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Energy Audit
Students examine the level of energy usage on a local and national level. Using the internet, they discover ways to conserve energy every day and how over-consumption of energy negatively affects the environment. In groups, they...
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National expansion of the United States (1815 to 1850), and its connection to local Illinois history.
Pupils discuss the importance of establishing the I & M Canal water route. They watch a video about the canal's history. They collect and write a personal migration story by interviewing a family member. They analyze trends and...
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"Use an Anemometer," said the Meteorologist
Pupils participate in an hands-on construction of an instrument to measure wind speed.
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Controlling the Flow of the Colorado River: A Study of Dams
Students research and map the Colorado River and its dams and predict the effects of a dam on an area. They suggest reasons a dam would be built and compare the Colorado River system with other major river systems within the US and...
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How Far Away Is Saturn?
Students work together to create a scale model of the solar system. They write a descriptive paper and a paper comparing and contrasting the Earth to Saturn. They discuss their writings with the class.
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Antarctica
Third graders become familiar with Antarctica, the Earth's southernmost continent, by researching its environment and inhabitants. They reference maps, conduct Internet research, identify animals, create graphs and write reports.
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The State of the Planet
Young scholars address four different environmental topics (water issues, the threat of food shortages, human population growth, and global warming) as they watch a film and discuss the future of the earth. In groups, they complete...
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African Savanna
First graders are introduced to the ecosystems of savannas throughout the world. Using new vocabulary, they identify and describe the characteristics of a savanna and the animals that live there. They also describe the Earth's physical...
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World Geography: Climate Change Round Table
Students are able to explain the suspected causes of relatively recent climate changes, specifically the observed global warming. They discuss how unusual or extreme global warming disrupts the balance of the earth's geo-spheres.
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Daily Radiation "Balance"
Young scholars explore the amount of radiation in the Earth's atmosphere. They calculate the total amount of incoming and outgoing radiation over a day and determine how "balanced" the radiative system is over a particular location.
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Weather in the USA
Learners identify the different types of weather conditions that occur in the United States. They discover how to adapt to weather and explain forecast and warning signals.
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Geometry of Radio Meteor Reflections
Ninth graders investigate and describe ways that human understanding of Earth and space has depended on technological development. They describe and interpret the science of optical and radio telescopes, space probes and remote sensing...
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Indiana Tornado Project
Students become aware of the number of tornadoes that impact Indiana. They explore basic facts about tornadoes. Students use the GIS for research. They explore that natural phenomena in Indiana. Students become familiar with...
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Biosphere
Students examine the basic biosphere and its components. In this ecology lesson students complete several experiments including designing a system that is balanced to sustain life.
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Mining Minerals
Students define the properties of minerals and their uses in their world. For this multi-lesson unit, students contribute actively to discussions of mineral mining, mining methods and mine safety. A role play lesson asks students to...
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The Physical Geography of Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica
Students access information from the United States Geological Survey's Web site This Dynamic Earth to research the Ring of Fire. They answer four questions and then apply what they have learned to create a bulletin board display.
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Meteorology Madness
Students probe the dynamic weather changes through several hands-0n activities in this seven lessons unit. The hydrologic cycle, clouds, atmosphere, air movement, fronts, and forecasting form the components presented in this unit.
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Naturally Speaking
Students identify the Earth's natural resources and classify them as renewable or non-renewable. They simulate the distribution of resources and discuss the fairness and effectiveness of the distribution. They identify ways that they use...
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Concept Application: One to One Correspondence of Objects
Students consider the comparative sizes of the planets in the solar system. In this scale instructional activity, students select balls of different sizes to represent the planets in the solar system.
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Faulty Movement
Students discover the faults throughout the Earth. They describe the different types of faults and how they are related to earthquakes. They build models of the faults.
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Volcanoes In Japan
Sixth graders study the characteristics of volcanoes in this unit. They apply the research to the study of three volcanoes in Japan. They complete mapwork, identify indicators of impending volcanic activity, and describe the dangers...
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TE Activity: A Roundabout Way to Mars
Young scholars investigate Hohmann orbit transfers using cardboard and string while focusing on the orbits of Earth and Mars. They look at the planets orbits around the sun and transfer orbit form one planet to another to determine what...
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The Moon
Students explore the relationship between the earth, sun, and moon in our solar system. They create a moonrise/moonset chart, perform a dance that models the moon phases, and create a Styrofoam model of the moon's surface.