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Deep Sea Vents
Students study the vent and non vent deep sea and see the differences in habitats. In this investigative instructional activity students complete a worksheet and work in groups.
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A Model of the Sea-floor
Students create a paper model to illustrate sea-floor spreading.
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Oil Spill Cleanup
Students participate in an oil spill simulation and how to clean it up. For this oil spill lesson plan, students also calculate the cost of the clean up of an oil spill.
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Phytoplankton in the Gulf of Maine
Students use satellite data to see the correlation between sea temperature and sunlight in the Gulf of Maine. In this phytoplankton instructional activity students use Excel to analyze data.
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Faking It
Middle school earth scientists describe the behavior of the Coriolis force. They compare and contrast conditions under which the Coriolis force has a significant impact with conditions under which it has very little. They model the...
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Scientific Sampling
Students take a sample of fish and try to determine how many fish are in the sea. In this scientific sampling lesson, students explore the way scientists measure large areas of samples. Students record the distribution in a quadrant.
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Do You Know the Story of Pomp?
Learners examine and read about Pomp, the infant son of Sacagawea. They research the Lewis and Clark expedition, create a storyboard presenting important events, and design a Powerpoint presentation.
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Pacific Salmon and Mountain Pine Beetle
Learners compare fish anatomy. For this teacher demonstrated dissection lesson, students compare fish anatomy to that of humans. They explore different fish and their unique properties. There are 4 distinct activities which can be...
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Properties of Fresh and Sea Water
Students work with three stations to demonstrate the properties of water. They explore water's boiling point, freezing point, and its ability to store heat.
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Water in Earth's Hydrosphere
Environmentalists test stream water for temperature, pH, and turbidity. Each group shares their information and then the class makes an overall evaluation of the water quality. A slide show sets the backdrop for the teaching portion and...
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Extreme Environments
Students examine extreme environments and the characteristics that make them. In this adaptation instructional activity students see how animals have adapted to these environments.
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Too Hot? Gotta Vent!
Learners study deep sea exploration and underwater geology, specifically hydrothermal sea vents. They create digital video projects of their own to demonstrate their knowledge, illustrating the discoveries of the explorers of the ocean's...
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The Watershed Quest
Students examine their connection to local watersheds. They describe the water cycle and list species living in their local watershed. They also draw a map of their community.
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Oil Spill!
Students examine how oil spills are cleaned through an interactive program. They review the facts of oil spills and how the oil spreads. They discuss the short and long term effects of a spill and how they can be avoided.
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Creating a Pond Habitat
Students create a pond habitat inside and outside their classroom. In this pond lesson plan, students create a habitat with animals, water, and plants in order to create a proper pond habitat.
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Web of Predators and Prey
Students investigate the food chain by researching the Internet. In this ecosystem lesson, students view the video "Competitor and Predator" and read a book from the series "The Magic School Bus." Students utilize a worksheet...
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Bad Algae!
Students explore algal blooms. In this ecosystem and health activity, students define and describe harmful algal blooms, then discuss ways in which the impact of these algal blooms could be reduced. Students work in groups to...
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How Do We Explore Strange Environments?
Young scholars identify and label the different parts of a robot, rover, or a spacecraft. They discuss and record all of the features their robot will need to accomplish its mission and be able to explain why they chose these features...
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Solar System Search
Students research topics related to space and the planets using the Internet. They explore various websites, construct scale models of the solar system, and create a travel brochure using HyperStudio computer software.
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The Water Cycle--Model Simulation
Learners build a model to simulate parts of the water cycle. They recognize and explain the essential elements of the water cycle.
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Ecosystems and Remote Sensing
Young scholars obtain remote sensing data to compare and contrast global biomass data with global temperature data.
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Surface Air Temperature Trends of the Caribbean
Students use real satellite data to determine the changes in near-surface air temperature at different times of the year over the Caribbean Sea. They discover how Earth's tilt causes seasonal differences in incoming solar energy. They...
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Water Sources in Cape Verde and West Africa
Young explorers study the scarcity and importance of a continuous supply of fresh water in Cape Verde. They research the five main ways that fresh water is obtained in these countries. Each research group prepares a presentation, and...
Ocean Explorer
Looking for Clues
Upper graders become "shipwreck detectives" by studying the debris field from a shipwreck in the Aegean Sea which took place in the 700s. A website is accessed that gives specific information about the debris field, and pairs of...