Lesson Plan
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Matter Matters: Solids, Liquids and Gases

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Scientists participate in a variety of hands-on experiments in this ten-day unit on the three states of matter. Lessons incorporate literature, a-v materials, and poetry to help students differentiate between solids, liquids and gases.
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DISCOUNT LENSES ( GELATIN WAVE GUIDES)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study attributes associated with concept of fiber optics is done using a labmade fiber optic from clear molded gelatin. A variety of shapes can be cut and pieced together to form a conduit to transmit the laser beam by internal...
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Quad Squad

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students pretend they have visited a forest research station on an overnight field trip. They study forest fires, use compass directions, read maps, interpret imagery, and think about the impact of fire on ecosystems.
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Long Island Sound

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Young scholars use the Internet to research the history of Long Island Sound. In groups, they identify the sources of point and nonpoint pollution and how humans are impacting the area. After watching a video, they discuss the role of...
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Deforestation, Fragmentation, and the Edge Effect

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students participate in an activity to demonstrate how deforestation, fragmentation, and habitat edges may affect native animal populations. Students accomplish this by playing a game from a provided worksheet and completing a graphing...
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Water-The Liquid Gold

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students investigate the necessity of water for the survival of plants, animals, and people. They explore the affect that water has on human and natural environments through literature, field trips, and discussions.
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Cherishing the Water of Life

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students work in small groups to brainstorm a list of all creatures, plants, natural, and artificial processes that use or depend on fresh water. The class views an aquarium filled with water representing all the water in the world. The...
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The Universe

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students describe what scientists mean by an "expanding universe" in their own words. They explain how scientists comprehend the universie is expanding. Students comprehend the vast scale of the universe. They comprehend how theory...
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Urban Effects on Inshore Plankton

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the effects of urban pollution on plankton. In this plankton and pollution lesson plan, students use samples of plankton collected in urban areas to observe the effects of pollution on plankton samples. They...
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Shake, Rattle, and Roll: Mt. St. Helens - Lesson Plan 2

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students compile information on volcanic activity at Mount St. Helens.  In this earth science lesson, students use the information they gathered on Mount St. Helens to answer questions and create charts in Excel.  Then students...
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Ice Cream Toppings

For Teachers K - 1st
Students explore the five senses. In this senses lesson, students use their senses to top their ice cream. Students compare and contrast the different toppings and write their observations, using descriptive words, in a notebook.
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Understanding Kidney Disease

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students experiment to determine information about kidney function. In this kidney function lesson, students use the scientific method to experiment with eggs, water, salt, sugar, and vegetable oil to simulate kidney function. They...
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How Much Soil is There?

For Teachers K - 5th
Students examine that all living things depend on soil to live. In this science lesson, students pretend that an apple is planet Earth. Students cut the apple to represent the portions of Earth with the last section representing soil.
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The Sun Affects Earth

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders read, write, and listen to information about the sun and its effects on the Earth.as it relates to its axis, orbit, rotate, and revolution.  In this solar system activity, 3rd graders examine how the sun...
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What Influences Reaction Rate?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study reaction rates, what determines how fast a reaction happens and how the chemical changes occur.  In this reactions lesson students complete a lab where they use Alka-Seltzer to observe reaction rate and create a graph...
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Paint Property Experiments

For Teachers K - 7th
Young scholars identify various kinds of paints by using the scientific method.  In this solvents instructional activity students collect data and identify paint samples while working in teams.
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Does Global Warming Increase the Intensity of Atmospheric Natural Disasters?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners study global warming by communicating the problem, process and solutions.  In this global instructional activity students use graphs, research and write a critical stance on natural disasters.
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Ocean Currents and Sea Surface Temperature

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars use satellite data to explore sea surface temperature. They explore the relationship between the rotation of the Earth, the path of ocean current and air pressure centers. After studying maps of sea surface temperature and...
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Periodic Motion - The Pendulum

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the concept of periodic motion and relate it to the movement of a pendulum. They discover that the period of a pendulum is dependent on the length of the pendulum and independent of the bob and the amplitude.
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Teaching about Data Interpretation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore a variety of relevant lake water chemistry questions, compose responses, and present their results in a poster format. They, in pairs, answer questions about lake chemistry which are imbedded in this plan.
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Water Cycle (Role of Water)

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore the role of water as a natural resource in order to conserve and protect its use for future generations.
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Frosty the Snowman Meets His Demise: An Analogy to Carbon Dating

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read and discuss an article about carbon dating, then participate in a hands-on lab to discover how carbon dating works. Students also write a letter to a friend explaining the process, and how archeologists use the process to...
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What's A Water Column Profile?

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students investigate water column data. For this earth science and seawater lesson, students determine how temperature, salinity, and density have an impact on sea water by viewing and analyzing data obtained from a number of websites....
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What Shapes a MPA?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify the three types of MPA in California. In this marine science lesson, students analyze information provided to design a new MPA. They justify their reasoning in class.