Fifth graders discuss sustainable forestry. In this forestry lesson, 5th graders discuss how healthy forests need to have dead, diseased and lower quality trees cut down and harvested. They visit a local forest and identify these 3 types...
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Schoolyard Field Guide
Fourth graders observe, plan, research, and create a field guide for the trees that are in their schoolyard. In this trees lesson plan, 4th graders make careful observations of what they see around their school and create a guide.
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Rockets: Kinematics or Energy?
Students construct model rockets, measure and record the height of the launch. In this creative lesson students use different methods to calculate velocity and height data from their launched rockets.
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Propellers, Forces and Energy
Young scholars construct a model airplane, measure distance, and calculate velocity. In this creative lesson students work in groups to build a model and use it to calculate distances and velocity.
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Solid Waste and Our Natural Resources: Utilizing the Story THE LORAX
Students gain an introduction to our planet's solid waste problem and our personal responsibility in curbing and solving said problem through the use of Dr. Seuss' book, The Lorax. After hearing the book, class discussion follows.
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Candy Quakes
Eighth graders, using a candy bar, gum, and Twizzlers, demonstrate the effects of deformational forces on the earth's crust. They examine the processes of rock and fossil formation.
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How We Use Rocks: Part 1
Second graders read books about rocks, observe rocks and locate a special rock to observe more closely. They complete a worksheet about the chosen rock and create an art project using rocks or pebbles.
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Riding the Gravity Wave
Students write a sketch of an artist or athlete that has pushed the limits on gravity. They explore concepts of rhythm, balance and friction. They examine how engineers design sports equipment.
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Clouds and the Weather
Fourth graders analyze the relationship of clouds and local weather. Students also observe and record cloud data and weather conditions daily as they research different cloud types. The data is analyzed looking for trends in daily...
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Magnetic Mapping
Students draw arrows to show the direction the compass needle is pointing when it is placed around different points of a penny and a bar magnet. Students must then answer questions about the activity on a provided worksheet.
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Making Marbles
Students perform a simulation in which they work for a toy company and have to figure out how many marbles of different sizes can be made with the provided material. They must design their own experiment to figure this out.
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Coffee Cooling
Students explore the factors that affect how long coffee stays hot. They develop a question and a testable hypothesis for one factor such as initial temperature or size of opening of the container. Then they design and conduct an...
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How Effective is Perspiration at Cooling?
Students collect data on the cooling of water in two different test tubes, one that is wrapped in wet newspaper and one in dry newspaper. They then relate this cooling effect to the body's perspiration.
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The Nutritional Content of Food
Students are given three unknown samples and must perform two chemical tests in order to determine if the samples contains protein and/or starch. Students work with corrosive or toxic reagents.