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Design a Space Station

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate living in space. In this science lesson, 6th graders discuss what it is like to live in space and create their own space station or space city of the future.
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Animal Adaptations: Focus on Bird Beaks

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore bird beaks as animal adaptation. For this bird adaptation lesson, 6th graders conduct an experiment to determine the connection between the shape of a bird's beak and the food it eats.
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Bible: Mayan Gods

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students discover beliefs and practices of the Mayans.  In this Mayan gods lesson, students discuss "The World Tree" of the Mayans, the three layers of the tree, and their meanings.  Students discover the manner and purpose of...
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North American Animals

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students are introduced to the anatomy and characteristics of the North American wolf, grizzly bear and bobcat through a purchased kit. They cast plaster models of each of the animals for study and display.
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Magnetic Discovery Bottle

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine how to conduct simple investigations and use simple equipment to gather data.  In this magnet lesson students decide what types of objects are attracted to magnets. 
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Australia: the Land Down Under

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students give a solid history and geographic explanation of the country of Australia and explain why it is important. They use some creativity in designing their own island, by using the physical features of this particular country.
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Cricket Times

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students design a class newspaper all about their study of crickets, including illustrations and various sections of the newspaper, like sports, jokes, articles, food, and reviews. Students create a plan to design a cricket from food...
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Time Lapse Seed Germination with the QX3 Intel Digital Microscope

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners use the time-lapse feature of the QX3 Intel Digital Microscope to observe germination of seeds. They use the QX3 Intel Digital microscope to create time lapse video films of seed germination experiments.
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Composting in Schools: Observing Compost Microorganisms

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners explore composting. In this composting lesson, students use compound microscopes to observe the microbial communities in compost. Observations and documentation of changes will occur over the course of several weeks.
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Symmetry in Butterflies

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students create a butterfly displaying a mirror image of itself to show that it is symmetrical. In this symmetry lesson plan, students go over symmetry in different shapes and identify patterns in butterflies.
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Cell Swelling and Shrinking

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the concept of osmosis in relation to dehydration. They identify the function and structure of semi-permable membranes. They predict how certain processes can affect the characteristics of an organism.
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Stone Figurines

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students analyze visual arts by examining images on the Internet. In this figurine lesson, students research Keith Haring's artwork on the web and identify his body movement artistic style. Students utilize soft stones, carving...
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Watercolor and Poetry

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create a watercolor painting of a color or an object that make the student feel a certain way. They describe how this color makes them feel through writing a short poem.
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Birds of Wisconsin

For Teachers 1st
First graders explore the job done by ornithologists. They role play identifying the characteristics that make a bird a bird. They discuss what makes each bird species unique. Students are introduced to Wisconsin's most common and rare...
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The Human Organism

For Teachers 3rd
In this digestion and nutrition activity, 3rd graders test foods to find their vitamin content. Students test for starch and fats then compare their findings on charts and oral reports. The activity concludes with a teacher directed...
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Stomach Chemistry

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders compare physical and chemical changes. They perform a simulation experiment/activity that replicates what happens in the stomach as food is digested by stomach acids.
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The Thrill of Big-Wave Surfing

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Pupils go on a Wave Scavenger Hunt on the Internet.
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Macroinvertebrate Mix and Match

For Teachers K - 5th
Students are introduced to macroinvertebrates (primarily insects), the major segments of aquatic insects (the head, thorax and abdomen) and also differentiate between larval, nymph and adult stages. They investigate the head, thorax and...
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Matter and Energy

For Teachers K - 5th
Students investigate the effects of air pressure on humans by utilizing the Internet.  In this physical science lesson, students research the Internet to discover altitude sickness and air pressure.  Students prepare against...
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Beaver Ecology

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Young scholars explore the lives of bgeahvers. They identify the physical and behavioral adaptations that help beavers survive in their environment. Students compare and contrast how beavers influence the ecology of both forest and...
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Camouflage, Protection, & Adaptations—Who am I?

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Learners explore ocean animal adaptations. In this animal adaptations activity, students examine how different ocean animals use adaptations other than camouflage to protect themselves.
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Inside-out Adaptations

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students describe sea stars adaptations and explain how these enable them to survive in different environments.  In this animal adaptation lesson students watch a video, get into groups and create a list of characteristics of sea...
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Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students summarize the "Tri-County Project" section of the nebraskastudies.org web site using a scavenger hunt.
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Fun With Fish Forms

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners explore fish adaptations and anatomy. In this science instructional activity, students discuss various adaptations of fish and how those adaptations help them.