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Feature Column: Virtual Field Trips
Young scholars discover ways to stay healthy by utilizing Internet education software. In this computer technology lesson, students investigate Internet programs that simulate a field trip by showing images and video. Young...
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Lead Detection
Pupils hypothesize whether the soil sample may have lead contamination and why. They describe what they see happening with the soil samples and the corresponding swabs. Pupils write a brief description of what they observe as the various...
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Detecting Systems
Fourth graders participate in a lesson that attempts to explain how a system works. They examine the parts and how they fit together. The question of what happens to a system if a pert is missing is asked.
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Create Your Own Investigation
Students design and implement an experiment intended to measure and analyze the air quality of a particular location. They focus on looking for ozone and particulate pollutants.
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How Can You Detect the Invisible?
Students participate in a lab activity in which they examine the characteristics of radon. They identify radon's link to cases of lung cancer. They complete a radon fact sheet and answer questions to end the instructional activity.
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Invisible Investigations
Students simulate how charged particles move in a particle detector. In this physics lesson, students observe how iron filings behave when magnetic marbles are passed underneath them. They record and draw their observations.
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Detecting Magnetic Materials in "Martian" Soil
Students simulate some of the Pathfinder experiments by devising methods of collecting and measuring magnetic substances in pseudo-Martian soil. The efficiency of each of the methods used to collect materials is evaluated in this...
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Check Out Lights and Shields with Beads
Students explore Ultraviolet detecting beads and conduct several investigations with them. In this investigative activity students participate in an experiment to see the harmful effects of UV light and discuss their findings.
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Lead Extraction
Students investigate one method used in the detection of lead in the soil. They use a Lead Check Soil Kit to safely obtain results in 30 minutes or less in levels of 400 ppm or above. In addition, they write a brief description of what...
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Radiation
Students distinguish between natural and man-made radiation. They measure radiation using a Geiger counter and investigate footprints of radiation.
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Harriet The Spy
Fourth graders investigate the style of diary writing as its own genre of literature. They read Harriet The Spy in order to have a text for this literature study. Students use the skill of prediction to preview the story, and then...
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RADIATION PROTECTION: HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
Students study the effects of shielding on the amount of detectable radioactivity from a gamma source. They investigate the shielding of one type of metal, then design their own experiments to answer questions raised during the...
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Have I Been Hacked?
Young scholars investigate how effective SNEAK strategies are in detecting hackers. In this technology lesson, students explain the ethical issues about hacking. They graph and analyze their experimental results.
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Using Newsprint as a UV Detector
Students investigate the effects of UV radiation. In this earth science lesson, students explain how the time of day relate to UV abundance on Earth. They determine if weather affects the amount of UV that Earth receives.
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Expanding FBI Surveillance Powers After September 11, 2001
Learners examine the guidelines put out by the FBI to follow during federal investigations. In groups, they discuss the decision by the FBI to increase surveillance after the terrorist attacks on September 11. They share their opinions...
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Paper Planes
In this unit, 3rd graders investigate one variable to see if they can make a paper plane fly farther. They use scatter plots to establish a possible relationship between variables then use what they have found to make a paper plane to...
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Biomedical Engineering and Quality of Life Improvements
Students complete an observational or natural science experiment. They do systematic and experimental work using experiments that have been done by others. They research their hypothesis and gather information from several sources. They...
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Everything was Up to Date in 1628
Students examine the life and lifestyles of New England colonists in the year 1628, and then investigate what life was like in their own area during the same time period. They watch segments from the PBS hands-on history series COLONIAL...
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The Ghost Particle
Students collect evidence to make inferences about a object hidden inside a sealed box. They think critically and logically to raise questions. Students identify questions that can be answered through investigation. They formulate and...
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Writing As Criminal Evidence
Students research 2 famous forgery cases. In this forensics lesson, students are introduced to the methods of handwriting and paper analysis. They then use the Internet to study the cases of the Lindbergh baby and Howard Hughes'...
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Black Hole Lesson
Tenth graders experiment with detection techniques for black holes by modeling the rotation of galaxies with larger and larger masses in the center. They discover while some events cannot be directly observed they may be observable in...
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Honeybee
Learners investigate honeybees and the importance of honeybees to humans. They identify the various parts of a bee's body using velcro parts, role-play a hive, and answer review questions.
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More Power to You
Young scholars construct a simple galvanometer in order to detect the presence of an electric current as well as determine the amount of the current. Activity is divided into two parts, first part as group work and second as individual.
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A Plume of Contamination
Students perform an experiment/investigative simulation regarding the movement of contaminants in groundwater. They test the pH of three water samples, and then use their reasoning skills to determine the source of an invisible...