Space Awareness
A View From Above
Analyzing and interpreting satellite data takes knowledge and patience. Through a detailed lab investigation, young scholars learn the process of analyzing this data. They use technology to create color images and maps from real...
Space Awareness
Climate Zones
The climate at the equator is hotter than the climate at the poles, but why? The instructional activity goes in depth, explaining how the angles of illumination relate to the heating rate at different latitudes and seasons. Scholars use...
Space Awareness
The Climate in Numbers and Graphs
Weather versus climate: weather relates to short time periods while climate averages the weather of a period of many years. Scholars learn about average temperature and precipitation in various climate zones and then apply statistics...
Space Awareness
The Fibre Optic Cable Class
Many people know that fiber optics are used in delivering the Internet, but are surprised to learn they are also used in astronomy. Scholars explore light, reflection, and fiber optics through hands-on activities. They discuss...
Space Awareness
Valleys Deep and Mountains High
Sometimes the best view is from the farthest distance. Satellite imaging makes it possible to create altitude maps from far above the earth. A three-part activity has your young scientists play the role of the satellite and then use...
Space Awareness
Oceans on the Rise
Temperature rises and land disappears! Through a lab exploration, learners understand the effect of temperature increase on water similar to the effect of global warming on our oceans. As they heat the water in a flask, they measure the...
Space Awareness
How Light Pollution Affects the Stars: Magnitude Readers
Did you know light can decrease visibility? Light pollution absolutely makes it more difficult to see stars. Scholars build a simple magnitude reader to determine the magnitude of stars. They use these data to estimate the impact of...
Space Awareness
Water is a Heat Sink
One of the key objectives of Europe's Copernicus Earth program is to monitor the temperatures of the oceans and seas on Earth. Young scholars learn the effects of different heat capacities through two experiments. These experiments...
Space Awareness
Fizzy Balloons - C02 in School
Carbon dioxide is a very important gas; it is present in the air, used in cooking, and supports plant and animal life. Scholars investigate the properties of carbon dioxide with three different activities. They experience a color change,...
Space Awareness
Meet Our Home: Earth
Earth is a complex structure. Learners explore their home, the earth, using a fun hands-on activity. They create tactile models of the earth using ordinary household materials that represent some common features: land, polar caps,...
Space Awareness
Meet Our Neighbors: Moon
Since a field trip to the moon isn't possible, bring the moon to young astronomers! Participants use everyday materials to create models of the moon and represent the features on its surface. The materials serve as a tactile as well as a...
Space Awareness
Meet Our Neighbors: Sun
The sun isn't just a ball of yellow! Young scientists learn about the features of the sun using a hands-on modeling activity. They build models of the sun using common household items to represent sunspots, solar prominence, and the...
Space Awareness
What is a Constellation
Why do some stars in a constellation appear brighter than others? Using a get-up-and-move astronomy activity, scholars explore perspective and the appearance of constellations in the sky while developing an understanding of the...
Space Awareness
Seasons Around the World
Why does Earth experience summer, fall, winter, and spring? Using an informative demonstration, learners see how the angle of the sun on Earth and the rotation of Earth determine the seasons. Scholars work in pairs to learn that the...
Curated OER
Fighting Obesity with Footsteps
Analyze the influence of culture, media, technology, and other factors in health through the use of pedometers and daily walking/jogging logs with this activity. The key focus is in dealing with obesity and how small steps can help...
Curated OER
Steamers Lesson 1: Background Information
Students discover the use of steamboats in North Carolina. After reading background information, they take notes on their reading and participate in a class discussion. They complete a KWL chart and share what they have gathered in small...
Curated OER
Organisms and Habitats
Second graders investigate biomes and the plants and animals that are native to particular biomes. They participate in a class discussion, conduct Internet research on a selected biome, and create a shoebox biome using their Internet...
Curated OER
Show Me the Money!
Students investigate the importance of campaign finances in elections in the United States by gathering information from various Web sites about campaign finances of different Presidential hopefuls.
Curated OER
Phenomenology Lesson Plan #5: Character Part 2
Students examine the meaning of the word icon as it relates to media and pop culture. They watch and discuss film clips, write a mini-biography, take a Film Icon Quote quiz, and write a written response to the film clips.
Curated OER
Teaching about Fish Stocking Decisions
Tenth graders complete a directed study, form the internet, and then complete activities.
Curated OER
Phenomenology Lesson Plan #4: Character Part 1
Students examine the way they react to characters and text. They write respones to different media tests. They are required to bring in a photograph and create a mini-biography for homework.
Curated OER
Maps
First graders look at their classroom or school setting. They use positional word to describe where things are located in the school. Students discuss a map and why they are important. They read the story "Taylor's New School" and...
Curated OER
Cultural Values Messages in the Giant Kites of Guatemala
Students describes ways in which the arts serve as expressions of culture. They explain how some forms of cultural communication contributes to societal cohesion and/or division. Students detect and analyze explicit and implicit messages...
Curated OER
Competing National Stories in Tibet
Learners research the Tibetan conflict from the point of view of both Tibet and China. They review resources produced by both factions and then apply these skills to consider other competing national stories.