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As the Sun Burns
High schoolers test commercial sunscreens or sunglasses for accuracy of their Sun Protection Factor. They devise a method for testing UV beads with a visual clues which they publish as research. They investigate occupations such as...
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The Communications Lab
Students build and test a type of communication system called a parabolic-dish receiver. This type of system is exactly like radio telescopes, which are discussed in our song. They explain how signals are transmitted and captured with...
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Space and Science Fiction
Use the Franklin Institute's exhibition "An Inquirer's Guide to the Universe" to have students research ideas for a science fiction story. After completing their research, writers will compose science fiction stories that incorporate...
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Your Weight on Other Planets
Students explore their weight on other planets. In this science lesson, students view a presentation about the other planets and complete a worksheet in which they make predictions about their weight on the moon and other planets.
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What Makes you Hot?
Students manipulate different variables in a model and make inferences about the temperature on Earth. In this heat lesson students calculate the blackbody radiation of an object at a certain temperature.
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Protecting Treasures
Students explore electricity by creating an alarm. In this circuitry lesson, students analyze a diagram of a circuit based alarm which detects sunlight. Students utilize electrical equipment to recreate the circuit and practice using its...
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Let's Make a Solar Car
Pupils transform a car that they have built out of K'NEX into a solar car. Students add one or two solar cells to the car to power a DC motor then connect the motor to the car and come up with a method to drive the car. This is the third...
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Watershed Management
Students investigate the concept of a watershed. They conduct research into the concept using a variety of resources. Students take a field trip to a local watershed to make observations. The outcome is a report concerning the outside...
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Decoding a Mystery Message from Space
Young scholars examine a message sent from outer space and do their best to interpret its meaning. In this problem solving lesson, students investigate a code sent to them from "outer space." The young scholars collaborate with their...
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Global Warming: The Greenhouse Effect Visualizer
Students work in small groups to study the various aspects of global weather and discuss the possibility of a Greenhouse Effect.
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Comets And Meteor Showers
Students fill in a diagram of a comet. They listen to a short lecture, view flash animation descriptions of comets and meteors and then use the presented information to complete a worksheet.
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Planet Interiors
Students compare and contrast the Earth's interior with 2 other planets by looking at images on the computer. In this planet interiors lesson plan, students write a paper about their findings.
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Plan a Mission to Recently Discovered Planet
Students plan a mission to a recently discovered planet. In this science lesson, students research spacecraft design, distances in space, long-term missions in space, and life-sustaining planets. Students work in groups to research an...
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Land Use
Students examine ecosystems that covered Illinois 200 years ago, investigate some living and non-living components of ecosystems, identify components of prairie system, create food webs, and observe human effects on environment. Lessons...
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Sweet Candy Comets
Fourth graders use candy to make a comet. In this activity, 4th graders examine the role comets have played throughout history, students watch NASA videos about comets and complete the activity by making an edible model of a comet. This...
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I See a Coyote
Learners role-play coyotes looking for natural resources. In this natural resources lesson, students examine the relationship between animal life and the environment. Learners play a game that demonstrates how natural...
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Powering a Green Earth
Students compare and contrast renewable and nonrenewable energy. In this environmental science lesson plan, students discuss the importance of going green. They identify the different components in a power grid system.
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Robot Earth
Middle schoolers construct a simple robotic energy transformer. In this space science lesson, students explain how energy is transformed from one form to another. They identify the different uses of robotic devices.
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Ecology: Factors Influencing Animal Populations
Young scholars assess the factors affecting animal populations. Working in groups they define specific vocabulary terms and complete several activities from "Project Wild."
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Populations and Ecosystems
Sixth graders examine the factors that influence the stability of ecosystems. They construct a miniature ecosystem in a jar that includes plants, small fish, and snails, record the population changes over a period of four weeks, and...
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Planting
Students form groups to conduct an experiment. They plant seedlings to test the effects of sunlight, water and soil, on the growth of seedlings.
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What Makes a Healthy Plant?
Students predict the effects of water, light, and soil on the development of a plant and then design an experiment to test their predictions.
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Exploring Space Fact
Students visit web sites to gather information about space and space exploration.
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Transforming Energy
Sixth graders study about alternate energy sources and discuss with their neighbor how alternative energy sources affect environmental conditions so that an entire species could be affected.