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Introduction to Friction
Students study the properties of the frictional force between two surfaces in contact. They inspect various phenomena in nature where friction plays an important role and demonstrate
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Getting to Know Saturn: Moons, Rings, and Relationships
Students identify the different objects that orbit Saturn. For this space science lesson, students plot the graph of orbital speed and distance. They explain why planets and asteroids remain in orbit around the sun.
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Does Soap Float?
Students form hypotheses and carry out an investigation in order to answer a central question: Does soap float? The focus of this lesson is on scientific inquiry, but it incorporates scientific topics such as sinking and floating.
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Net Results
Students investigate through role play how decisions by watermen, recreational fisherpeople, and lawmakers influence and are influenced by economics and the abundance or scarcity of fish and shellfish stocks. They consider social,...
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Fred the Fish -- A River Ran Wild
Students apply cause and effect relationships to water pollution in a stream. In this pollution lesson students recognize the importance of clean water in their daily lives. Students accompany "Fred the Fish" as he travels down stream....
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The Dose makes the Poison
Learners investigate the effect of a chemical (they choose) on the germination of seeds. They calculate % chemical concentrations in water, form a hypothesis, and discuss the ethics of using animals in biomedical research.
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Earthquake Epicenter
Students use chart data to determine the location of the epicenter of an earthquake. This task assesses students' abilities to generalize and infer, organize data, interpret data, and apply mathematical concepts.
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Balloon Rocket Race Track
Students discuss "How can we measure (or make it easier to record) the speed, distance or acceleration of the balloon?" They told that they are going to make a balloon racetrack. Pupils use meter sticks to accurately measure length and...
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Kinetic Molecular Theory
Students analyze and evaluate evidence that matter is made of tiny particles. They observe a series of phenomena involving solids, liquids, and gases to make inferences about the spacing, interactions and relative kinetic energies of the...
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Designing and Building Catapults
Seventh graders complete a challenge to create a catapult that projects a marble or other projectile at least one meter. While experimenting they apply the Four Question Strategy to answer the question, " How can I make one modification...
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Beach Comber
Learners investigate threats to our oceans by investigating items found on a beach. In this environmental safety lesson, students examine several items found on a beach and identify them as natural, harmful, organic or inorganic...
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Boston Harbor Cruise: A Shoreline Survey
The students take a harbor cruise, photograph, and draw shore line features attending to evidence of human impact/consequences, and its cost on marine/land animal habitats vegetation, weather patterns, signs of erosion, and the water...
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Variables and Controls in an Investigation
Seventh graders identify variables and controls in a paper airplane investigation. In this scientific method lesson, 7th graders conduct an experiment to determine the variables that affect the flight of paper airplanes. They design an...
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Amphibian Spawns
Students observe tadpoles as they gradually change into adults. For this amphibian biology lesson, students watch tadpoles in a tank in the classroom, keep a daily record of what they observe, and chart the growth development of...
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Observe a Tree
Tiny tree-huggers observe and examine various species of trees around campus. They use My First Field Guide to Trees to support their observations. Different tree projects are offered that can include using natural materials to make a...
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The Very Busy Spider
Young scholars determine the best habitat for spiders. In this spider lesson, students listen to a reading of Eric Carle's, The Very Busy Spider. They discuss the spider's habitat before visiting the schoolyard to look for spiders in...
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Simple Harmonic Motion with Dr. DAQ
Young scholars study the work and accomplishment of Galileo. In this physics lesson plan, students calculate the period of a pendulum's using a mathematical equation. They explain the different factors affecting its period.
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Funny Putty
Students are introduced to the properties of solids, liquids and gases. They see that colloids are mixtures which display the properties of more than one of these states. They engage in an excellent experiment which demonstrates this fact.
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Follow Those Tracks
Students observe a picture containing patterns of animal tracks, infer what might have happened based upon the pattern of tracks, and write a story describing what might have happened.
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Three D Constellations
High schoolers address a major misconception in astronomy, the understanding of scale. The lesson is designed to introduce students to both celestial coordinates and to the first rung on the distance determination ladder, parallax.
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Me And My Shadow
Students investigate the concept of a shadow. They design a tool to create shadows for an experiment. They make observations and record the size and shape of shadows. The lesson contains background information for the teacher to deliver...
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Hurricanes and Tornadoes (Grade 4-8)
Students investigate the concepts of hurricanes and violent weather conditions. In this violent weather lesson, students access an Internet site and watch a video about how air masses behave, how a tornado forms, how hurricanes form, and...
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Cell Size Changes
High schoolers examine the behavior of living cells treated with different types of stimuli. They watch an online movie, examine wet mount slides under a microscope, take an online quiz, and analyze data.
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Light And Shadows
Fourth graders explore the properties of shadows. In pairs they trace each other's shadows in chalk and re-draw their shadow outlines every three hours, design their own shadow investigation, and complete various worksheets related to...