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Radiation Budget Lesson: Exploring Albedo
Students experiment with sunlight and temperature. They study the definition of albedo, or the percentage of incoming sunlight that is reflected, rather than absorbed.
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Imagers: The Adventure of Echo the Bat Number to Pictures: How Satellite Images are Created
Pupils examine the three primary colors of light and design a numerical code to represent those colors. They tell how satellites use numbers to create satellite images after completing a number of experimental activities.
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The Origin of Life
In this origin of life worksheet, students write answers to five questions. They describe characteristics of the first life forms and how scientists believe oxygen accumulated in the Earth's atmosphere.
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Interplanetary Travel Guide
In groups of six, middle school space scientists create an imaginative travel brochure for attracting visitors to the planet Mars. Information must include surface features and atmospheric conditions. Although time-consuming, this is a...
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Why Is It Hotter At the Equator?
Students investigate the different heating effects of sunlight. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the way sunlight strikes the equator, the poles and other parts of the globe.
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Identifying Minerals
Young scholars compare and constrast a wide variety of minerals and rocks. They test them for streak, luster, color and other characteristics. They view an exhibit and compare their answers to them.
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Measuring the Number Of Calories In Sunlight
Young scholars., in groups, define calorie and compare the absorption of solar energy by three different collectors. They define solar constant and offer several explanations for discrepancies between the data collected and the solar...
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Cooler In The Shadows
Students investigate the concepts of shadows and how they are projected with objects different positions in relation to the sun. They conduct an experiment by observing objects in different positions. Then students record the observations.
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Groundwater Movement
Students study groundwater movement beneath the surface of the Earth. In this agriculture instructional activity, students experiment with how water moves through rock materials such as sand, gravel, and clay.
Smithsonian Institution
Watching Crystals Grow
Amazing science can sometimes happen right before your eyes! The class gets cozy as they watch crystals grow. They use Epsom salts, rocks, and food coloring to create crystals. They'll observe the entire process, documenting every step...
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Falling
Fourth graders explore the earth's gravitational force. They discuss objects in motion and the concepts of pulls and pushes. Students investigate the idea that falling and gravity can be useful in connection with various sports...
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Looking Back in Time
Students construct a timeline that records the birthdates of several scientists. They calculate a relationship for distance and years and then compare their timelines to the use of light years as a measurement unit.
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Fact Sheet
In this space worksheet, students will read facts about Mars and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Students will also find 24 space related words in a word search.
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Global Warming - The Heat is On: Global Climate Change Revisited
After listening to your lecture on climate change, young scientists access NOAA's database listing Mauna Loa's carbon dioxide data. They graph the monthly means and then compare their graphs to NOAA's. This is a concise plan that could...
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Homemade Barometer
To reinforce the action of air pressure, have your meteorology pupils construct a barometer. They place the barometer into a closed system, a miniature atmosphere if you will, and notice the movement of the needle on the homemade...
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Getting Through the Day Duck Style
Students observe ducks at a local wetland. They answer various questions about the ducks behavior and write the answers on a downloadable worksheet.
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Which Falls Faster?
Second graders study force and what it does. In this motion lesson students complete a demonstration on force and gravity and share their ideas.
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Mantle Motions
Young scholars define vocabulary words associated with lithospheric plate motions. They create and write down a motion to act out each vocabulary word, and participate in a game of demonstrating the actions associated with each word.
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Lesson Two
Second graders, after assessing why forecasting weather is important, study about temperature and how to read a thermometer. They experiment being able to observe the mercury rising up and down when given a thermometer and cups of cold...
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Products from the Rainforest
Second graders write a story about the journey a food has from the rainforest to your table. In this food lesson plan, 2nd graders research different foods and products that come from the rainforest and discover how it ended up in their...
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What Factors Impact a Greenhouse?
Students analyze the Greenhouse Effect and the science of greenhouses. In this global climate lesson, students read background information about the 'greenhouse effect' and define 'albedo.' Students examine pictures of clouds, read about...
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Moon Phases
Students engage in a study looking for the differences found during the cycle of one lunar month. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Then the information is used to construct a lunar calendar to observe daily changes and...
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What's down there?
students analyze how oil is formed and where in the Earth we find it. Students take a core sample to look for oil in a model of the Earth. They analyze their sample and make an informed decision as to whether or not they should "drill...
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Trends of Snow Cover and Temperature in Alaska
Learners compare NASA satellite data observations with student surface measurements of snow cover and temperature. They practice data collection, data correlations, and making scientific predictions.