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Trash...it really piles up!
Students investigate a contemporary "midden" by analyzing trash collected from various sources and determining life-style choices people make. They see that reducing the amount of waste we generate is helpful to the the environment.
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Class Conservation Corps (CCC)
Students investigate how the loss of soil, a valuable natural resource, affects their lives through loss of productive land to grow food, loss of coastal land mass, and poor water quality from runoff. They design a project to keep soil...
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The Wildland/Urban Interface Dilemma
Students examine all sides of the issues surrounding wildland fire. Groups assume the roles of different people who must decide what to do about a fictitious wildfire. They have a discussion to analyze the issue. A good, real life lesson!
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Pesticide Prevalence
Students investigate the prevalence of pesticides in their communities by
searching their homes, visiting local stores and talking to extended family and friends. They conduct their search by classifying pesticides based on the pests...
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To Renew, or Not to Renew
Students explore the various types of renewable energy.  After reading articles, they discover the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy.  They also explore the challenges to switch over to using more and more renewable energy...
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Subject Selection in Clinical Trials
Students design and conduct an experiment to test a hypothesis. They create a question/objective based on the results of their experiment that can be answered by performing a human clinical trial. Students write inclusion and exclusion...
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What's Making It Look So Brown Outside?
Ninth graders analyze cars and particulate matter in the atmosphere.  They analyze results of particulate pollutants and identify which vehicle gives off more particulates.  They identify sources of particulate matter and relate to...
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Gas Properities Definitions
Students, after reading the Web page Gas Properties Definitions, complete the activity to demonstrate an understanding of the properties of gases.
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Water Around Us
Third graders learn the effects of temperature on the states of water. Then students create paper snowflakes. Finally students complete a computer project with software which teaches the different states of water.
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Glaciers Leave Their Imprint
Students study various types of glaciers and the landforms they create. Working in pairs, they research a type of glacial landform and construct a calendar page illustrating and describing it. The pages be compiled to create a class...
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Decomposers at Work!
Students design and conduct investigations that illustrate the process of decomposition. After a lecture/demo, students simulate the process of soil composting in the classroom. They closely chart the decomposition of their soil.
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You Can Be a Woman Engineer
Students inspect a variety of objects from different points of view.  The front, right, side, top and bottom.  They then draw a diagram of that object from the point of view chosen.  Also, they think of other objects and draw them from...
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The Best Place in the United States to Live
Students, working in small groups,  analyze information provided in U.S. maps to make a logical determination of the best place to live in the United States in regards to natural and human-made hazards. Then, working individually, they...
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Three-dimensional cooperative modeling
Young scholars explore what is present below the surface in order to drill into the ground and record the type of material that the drill brings to the surface.  They discuss the benefits and drawbacks of distance communications. ...
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Creating The Virtual Model
Students engage in a lesson that is about the concept of earthquake design. The lesson includes the integration of technology and how it can be used to create buildings and structures for withstanding an earthquake. Students also define...
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Losing An Island
Students examine carbon dioxide and determine the impact of greenhouse gases on the earths spheres.  In this pollution lesson students complete a lab activity to see the impact of gases on the environment, 
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Power, Pollution, Pros and Cons
Students review what they know about non-renewable energy, compare and contrast advantages and drawbacks of each type, such as cost of energy sources, feasibility, air pollution, water pollution, and other risks, and create table listing...
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Earth Day
Students  examine evidence on Global Warming and  then analyze the impact of their school community on the environment and propose ways to lessen our impact on the environment. They have access to a total of six articles for their...
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African-American Innovators
Students investigate the contributions of African Americans throughout history. They research and identify accomplishments of various African American Scientists/Innovators in recognition of Black History Month.
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Perceived Overweight and Actual Weight Risk Classification
Students calculate their BMI and compare it to a healthy weight chart.  In this health lesson plan, students compare the perception of overweight with healthy weight charts. Students interpret collected data and evaluate their own...
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Regions: Meet the Experts Presentation
Students gather information and create a web site on prairies and plains using a variety of resources, including the internet.
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Protect Me, Protect Me Not?
Young scholars brainstorm natural resources found in Canadian National Parks. They, in teams, defend and support conservation efforts and give a presentation. Evaluation consists of speaking on both pro and con sides of a national parks'...
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Tracking Weather Over Time
Students gather, analyze and interpret data. They explain scientific inquiry. They plot points on a map and report information from a spatial perspective.
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Identity and Religion
Young scholars view and discuss the public television program, Wide Angle: Young, Muslim, and French. They research and write a position in favor of or against the headscarf ban in France, and examine the influence of media in shaping...