Curated OER
Ellipse
Students explore the concept of ellipses including finding the center, vertices's, foci and eccentricity. They assess how to graph elliptical functions and solve application problems involving ellipses. This assignment is to be completed...
Curated OER
Ice is N"ICE"!!
Students observe and describe, both orally and in writing. the different forms of water on the surface of the Earth and measure the approximate size of an iceberg. They also estimate and measure the amount of ice that floats above the...
Space Awareness
Oceans as a Heat Reservoir
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide and 80 percent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scholars learn how and why the oceans store heat more effectively than land and how they help mitigate global warming. Pupils...
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...
Curated OER
Global Change- Earth as Home
Students create their own environment. In this environmental protection instructional activity, students pretend they are the owners of a tropical island. They create jobs for the citizens and develop the island as a model environment.
Curated OER
Glaciers As Indicators of Global Climate Change
Students research about glacial ice melting on the four major spheres of the Earth. For this earth science lesson, students explain how this process relates to global warming. They create a presentation and share their findings with the...
Curated OER
Weather, Sea Level Rise and Climate Change Course
Students explain the impact of glacial melting to global climate change. In this environmental science lesson plan, students design an experiment to investigate the effect of salinity change to melting glaciers. They share their results...
Curated OER
Earth's Energy Cycle: Albedo
Students complete all of the steps in the scientific inquiry process to study Earth's energy cycle; most specifically temperature and the effects of albedo (energy reflected back from Earth's surface) on temperature.
Curated OER
Asteroids
Students examine the different types of asteroids and how they enter the atmosphere. In this space lesson students use mashed potatoes to create an asteroid they can eat.
Curated OER
Meteors
Students identify the different types of meteorite using an interactive website. In this earth science lesson plan, students simulate how meteors crash on a surface. They relate meteor size to crater size.
Curated OER
Look at those Leaves!
Students observe and measure tree leaves. For this leaf lesson students do on a "leaf walk" then use the leaves they find to complete a few activities.
Curated OER
Science: Reading a Compass
Students demonstrate how to take bearings using a compass. In pairs, they select objects in the classroom then write down its first initial and bearing. They exchange papers and try to disciver their partner's object.
Curated OER
Earth's Revolution and Rotation
Eighth graders investigate the regular motions of the sun, Earth and the moon and explain how these are related to days, years, seasons, eclipses, tides and moon cycles. They participate in an exercise where they explore the...
Curated OER
Making a Globe
Students participate in a creative project where they construct globes. They label specific places on the globe that helps them learn how to read an actual globe.
Curated OER
Making a Crater
Students examine the characteristics of craters. In this crater lesson, students discover how meteors form craters on planets and moons as they make their own craters and respond to observational questions regarding the...
Curated OER
Sea Ice and Satellites
Students study satellites and satellite images using Google Earth. In this satellite lesson, students discuss satellites and how they work. Students watch a demonstration of how satellites work and learn what they are used for. Students...
Ventura County Air Pollution Control District
Effects of Global Warming
Your learners have probably heard of climate change, but do they really understand what it is? Study the history, details, and future implications of global warming and the greenhouse effect with a set of activities designed for an...
Curated OER
Kepler and his Laws
Pupils examine Kepler's Laws. They confirm Kepler's 3rd law by comparing orbital periods and mean distances for all major planets and study conic sections, qualitatively.
Curated OER
Extensions - Astronomy Review Unit
Pupils participate in a review unit in Astronomy using the Layered Curriculum. This allows them to take charge of the type of assessment that is given. The method also allows better differentiation of instruction to occur.
Curated OER
What's Up? Astronomy Curriculum
Learners study astronomy. In preparation for a field trip to a planetarium, students discuss the stars, planets, and light. They explore the importance of the north star and constellations. The Digitarium system is used to assist the...
Curated OER
Kepler And His Laws
Pupils engage in an overview of the story of Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler, and of Kepler's laws. Each of Kepler's laws be studied separately in more detail in later lessons. They examine Kepler's 3rd law.
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Exploring Magnetism
Students participate in several activities that allow them to better understand magnetism. In this exploratory lesson students take part in different activities to help them to better understand magnetic fields, circuits and...
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Using Mathematic Models to Investigate Planitary Habitablity
Students examine how the sun's intensity affects the temperature on various planets. They determine whether or not these planets could be habitable. Finally, they factor in the average albedo of the planets to determine whether or not...
Curated OER
Designer Genes For A Designer World
Students explore how organisms adapt to their environments through changes in their genetic codes. They create make-believe creatures and environments that have specific characteristics.