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Investigating the Dynamic Martian Polar Caps
Students download NASA Hubble Space Telescope images of the Martian polar ice caps in summer and winter, and measure and compare various images of the changing Martian and Earth polar ice caps.
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Make Quiz Time a Fun Time
Learners investigate a topic and prepare a quiz activity. In this space science lesson, students investigate one of the planets and construct a quiz for their classmates.
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Solar System
Students study space. In this solar system instructional activity, students discover the correct order of the planets and create a diagram showing this knowledge. They listen to the book A New View of the Solar System and then work in...
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The Undiscovered Planet
Students find a planetary object using star fields. In this investigative lesson students determine the distance to an object using trigonometric parallax.
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Sunspots: Correlating Sunspots to Active Regions
Students investigate sunspots. They use solar imaging from satellite instruments which are currently circling the sun. Students compare images from the satellites and determine the existence of a correlation between the two types of...
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The Tibetan Plateau
Learners discuss the characteristics of the biosphere, with a focus on the Tibetan Plateau. They participate in a question and answer period discussing biomes and climate patterns. They compare and contrast different ecosystems.
Polar Trec
Create a Topographic Profile of Beacon Valley
Landforms in Beacon Valley, Antarctica, where there is no snow, bear a striking resemblance to landforms found on Mars. Scholars identify landforms found in Beacon Valley through analysis of topographic maps in the activity. They then...
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Amelia the Pigeon: As a Pigeon Flies
Students follow Amelia's adventure on a satellite image. They use measuring and math skills to determine the distance she traveled.
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Exploring Biomes Lesson 4: Mapping Arizona
Once junior ecologists are familiar with Earth's major biomes, they hone in on Arizona's biomes. Using a website about Arizona's natural resources, learners will identify biotic communities. Beautiful maps and worksheets are provided for...
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Animals and Humans
Young scholars identify the functions of various body parts. They participate in the "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" song, draw a picture of themselves and other mammals, and create a traced outline of their body that they add...
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Satellite Mobiles
Students discuss satellites and their functions. They design and construct their own satellite out of readily available materials. Students are taught the definition of a satellite. They discuss the two main purposes of satellites:...
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A Thin Slice of Soil
Young scholars examine the importance of soil in the production of what we eat and wear, and analyze the percentages of the earth used for food production. They create their own Pyramids of Life, and construct Dirt Babies out of hosiery,...
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Planets in a Bottle
Students experiment with yeast. For this environmental conditions lesson students test the viability of samples of yeast. Students investigate the effects of environmental conditions on the yeast.
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Lesson 4 Activity 1: Mapping the Third Dimension
Young scholars work in pairs to construct a simple stereoscope.
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Reading the Shapes of Volcanoes on Earth and Mars
Students compare and contrast the volcanoes of Earth and Mars, and examine specific volcanoes on Mars. They model the processes that create cone and shield volcanoes, and measure the slope angles of cone and shield volcanoes.
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Mission Planning: Earth/Mars Comparisons
Students compare and contrast conditions on Mars to those on our own planet, specifically, their local or regional environments. The physical characteristics, the atmosphere, and other astronomical data is considered.
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The Effects of Environment on Plant Growth: Selecting Seeds for Survival on a New Planet
Fifth graders conduct experiments to compare seed germination and plant growth rates. They construct a hydroponic plant unit and a lighthouse. They care for the plants for a month and collect data for graphs. They write a report.
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Planet Earth
Students explore and analyze data from different maps in order to explain geographic diversity among the continents. Student groups research continents' physical features and examine how they contribute to quality of life for inhabitants.
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Sunspots or Lumpy Planets
Young scholars examine the method Galileo used to prove sunspots were actually on the sun instead of objects between the Earth and Sun.. They study the term foreshortening and assess its relevance to observation.
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"To Terraform or Not to Terraform?"
Pupils analyze an article written by an engineer at NASA proposing colonizing Mars with human explorers on the fastest track possible. They are invited to react to the article through several activities.
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How Far Away Is Saturn?
Students work together to create a scale model of the solar system. They write a descriptive paper and a paper comparing and contrasting the Earth to Saturn. They discuss their writings with the class.
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Winter Season
Students recognize the relationship between Earth's tilt and the Winter season. In this Winter activity, students work in pairs to complete make frost and design snow goggles. Students experiment a hand lens to study the frost created....
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Solar Eclipse
Pupils demonstrate the revolution of the moon around the earth and the effect of its direct alignment in between the earth and the sun.
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Volcanoes in Space
Students research volcanoes on the Internet to compare/contrast the volcanoes on Earth to the ones found on Io, a moon of Jupiter. Students list the similarities and differences in science journals, and illustrate pictures of the volcanoes.