Lesson Plan
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Crash of Flight 111

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students identify the locations on a map of the airplane crashes discussed in this instructional activity. After watching a video, they discuss the importance of an investigation after a plane crash. They use the same information as...
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Make it a habitat

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners consider the adaptation of life forms through natural selection to fill various niches and accommodate changing environmental conditions. They select an ecosystem and conduct research to provide as much detailed information as...
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Black Death Biology

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students in pairs explore the transmission of the Plague, through experimentation. Cooperative groups use the scientific method to solve the fictional problem of a bacteria spreading in the Amazon. Groups also create a vector to visually...
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Hatching Chickens

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars learn the importance of caring for eggs as they hatch chickens. For this egg hatching lesson, students observe what happens when eggs are hatched into chickens by completing a e-worksheet and watching a web based movie.
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Habitat Hunt

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students discover how hard it is for animals to find all the items needed in their habitat. In this habitat lesson, students play a game in which they pretend to be an animal, they discover that not all animals can find the food needed...
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A Model of Earth's Tectonic Plates

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students build a model of the Earth showing tectonic plate boundaries. The pattern for the model is provided in the lesson. This is a very useful hands-on component for a lesson about geology or earthquakes.
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Time and Cycles - Dendrochronology

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners investigate the lives of trees by examining ring cycles.  In this plant life lesson, students identify the field of study known as dendrochronology and discover its history.  Learners investigate a simulated tree ring...
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Wax Resist Fish

For Teachers K
Students review what a pattern is and they create a pattern on a fish. They are reminded that patterns do not change halfway through and they paint over it with watercolor paints. They display their fish on the walls.
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Watercolor Rainbow Fish

For Teachers K
Students experience an art project as a follow up to reading The Rainbow Fish.
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Alligator Craft Paper Bag Puppet

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students make paper bag puppets. They use the puppets as a story teller and reader. Students use the puppets to ask questions during and after reading. They assemble their own puppet. Students use the puppets to introduce new themes,...
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Progressive City Planners

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students plan cities. In this environmental racism lesson, students design imaginary cities taking into consideration the amenities and environmental hazards that exist. Students discuss city planning challenges.
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It's in the Bag!

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders measure temperature changes and make drawings of the interactions between matter and energy. By measuring the temperature students can conclude if there are changes in levels of energy. .
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Spelling Strategies for Success

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students identify the meaning of the suffix "er" in given words and sort according to meaning. Students pair up for proofing of work, checking for correct sorting of words in categories of: no suffix, suffix that means "more," and...
Lesson Plan
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South Dakota Quarter Reverse: Four Famous Faces

For Teachers K - 1st
Students recognize the faces of the four presidents on the South Dakota quarter reverse. After discussing the duties and responsibilities of presidents, they list the contributions of the four presidents. They decide which presidents are...
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Capillary Action and Adhesion

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students perform classroom experiments to observe adhesion. They perform a second experiment using sand, salt, water, and a heat lamp to observe the principle of capillary action. They also experiment with adhesion in plants.
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Mountain Barriers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners examine geographical change. In this mountain barriers lesson, students conduct an experiment to discover how mountains affect surrounding land.  Learners draw conclusions on how change in land affects plant and animal life.
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Function of a Stem

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders perform an experiment to test the function of a stem. In this science lesson, 4th graders write a description of their investigations. Students also explain how the stem interacts with the rest of the plant. Students use...
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Measuring Solar Energy

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars study solar energy and how to measure it.  In this energy sources lesson plan students complete a lab, obtain data and use that to convert surface temperature to energy. 
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Variable Skies

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars examine factors which affect a vortex and create model tornadoes. They identify variables, pose a testable question, and perform an experiment using the scientific method. After they collect their data, students write a...
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Taster or Non-Taster?

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students conduct a simple experiment to determine if a trait has been passed from a family member to them.
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What A Gas!

For Teachers K - 4th
Young scholars study various aspects of air. In this science lesson plan, students discover that air occupies space, understand the visual effects of air, and explain how air exerts force.
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Taster of Non-Taster?

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Learners investigate their own inherited traits by using taste papers. In this genetic traits lesson, students test their ability to taste various substances, which is determined by inherited genetic traits. They take home taste papers...
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Animal Names

For Teachers K
Students match animal pictures with animal words. In this farm animal lesson, students put together the parent and their offspring. Students should have prior knowledge of the basic needs of animals. Students write animal booklets.
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Designing Detectives

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the idea of formulating a hypothesis and designing an experiment to test the hypothesis.