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Water Cycle Stories
Students explore the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson plan, students simulate the water cycle by placing an ice cube in a Ziploc bag and observing the changes which occur over time. Students record the mass of the Ziploc bag and...
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Magnetometer Extension Activities
Students observe magnetic fields and locate the position of "ore deposits" patterns using models and maps. In this magnetometer lesson students complete a hands on activity and a reading/writing exercise.
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Liquids in Bottles
Students investigate different liquids to develop their concept of a liquid. They work at a center to tip, swirl, shake, roll, and otherwise investigate seven liquids in small, clear plastic bottles: plain water, corn syrup, liquid...
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Properties of Air
Students conduct investigations to demonstrate and learn that air takes up space, and puts pressure, or pushes, on everything around it. They conduct experiments to learn about feeling air pressure and measuring air pressure. Prior to...
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Who Will Care for the Water?
Students discover how humans impact natural resources. In this environmental lesson, students identify water resources in the local area and construct a T-chart to compare the positive and negative effects humans have on water resources.
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Forest Decomposition
Students explore decomposition. Students define and describe components of the decomposition process. Students make a composter in a terrarium. Students record observations and changes weekly, drawing conclusions about the results...
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Different Minerals
In this minerals worksheet, learners read about the relationship between elements, rocks and minerals. They experiment using 6 different colored gumdrops to represent 6 common elements. Students construct gumdrop and toothpick models of...
Michigan Sea Grant
Food Chains and Webs
Starting with a simple food chain, young scientists interpret the difference and interrelatedness between herbivores, carnivores and producers. They answer questions related to cause and effect of food chain disruptions, including the...
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Mini-Ponds
For this mini pond worksheet, students create a mini-pond ecosystem with soil, water, and plant life. Students let their ecosystem sit for a day and they observe a sample the next day. Students identify all the pond water microorganisms...
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Energy Crisis and Energy Alternatives
In this energy crisis and energy alternatives worksheet, students fill in the blanks of sentences when given terms related to the environment, the energy crisis, renewable resources and non-renewable resources.
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Trees and Erosion
Students examine the connection between trees and erosion. In this erosion lesson students experiment with the effects of rain on a hillside. Students investigate the number of trees and the amount of erosion.
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Being Nosy About Our Neighbors
Students use the scientific method to explore the effect of size on impact cratering. They compare images of landforms on Earth to those of other planets to compare surface processes. Students infer the geologic history of another...
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Microscopes and Crystals
Students observe crystals under the microscope. In this science lesson, students compare how the crystal look like using their eyes, hand lens and microscope. They identify the type of crystal based on the amount of light they allow to...
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It's Sedimentary, My Dear!
Students examine sedimentary rocks to determine how they form. In this Earth science lesson plan, students will make a rock by cementing small particles together. The students will then compare their observations of sedimentary rocks to...
Michigan Sea Grant
Water Quality
Learners observe water samples and measure the samples' water quality. Students develop their own criteria for measuring water quality and test for temperature, acidity, oxygen levels, turbidity, conductance, sediment and hardness.
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Weather Lesson 1
Students describe and compare the layers of the atmosphere. They explain how to measure the temperature of the atmosphere. They also explain what causes the atmosphere to heat up in some places more than in others.
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Designing an Ecologically Sound City
Fifth graders design an "ecologically sound" city. They write laws for the city to help make all citizens aware of their ecological responsibilities and propose alternative power sources for light and heat.
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The Shadow Knows - Creating Shadows
Young learners recognize a shadow and witness how shadows occur when light is blocked. They access streamed video, standard video, and websites in order to engage in their study of how light is naturally blocked to create shadows. An...
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Classifying Shells
Young scholars observe and classify different types of shells. They compare and contrast an exhibit they created with one that already exists in a musuem. They discover the different characteristics of shells.
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The Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM) Lesson
Introduce your class to one of the ways that technology is benefiting humanity. The Global Precipitation Measurement Mission involves the data collected by nine satellites from different countries with a united focus on studying world...
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Bugs, Bugs, Everywhere!
Young scholars collect and compare bugs using magnifying lenses and graph data based on their comparisons. In this bugs lesson plan, students also make an aspirator by using a jar, tubing, and screen.
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Water and Ice
Students investigate how water goes from a solid to a liquid then back again. In this experimental lesson students conduct their own experiment and see how water changes form.
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Get the Drift?
The anticipatory set is clever: give groups five minutes to work on the puzzle and then discuss what strategies they used to match the few that connected. This introduces middle schoolers to the concept of continental drift. A portion of...
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Air Quality Issues
Students identify the different layers of the atmosphere. They examine the different types of air pollutants. They also discover laws in effect that work to protect the environment.