Curated OER
Soil Treasure Hunt
Students explore the concept of soil and decomposition. In this soil and decomposition lesson, students investigate bags of soil. Students then learn how animals and other organisms help in the decomposition process.
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Collecting Leaves with Lewis and Clark
Fourth graders collect data on leaves collected, observe different species of leaves, and implement different methods of leaf preservation.
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Dark Skies: Volcanic Contribution to Climate Change
Learners examine how volcanic eruptions affect global climate. They listen to first-hand accounts of the effects of a large volcanic eruption and illustrate a landscape to show understanding. They experiment with the loss of light and...
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Improving the Building Envelope System
Students explain the different heat transfer mechanisms and how they influence the building envelope. They develop ways in which the building envelope can be improved and test hypotheses about building envelope designs.
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Improving the HVAC System
High schoolers describe the components of an HVAC system and determine which factors influence how efficient the system can be. They work together to develop hypotheses about the systems and their cost effectiveness and efficiency.
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Rock and Their Properties: Days 2-4
Young scholars engage in cooperative research projects in order to study about the properties of the three basic rock types and the processes that form them. They plan and develop their products.with the resources for conducting their...
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Cloudy With a Chance of...
Second graders will write a story. For this writing and meteorology lesson, 2nd graders read the story Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, then use KidPix to create a weather picture. The picture is imported into a word processor and the...
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Too Hot? Gotta Vent!
Young scholars study deep sea exploration and underwater geology, specifically hydrothermal sea vents. They create digital video projects of their own to demonstrate their knowledge, illustrating the discoveries of the explorers of the...
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Earthquake Epicenter
Students use chart data to determine the location of the epicenter of an earthquake. This task assesses students' abilities to generalize and infer, organize data, interpret data, and apply mathematical concepts.
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Building Up, Breaking Down
Students investigate how rocks are modified into construction materials. In this building up and breaking down lesson plan, students explore what happens to building materials over time and how people modify natural materials. Students...
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Cloud Fun
Students observe cumulus clouds. In this weather lesson, students go outside to look at cumulus clouds and observe what the weather is like when they find these types of clouds. They create a cumulus cloud in an art project and complete...
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Polar Energy
Students define and read an article on polar energy. For this polar energy lesson, students answer questions about the article. Students participate in activities related to isotopes, half-life and radiocarbon. Students make global...
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Density and Mass
Students experiment to find which liquids are more dense. In this density and mass lesson plan, students predict and then test objects to observe and measure their density. students observe which items sink and float. Students complete...
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Blame It On El Nino
Students understand what the weather phenomenon El Nino is and what causes it. Students recognize how remote sensing technology can detect and predict El Nino. Students discover how El Nino effects weather conditions throughout the globe...
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The Envelope System: A Partial Solution
Studnet identify examples of conduction, convection and radiation. They develop an example of a building envelope. They also describe how heat transfer mechanisms can affect home energy costs.
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Michigan Food: From Farm to You
Students recognize Michigan on a map and understand how its climate is affected by the Great Lakes. In this Michigan food lesson, students play a trivia game to identify the produce of Michigan. Students relate the climate in each part...
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Atmospheric Processes - Conduction
Students explain the process of conduction using a molecular explanation, and explain how different materials conduct at different rates.
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Is There Liquid Water on Mars?
Students assess whether there is liquid water on Mars by analyzing images and data. In this planetary lesson students analyze temperature and pressure graphs and hypothesize about how water could have flowed on Mars.
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Bacteria: Friend or Foe?
Students examine a variety of environmental and industrial roles of bacteria. explore where bacteria can be found and distinguish bacteria from other organisms.
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Indoor Environment: A Magazine Publication Project
Students demonstrate knowledge of Indoor Air Quality by creating a class magazine. A link to order a free Action Kit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is provided so teachers can build background knowledge. Performance...
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Air Engine - Air Races
Students conduct an experiment about air volume, density, and pressure. In this air lesson, students discuss air, and how it moves. They make predictions about what will happen during the balloon and string experiment. They document the...
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Differences between Climate and Weather
Students collect weather data over weeks, graph temperature data and compare the temperature data collected with averaged climate data where they live.
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What Plants Need in Order to Survive and Grow: Soil
Students conduct an experiment to evaluate whether plants need soil to survive and grow. They plant two seeds, one with soil and one without, make predictions, and record and analyze the seed germination results on a worksheet.
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Comparing Amount of Rainfall in Different Geographical Areas
Third graders create rain gauges and take them home. Individually, they record the rainfall amounts at all of their homes over a 2-week period and then bring the data back to class so they can compare the different amounts of rainfall...