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Being Nosy About Our Neighbors
Students use the scientific method to explore the effect of size on impact cratering. They compare images of landforms on Earth to those of other planets to compare surface processes. Students infer the geologic history of another...
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Three D Constellations
Students are introduced to both celestial coordinates and to the first rung on the distance determination ladder. They convert spherical coordinates to Cartesian coordinates to construct a three dimensional model of a constellation...
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How Does Climate Affect Our Shelter Needs?
Fourth graders investigate how weather influences shelter choices. They explore the concept of insulation and discuss some traditional Native American shelters. They discuss the shelters used by the Okanogan people during the various...
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Peru's Earthquake
Students identify the patterns of earthquakes by mapping USGS data and comparing it to mapped tectonic plates. They discover the relationship between earthquakes and the moving plates of the Earth's crust.
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If You Mess With A Wetland, At Least Try to Make Amends!
Eighth graders examine the role of wetlands in an ecosystem. In groups, they use the internet to research how humans have disturbed and ruined the effectiveness of wetlands throughout the country. They pretend they are in charge of...
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Preventing Water Pollution
Fourth graders write at least two ways to clean the water and two ways to prevent pollution with appropriate guesses, striving not to create any more pollution in the water. They understand how pollution affects water as well as the rest...
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Sediment Tubes
Learners observe how different density soils and rocks behave in wind and in water. They make predictions and careful observations as they explore sediment transport and sediment rates in streams and rivers.
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Weightlessness Demonstration
Students explore the concept that free-fall eliminates the local effects of gravity. They discuss what an Earth-orbiting spacecraft experience is like as well as the terminology of weightlessness. Their lab experiment commences.
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Classifying Rocks
Students classify rocks into groups after they observe the rocks and identify properties that can be used to divide them into groups. They then identify other properties that could be used to classify other objects into groups.
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Changes Inside Planets
Students investigate the concept of planetary differentiation. They complete an experiment to simulate it using gelatin and food. The lesson includes vocabulary to increase reading comprehension skills as part of the inquiry. The lesson...
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Adapted to Fire
Fourth graders explore forest species' adaptations to fire by participating in a scavenger hunt and mapping a burned forest. Students create maps and explore how indigenous species adapted to living with fire.
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Aerology- The Study of Mars
Learners investigate various aspects of the planet Mars. They examine a core sample that is simulated to make observations. Then compare the known sample with one that is unknown and differentiate between the two. Students hypothesize...
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In What Direction Do Seeds Grow?
Young scholars predict and examine the direction seeds grow and thereby explore the effects gravity has on seeds and plants. They perform this inquiry in-class by keeping track of how beans grow.
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Fossil Guide
Students produce a "Fossil Guide" that covers twelve fossils and includes a drawing and written description for each fossil. The written description should include such things as size, shape, and general appearance.
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Charting the Moon
Sixth graders observe changes in the moon's appearance over a month and keep records of their observations. They write a plan for recording what they see, and a paragraph reflecting on what they have learned over the course of the month.
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A Living Watershed
Students, through this series of lessons, use local resources, speakers, print and video materials, as well as standard text materials to study the ecosystem of the local watershed.
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Human Evolution
Students make and use observations of Laetoli footprints to provide clues to life in the past. They collect and analyze data to study the relationship between foot length and body height.
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The Effect of Moisture on Soil Temperature
Young scholars analyze the relationship between soil moisture and its effect on soil temperature.
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Do Human Practices Affect Water Quality?
Students determine if human practices have any noticeable effects on the quality of stream life as measured by the presence of certain macroinvertebrates. They collect, preserve and identify macroinvertibrate samples and quantify the data.
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An Investigation into Effects of Rhizobium Soil Bacteria on Nitrogen Availability
Students identify the control and the variables in the experiment. They describe the growth of plants with and without nitrogen fixing bacteria, then name the bacterium responsible for making nitrogen available to the plant.
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Physical Habitat of a Stream
Learners measure in metric units and use a stopwatch, calculator. They collect data with minimal instructions after the initial pre-activity briefing, then record data in the data sheets provided.
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Particulate Matter in the Air
Pupils conduct an inquiry exploring the different kinds of particulate matter in the air. They name three different types of particulate matter found in the air and identify different types of solid particulate matter found in the air...
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Saving Hawaii
Students engage in a lesson plan about the a proposal for a sanctuary in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. They write a letter to the President of The United States in opposition to the proposal based upon classroom activities and...
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Pollution Solution
Fourth graders examine how trees help to absorb the pollution that is emitted from automobiles. They review the process of photosynthesis and determine how forest management is important on their reservation. They think about the...