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Find the Speed of a Protist
Students identify protists under a microscope, and using a stopwatch calculate the speed of a protist from a pond water sample. They use distance and time to identify the speed of a protist, and create a distance versus time graph to...
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Wacky Water Critters
Students visit a local creek or stream. They collect water samples from the creek and observe and sort the "water critters" they find in the sample, observing smaller organisms under a microscope if necessary. They identify each organism...
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Species Diversity and Phylogeny
High schoolers explore the classification system of organisms: taxonomy. They examine prepared slides of Protozoans and record information on a Taxonomy Recording Sheet. Two additional classifying activities are also included in this...
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The High Plains: Land of Extremes
Students complete activities surrounding the study of groundwater movement, energy resources, wind energy, and riparian areas. They debate/role-play the viewpoints of different interest groups in considering whether the black-footed...
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The Scientist in Me
Students make a poster. In this scientist lesson, students define the term scientist, draw pictures of themselves as scientists, and write about what they would study as a scientist.
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Carbon Dioxide Heats It Up
Students design an investigation to test whether vegetation in an area helps regulate the ambient air temperature. They make comparisons between the investigation and global changes in climate. In groups, they present their findings to...
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INSECTS
Seventh graders select, collect, and classify various insects by constructing an apparatus from materials that aid in the capture and containment of the insect.
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Creating an Experimental Design
Middle schoolers research the damage to the environment by certain plant species. They create an experimental design which they test how these species take over certain habitats. They share their information with the class.
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Inquiry-based Investigations into Pond Water Microorganisms
Students become familiar with common microorganisms and experience exploring the microbial world.
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Invasive Species
Students study exotic and native species, and examine how exotic species can impact native ones. They study how the mute swan effects native species.
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The "Nuts and Bolts" of Taxonomy and Classification
Students develop classification scheme that meets the established rules of the Linnaean system. They write one page essay on classification choices.
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Most Troublesome Exotic Invasive Plant Species Web Quest
Young scholars participate in a Web Quest activity in which they identify common exotic invasive plant species of the Southern Appalachian Region. After identifying the top 10 exotic invasive species, they choose one to research in depth.
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Life In Extreme Environments
Students work together to design and participate in experiments to determine the rate rotifers eat. After completing their experiments, they record and analyze their data and identify any challenges faced during the procedure. They...
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The Cricket and The Plant
Students examine determine the symbiotic relationship between plants and animals as the find ways to naturally reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They study the carbon cycle. They work with probe and graphing calculator to examine the...
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Assessing Water Quality in a Local Creek by Sampling Aquatic Macroinvertabrets
Students experiment collecting macroinvertebrates from a stream and identify the specimens collected and then log in the information into a data table. From the data, they make qualitative and quantitative interpretations of water quality.
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Exploring Ecology
Students explore the basics of ecology through numerous hands-on and relevant activities. They participate in an online food chain demonstration, which explores food web dynamics. They dissect owl pellets, examine the prey's bones, and...
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Activity 4: Alvin Dive, A Mysterious Encounter and Change Over Time
Students receive copies of the Time Series Observations to use for note-taking. They work in small groups to discuss what they see when the outside lights of Alvin are turned on, and off, where the bacteria may have come from. They view...
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Life in Extreme Environments - Lakes Under Ice
Students collect chemical, physical, and biological data from a local lake throughout the year. In addition, students discuss the design of an experimental structure for water collection at several specific depths as well as assess the...
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Something Rotten in West Bloomfield!
Student groups seek a possible ecological problem in the West Bloomfield area then either photograph or videotape the problem. They investigate how to measure the extent of the problem and do it.
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Temperature and Brine Shrimp Eggs
Students determine the optimal temperature at which brine shrimp eggs hatch and develop. They evaluate the changes, if any, which occur in a brine shrimp culture at various temperatures.
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Introduction to Measuring the Forest
Young scholars investigate how much wood is in a forest. In this forestry lesson, students calculate how much usable wood comes from the forest. They will read, Sizing Things Up from Trees + Me = Forestry, measure firewood piles, and...
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Mystery Spill
Students investigate the cause of birds dying in Monterey Bay. In this scientific research lesson, students use various resources, scientific investigations, and vector analysis to solve an environmental mystery.
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Chesapeake Bay Population Studies
Students determine how to use a quarter meter quadrant to find population density, relative density, frequency and how to calculate a diversity index while participating in a virtual field trip. They study how to establish a Correlation...
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World Geography: Postcard from the Rim
Learners are able to identify the areas of the world that are affected by arsenic contamination of the water supply. They are able to describe the ways in which various societies deal with the problem of arsenic contamination. ...