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Ocean Color
Students examine NASA's SeaWiFS Project Web site to explore how the SeaWiFS Project monitors environmental and climatic changes in the oceans and atmosphere. They answer questions and write a summary in support of continued funding for...
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Origins: Earth is Born
Students collect and identify micrometeorites from space. Students create collection devices and retrieval methods for matter. They prepare slides and view particles found. Students discuss where the identifiable particles originated...
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Rotating Rings of Ice
Students work together to develop a model of Saturn and its rings. They identify what types of materials make up the rings and how they revolve around Saturn. They write a short paragraph describing the rings.
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Geologic Features of Mars
Students examine images of Mars' surface features to identify landforms and the geological processes that created them. Students listen to information about Mars presented by the teacher, then analyze labeled pictures of Mars' landforms...
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Murals, Memories, and Making Art
Fourth grade reading students study art works by famous artists. They use various tools for learning about the artist, and they present their information by writing and speaking about the artist. They also create artwork in the style of...
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Make a Comet Model and Eat It!
Students create models of comets. They develop a comet model in a team and exchange samples with other teams. They use their senses to demonstrate the filters on a spectrometer and record their data. They discuss the contents of their...
Journey Through the Universe
Is There Anyone Out There?
What is an alien's favorite game? All-star baseball! Scholars start defining living and non-living. Then, they conduct experiments to research if life exists, keeping in mind that life could be in many forms, not just human.
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Maximum Power Point
Students investigate how to optimize the power output of a photovoltaic cell using a home-made gnomon stand. They use data collected to create current-voltage and power-voltage curves to determine the "maximum PowerPoint," (MPP) at which...
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Habitat Unit - Day 2
Students explore abiotic factors that affect habitats. After a class lecture, students work in groups to answer questions about plant tissue, production and growth. They share answers, complete a crossword puzzle, and create a habitat...
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Spotlight on Photovoltaics and Fuel Cells
Students utilize Internet resources to uncover the pros and cons of two topics in alternative energy technology: photovoltaics and fuel cells. Students analyze the structure and function of each system to make observations about the...
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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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Robots from Junk
High schoolers create balloon and rubber band models of robotic rovers to investigate the concepts of mass, torque, and friction. Through research and planning, students construct a rover test-bed that simulates the Martian environment.
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A Comparison of Land and Water Temperature
Learners use the NASA website's Live Access Server to create a graph of surface temperature at two locations on earth. They analyze the data and then answer specific questions provided in this lesson. They also examine and compare the...
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Mississippi’s Electricity: From Generation to Consumption
Eighth graders discover how electricity is produced. In this physics lesson, 8th graders infer about the future of Mississippi's energy industry. They participate in a Smart Board interactive activity at the end of the lesson.
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Blast Off with Model Rockets
Students investigate science and math by building a rocket. In this geometry lesson, students build a rocket using paper towel tubes while investigating questions about launching a rocket. They discuss balance and unique structure as...
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Planet Paths: Studying Planetary Orbital Paths
Learners define and identify planetary orbit, ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola, and simulate Kepler's Second Law. They explore interactive websites demonstrating orbital motion and complete modeling activities.
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Exploring Space Fact
Students visit web sites to gather information about space and space exploration.
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Database
Second graders collect daily weather information and introduce them to databases.
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Teachers' Notes: Switch Gets Ready!
Students practice multiplication facts, answer simple math questions from two, five, and ten times-tables, explore concept of halves and quarters, complete worksheet containing range of shapes to make shape picture, and sort data and...
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Taxonomy Project
High schoolers act as a taxonomist and, given a certain situation, classify existing organisms.
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Understanding Cloud Formation
Students view a demonstration that simulates cloud formation. They read a poem about clouds, participate in a class demonstration using warm water and ice and write a paragraph summarizing their observations.
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Specializing in Space
In this literature book review activity, students read a nonfiction book about space or space exploration before choosing a topic to explore further. They choose from 7 activities such as designing a model, writing a letter, write about...
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Life Science Review for Grade 4
In this life science review for grade 4 worksheet, 4th graders answer 25 multiple choice questions in standardized test format about life science.
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Horrific Hurricanes
Students study hurricanes and how scientists predict them. In this hurricane lesson students read an article on hurricanes, complete an activity and take a quiz.