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Exploring the Ares 1-X Launch-Energy Changes
In this energy changes worksheet, students solve 5 problems using the formulas for potential and kinetic energy related to baseball energy, coasting rocket energy and the energy of falling stones.
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The Mathematics of Convection: Nature's Model for Energy Production
High schoolers conduct a series of experiments to investigate density, buoyancy and climate. In this math activity, pupils design and build a hot air balloon to demonstrate convection. They research and write a paper about solar chimneys.
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Solar Isolation Changes and the Sunspot Cycle
In this sunspot cycle and solar irradiation worksheet, students use 2 graphs of daily total solar irradiance and sunspot activity to solve 3 problems. They find the average solar irradiance during a given time, they determine the...
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2.0 "Water Is Life" Global Water Awareness Mini-Unit (Grades3-5)
Students study the amount of potable water on the Earth. In this water lesson, students examine the amount of potable water as compared to all the water on the Earth. They discuss why many parts of the world do not have access to good...
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Earth's Age: The Dating Game
Students conduct a simulation to determine radioactive decay and half-life. Using pennies, dice or sugar cubes as isotopes placed in shoe boxes simulating rocks, they hold five trials representing 1000 years each to find the theoretical...
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The Changing Atmosphere of Pluto
In this atmosphere of Pluto worksheet, students use an equation for the orbit of Pluto to determine the semi-major axis, the semi-minor axis, the ellipticity of the orbit, the aphelion and the perihelion. They also determine the...
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Weathering Landforms
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of ways the Earth's surface can change. As a class, they are introduced to the concepts of erosion and weathering and discover how wind and water cause changes to the surface of the Earth. To end the...
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Wind Power
Fourth graders develop an understanding of how engineers use wind to generate electricity. They will build a model anemometer to better understand and measure wind speed. They discover that engineers design wind turbines that generate...
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The Sun's habitable Zone
High schoolers explore the average surface temperature of planets. They use the Planet Temperature Calculator to find the average temperature. Students explore how the distance from the sun affects the Earth's average surface...
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Urban Changes
Young scholars explore how landscapes undergo constant changes with urban development. They plan and build their own "city" by including features that have minimal resource demands to sustain the city itself.
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"Water is Life" Global Water Awareness
Students examine and calculate the percentage of potable water remaining on the earth. In this ecology and geography lesson, students brainstorm the main factors affecting water distribution. Students use mathematical problem solving to...
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Water Cycle
Young scientists explore Earth elements by conducting an experiment. They define water vocabulary terms such as condensation and precipitation. In addition, they conduct a water experiment in which they build a terrarium, so they can...
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Greenhouse Effect: Pop Bottle Experiment
Students explore global warming by conducting a weather experiment. In this greenhouse gas lesson, students define the greenhouse effect and the impact on our ozone layer. Students utilize a soda pop bottle, floodlight bulb, thermometers...
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Applied Science - Science and Math Lab
Students investigate topology. In this Applied Science lesson plan students explore higher, more abstract mathematics using tangles. Students make topologically related shapes.
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The Hudson's Ups and Downs
Even rivers have tides. Older elementary schoolers will discuss the Hudson River and how weather, water craft, and the ocean cause tidal fluctuation. They will examine a series of line graphs that depict tidal fluctuation, then analyze...
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Email From Another Planet
In this article about emails and plants worksheet, students read short descriptions about 8 planets in the solar system and then imagine they are visiting one of the planets and send an email to a family member describing their...
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Analyzing Meteorological Data From Mars
Students compare real-time Earth and Mars measurements for temperature, wind speed, humidity and atmospheric pressure by accessing Internet-data resources from NASA. They access real-time weather data and maps for their school location.
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The Moon's Density-What's Inside?
In this moon's density worksheet, students solve 4 problems about the Moon and a model planet. They find the Moon's density and they find its volume. They make a model of a planet's interior and use its mass and radius to find the...
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Air Pressure & Barometers
Fourth graders observe, measure, and record data on the basic elements of weather over a period of time (i.e., precipitation, air temperature, wind speed and direction, and air pressure). Then, they make a barometer and keep record of...
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Measuring Speed in the Universe
In this measuring speed in the universe activity, students use photographs of 3 astronomical phenomena including supernova explosions, coronal mass ejections and solar flare shock waves to find how fast they move. The photographs show...
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How far have we traveled?
High schoolers practice longitude and latitude to determine given position on Earth's surface, convert and calculate angular measurements, and use Pythagorean Theorem to determine change in position or distance traveled between any two...
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Sea Ice Board Game
Students understand the sea ice cycle and can explain its stages. In this Sea Ice lesson, students play a game to identify types of sea ice. Students answer critical thinking questions about sea ice. Students complete a sea ice worksheet.
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The Census of Marine Life
Students explain diversity and abundance in marine life. In this oceanic biology lesson, students collect information for various geographical areas to collect a census of marine life.
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An application of the Parallax Effect
In this parallax effect worksheet, students observe 2 photographs taken of an active area of the sun by 2 STEREO satellites and 1 photograph taken of the same active area of the sun by the SOHO satellite. Students observe the shift in...