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Bats Migrate South
Learners examine the life of bats in Illinois. Using the internet, they research the history of the bat in Illinois and describe the way they find prey by using echolocation. They report their findings to the class and answer any...
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Coarl Reef Degradation
Middle schoolers explore methods of preserving Hawaii's ocean ecosystem. Using underwater cameras, students take pictures of the underwater reef. They perform activities to determine the history and degradation of the coal reef. While...
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Burp Under the Ice
Students examine the impact of climate warming on Arctic methane deposits. They identify natural methane processes and describe how this contributes to species extinction. They write reports on their findings.
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Make a Rain Stick
Students create a rain stick to imitate the nature sounds in a rainforest habitat. In this rainforest habitat lesson, students create a rain stick to mimic the cultural tools used in the South American rainforest. Students use paper...
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Blast's Cosmic Carnival
Students, after analyzing the history of a concentrator, model how a Genesis spacecraft concentrator works by playing a game. In groups of three or four, after being given materials to work with, are challenged to roll the rubber balls...
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Social Studies: When Diseases become Epidemic!
Student participate in oral discussions to be able to define epidemic and identify 3 instances in history in which epidemics occurred. They are introduced to the quarter theme, disease. Pupils identify disease as a crucial dictator of...
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Why Should We Clean The Beach?
Students volunteer for the International Coastal Cleanup. They describe the purpose of the Lake Michigan Foundation and a history of the dunes. They reflect on their experiences with writing.
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Species and Spaces - At Risk at Home
Eleventh graders explore and compare Canadian biomes and investigate species at risk. They describe population growth and eco-regions in terms of climate and geography. They research and create presentations about the natural history and...
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Green Space in the City
Students identify the different kinds and uses of green space that exist in an urban area. They create maps of local parks and research the history of each park. They conduct a survey of residents near the park and interview a park...
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Hunt for Habitats
Students review components of a habitat and go on a hike around a pond and woods exploring different habitats and the plants and animals that use them. They examine mammal pelts and discuss the life histories, adaptations, and positions...
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A Sense of West Virginia
Students consider their perceptions of the world through their 5 senses while visiting the West Virginia State Museum. In this West Virginia history lesson, students discover how knowing about the past helps with their understanding of...
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Mineral Replacement in Fossil Formation
Fourth graders explore fossils and how they are formed. They create their own "fossils" out of plaster of Paris. They record their findings in their science journals.
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What's In A Name?
Pupils create a binomial system of nomenclature for classifying organisms they encounter in a field trip to a natural history museum or from pictures in library books. They work in small groups to create accurate drawings and place the...
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Pollution Solution
Students explore the topic of oil pollution and how it affects the global ocean. They discuss oil spills in recent history and use problem solving skills to decide what strategies could be used to actually clean up an oil spill. Students...
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A Neighborhood Expedition
Students plan and conduct an expedition through their neighborhood based on the techniques used by the Harriman Expedition to Alaska in 1899. They research the Harriman expedition on the internet and then create a route and collection...
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Making Cladograms
High schoolers construct cladograms (evolutionary trees), showing how shared derived characters can be used to reveal degrees of relationship. They interpret and analyze cladograms, and determine where unclassified vertebrates would fit...
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VARVES: Dating Sedimentary Strata: Geology, Paleontological Patterns
Young scholars count the number of varves (annual layers of sediment) in shale billets, taken from the Green River Formation in Wyoming. The count is then extended to reflect the entire 260 meters of sediments where the billets originated.
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Bridge Building
Students design and build their own balsa wood model bridges. The technological development of bridges, the science principles that apply to bridge building, and the construction techniques and skills necessary for creating a bridge be...
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Time Machine: Evolution, Geology
Students are taken on a simulated "voyage" backward in time, to the beginning of our planet. They "witness" that beginning, the origin of life, and a number of key events from then to the present.
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Introducing Biodiversity
Students identify the basic components necessary for biodiversity, the critical and countless benefits of habitats, as well as the serious present and future threats to their ongoing existence.
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Dinosaurs 1: Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students study dinosaurs. For this dinosaur lesson, students watch a web based video about dinosaurs before discussing what they liked about the dinosaurs, telling about the sounds they heard, and explaining what the Earth looked like....
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Scooting Along!
Learners investigate how Newton's Third Law affects vehicle design. In this Newton's Third Law lesson, students use a web site to research Newton, his third law, and how to design a vehicle that uses a balloon for power. They sketch and...
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The Last Great Race
Third graders identify and discover why the Iditarod race is done each year. They explore the historical significance of the Iditarod. Students also use web sites to research related topics, i.e. diseases (diptheria), geography of...
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From Rags to (Paper) Riches: Explore Colonial Papermaking
Students explore Colonial papermaking. In this Colonial America U.S. history lesson plan, students analyze two poems written in the 1690s about the Rittenhouse paper mill to learn about papermaking. Students produce their own...