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Teaching the Complexities of Earth's Systems

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
An understanding of systems is integral to the study of the Earth.
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Micro-Ecosystems

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students create a sustainable, self-contained ecosystem in a ten-gallon aquarium.
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Science: Wind Power

For Teachers All
Students build models of wind turbines and experiment with different designs that will improve efficiency. Students will understand the use of wind power as a renewable resource.
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Celebration!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Use a five-lesson unit to investigate how different cultures use art for common purposes, such as the marking of special events, celebrations, and the validation of human experience.
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Data, Data, Everywhere... and What Am I To Think?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students demonstrate good random sampling techniques for data collection, select and develop graphic presentations of data and analyze the data to solve a problem presented.
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TOXIC TECHNOLOGY

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine what they already know about computer recycling and cconsider how computer recycling is contributing to a global toxic waste problem by reading and discussing the article, ""Poor Nations are Littered With Old PC's,...
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Bottle Habitat

For Teachers 5th - 6th
In groups of four, students construct aquatic habitats in pop bottles. They create charts and record data from observations over a four week period. Then they graph their data and write explanations for what they observed.
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Multiple Intelligences and The Illinois & Michigan Canal

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders engage in a wide variety of cross-curricular activities designed to give them a thorough understanding of the history of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. There are a very nice set of activities included in this plan!
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The Chips Are Down: A Natural Selection Simulation

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students, in teams, use different colored paper chips to represent prey and a piece of fabric as the environment.
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Air: Air Quality Picture Project

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students recognize which activities contribute to poor air quality and which contribute to good air quality. They discover how air quality is measured, and come up with ways that humans can have a positive affect on air quality.
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Solar Power

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders create their own solar panel. They use this experiment to see how the sun can be used as a form of energy.
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Household Hazardous Waste Reduction

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students discover the different types of hazardous waste. They examine ways to dispose of the hazardous materials safely and without harming the environment.
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Adult Criminal Justice System

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders examine the procedures and protections involved in processing an accused person through the criminal justice system. They view a Powerpoint presentation, conduct research, and write a paper describing a crime they have...
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Global Warming: Life in a Greenhouse

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the evidence that scientists have used to support the existence of global warming and the greenhouse effect. How the concepts have been developed and evaluated form the focus of this lesson.
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The Mad Pursuit Search for the Structure of DNA

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students complete a variety of activities as they study the historical story of Rosalind Franklin not receiving credit for her contributions in discovering the structure of DNA.
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Improving the Building Envelope System

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students 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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Tornadoes

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the characteristics of a tornado. They practice using new vocabulary and participate in a question and answer session. They use the internet to gather more specific information.
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Sharks in Decline

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students investigate common fishing methods used to capture sharks. They decide why these methods and the shark's reproductive biology are contributing to the quick reduction in the shark population.
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How Many Birds Would It Take To Keep A Jackal Alive?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the role of large families in some animal populations. They work together to complete an activity related to food supply. They discover the relationship between preys and predators.
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Alien Invaders: An Invasive Species Game

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers are introduced to invasive species and how they affect the ecosystems they now occur in. They explore the basic life histories of several invasive species that are of regional and or national importance. Pupils...
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Exploring the Biomes of South America

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders complete a five-week unit investigating the eight major biomes of South America. They conduct Internet research, collect short-term and long-term climate data, and create a HyperStudio slideshow stack about a selected biome...
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Great Lakes Ecology

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars are able to use a secchi disk to measure the turbidity of water by determining the depth at which the sechi disk is no longer visible and using the data in a formula to quantify the results. They are able to use Vernier...
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Windmill of Your Mind - Distributed Energy Goes to School

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students research the possibility and feasibility of installing a wind-turbine distributed energy system for their school. They conduct research, watch an online video, analyze the cost of the project and examine the benefits, and write...