Lesson Plan
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Star Power! Discovering the Power of Sunlight

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students estimate the energy output of the sun. They estimate how much power sunlight the sunlight provides to the earth. They build a simple device to measure the amount of solar radiation the earth receives from the sun.
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Energy in the Form of Calories

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Young scholars calculate the amount of food calories found in an individual peanut. In small groups, they set up the experiment so that a burning peanut will heat water above it. Using the temperature change and volume of the water they...
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Secret Agents of Dissolved Oxygen

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students determine the changes in different types of water in a sealed container over time. They investigate how to measure dissolved oxygen, temperature, and carbon dioxide with calculator or computer probe-ware. Students determine the...
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Ammonium Nitrate - Heat of Solution

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students quantify the relationship between temperature, energy and heat and define an endothermic reaction. They measure the energy change caused by dissolving one mole of ammonium nitrate in water.
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Wet Weather, Wet Climate

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students discover the differences between weather and climate in this long-term lesson introduction. They create rain gauges and practice reading rainfall measurements, view a website showing the cloud cover in their location and draw...
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The Same but Different Part II

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders experiment with beakers of water and balloons to measure the volume of the gas in the balloon. They determine ways to change the volume of air in the balloon which changes its size but not its physical state. By heating the...
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The Same But Different

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders observe a frozen container filled with ice and discuss what happens when the ice sits out in the room. They practice measuring the mass and volume of the ice, watch as the frozen container is placed in a warm water bath to...
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DNA Isolation from Onion

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars apply measurement skills using the metric system. They explain the process of isolating DNA from other cell contents. They apply knowledge of cell structure to explain the process of isolating DNA.
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Icebergs Ahead!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students experiment with density of ice, and examine how density affects how icebergs float in water.
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Stream Flow in Blacks Creek

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners explore what factors affect the stream flow in a local body of water. They collect data to measure stream flow and discharge and construct a hypothesis concerning the factors affecting stream flow.
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A Salty Experiment

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Learners study salty and fresh waters.  In this harbor estuary lesson students complete a lab activity on salinity and describe what happened. 
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Ice Cream Science

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students review properties of matter and discuss how materials change when things are done to them. They observe how materials change as a reaction to temperature by following the procedure to make ice cream and recording the temperature...
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Smog Be Gone

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students begin the lesson by identifying greenhouse gases. In groups, they observe and record the effect of the gases on the atmosphere and the temperature of the Earth. They participate in activities that describe the role of...
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Relative Humidity of Your School

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students predict the location where the relative humidity the highest and lowest in and around their school. They use a sling psychrometer to measure the relative humidity of the various locations.
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Current Interactions

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students design an experiment to see how wind, temperature, and salinity work together to influence ocean currents and present it in a report format. They explain to their classmates how experiment findings relate to ocean currents.
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Oh Nuts! - Calories Count

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students measure and record the mass of the nut to be tested to the nearest 0.01 gram.
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How Tall are Plants?

For Teachers 1st
First graders measure a plant using unifix cubes and record their measurements on a class chart.
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Understanding Cloud Formation

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students read and relate the poem, "Clouds" by Aileen Fisher to a demonstration on cloud formation. They create clouds in jars using ice water and matches then discuss the ways clouds can be used to predict weather.
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Grow Your Own Grub

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students study plant needs and growth by completing a gardening activity. In this plant study lesson, students watch a video and discuss plant growth needs. Students plant seeds in containers and water the plants. Students take photos of...
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Roaming Biomes

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students use the Internet to research the capabilities of earth-observation satellites. Using the information, they write a report on how remote-sensing technology is used to measure the impact of climate change. They identify the...
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Winds of Destruction

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders discuss the problems that have arisen from the lastest string of hurricanes and tsuanamis. They watch a video about severe weather. After the film, 4th graders write four facts they found out about severe weather. ...
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A Cosmic Cafeteria

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Learners indentify and differentiate between transit and surface food systems. Students measure energy that is released by various foods. Learners compare and contrast cooking with solar energy on earth and what they might have learned...
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Color Dots 3

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students make simple observations, test mixtures, and make generalized inferences from their observations. They observe bleeding of colored inks with water.
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Making Paper

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the paper usage in their classroom and in other countries by using estimation, counting, and measurement skills. They make paper from recycled paper.