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Earth Science: Create a Star Clock!
Students identify and use the starts to tell time just as people had for thousands of years. They identify the stars that appear to rise in the east and set in the west, and that those stars near the North Pole appear to go in circles...
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September Science Internet Activity
In this energy worksheet, students click on the links in the questions about energy to find the answers to the questions and then come back and answer the questions. Students answer 12 questions total.
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Searching For Protoplanetary Disks
Young scholars download NASA Hubble Space Telescope views of star-forming regions in nebulae and look for evidence of planetary systems forming beyond our own solar system. They hypothesize about mysterious objects in NASA HST images.
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Shadows
Students measure shadows at different times of the day to determine when a shadow casts its longest and shortest shadows.
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The Solar System and the Forces Behind It
Sixth graders discover why planets stay in orbit. In groups, they use everyday materials to examine the effect of gravity of objects and calculate how mass changes based on gravitational pull. To end the instructional activity, they...
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Astronomy
In this astronomy learning exercise, students read a detailed text about our solar system. Students then answer 15 questions about the information presented.
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Oxidation and Combustion: Chemical Reactions in Fire
Students investigate the art and science of pyrotechnics. In this chemistry and computer lesson plan, students learn about the chemical basis of fire and structure of fireworks. Students then apply their knowledge in creating virtual...
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Shadows
Students conduct an experiment. In this shadows lesson, students record the height of a meter stick. Students then cast shadows and record their length. Students compare the length of the shadow with the actual height of the meter stick.
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Oxidation and Combustion: Chemical Reactions in Fire
Students study oxidation and define vocabulary pertinent to it. In this oxidation lesson students make predictions and create experiments
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Weather Proverbs
Your class explores weather proverbs and superstitions from around the country and writes their own proverb about weather. They interview community elders to learn proverbs about Alaska and its weather. Then they discuss several example...
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Lunar Learning
Students learn about the phases of the moon. In this moon phases lesson, students learn about what causes the moon to look different to us everyday and how the Earth and Sun's position determine what phase the moon is in.
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Timekeeping by the Sun
Young scholars measure shadows to learn about the Sun-Earth relationship. In this astronomy lesson, students create a shadow stick of a Pokemon character and record measurements of its shadow in a data chart. Follow-up discussions guide...
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Constellation Tracking
In this constellation activity, students pick a constellation to track over time. They measure its altitude and azimuth at least three times. They make an experimental design for their research and plot their data.
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Sampling Rocks
Students investigate rocks. In this earth science lesson plan, students collect rocks from the schoolyard and describe each of the rocks. Students measure and weigh each rock and record the results. Students create a rock guide for the...
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A Study of Hydra Cluster Galaxies
Students analyze a designated galaxy with a partner or in a small group.
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What Orbital Dynamic Variables are Responsible for Earth's Weather?
Students explore the changing of the seasons. In this astronomy and seasons lesson, students construct a model of the revolution of the sun and the moon. Students compare the recorded solstice/equinox orbital positions and explain the...
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Mercury
Students study the planet Mercury and develop an understanding of the planet's composition, geology, and other important characteristics. They explore a Web resource on the planet Mercury which is the central focus of this lesson plan.
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Cosmic Wheels
Students build a scale model of the Solar System and determine the time other planets take to travel around the Sun in comparison to the time of the Earth's revolution. The velocity of the planets are also determined in this lesson.
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Moon
Students discover scientific facts about the Moon and how
some American Indian Tribes used the moon to measure time.
They accomplish this by listening to stories and poetry, writing
stories, communicating with an astronaut,...
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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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Rotating Rings of Ice
Young scholars work together to develop a model of Saturn and its rings. They identify what types of materials make up the rings and how they revolve around Saturn. They write a short paragraph describing the rings.
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Weightlessness Demonstration
Middle schoolers 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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Lunar Cycle
Students become familiar with repeating patterns in nature, namely the phases of the moon.
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Fact Or Fiction
Students demonstrate their ability to distinguish between fact and fiction. Students identify the features of weather-related adages and proverbs. After reviewing several weather adages, students explain whether they are based in fact.