Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Population Dynamics
Will human population growth always be exponential, or will we find a limiting factor we can't avoid? Young scientists learn about both exponential and logistic growth models in various animal populations. They use case studies to...
Curated OER
Habitat Basics
First graders get out and explore two different habitats to examine how each one meets the needs of the plants and animals that dwell there. They discuss what they've learned about animal habitats as they explore the outdoor environment....
Polar Trec
What Can We Learn from Sediments?
Varve: a deposit of cyclical sediments that help scientists determine historical climates. Individuals analyze the topography of a region and then study varve datasets from the same area. Using this information, they determine the...
Curated OER
My Angle on Cooling
Students explore how the angle and distance of an object can change it's temperature. After reviewing how the position of the Earth affects the temperature of the planet, student groups design and perform an experiment to test how...
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Differences Between Ground and Air Temperatures
Students examine the differences between air temperature and ground temperature. In this investigative lesson students find NASA data on the Internet and use it to create a graph.
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Hawk in Flight
Students use information gathered by satellites to explore the migration of the Swainson's hawk from the western border of Minnesota to the southern portion of South America.
University of California
Plankton
Plankton: so much more than just a SpongeBob character. Three different activities have kids looking at both phytoplankton and zooplankton in pictures, as well as collecting their own samples (depending on your access to a saltwater...
Curated OER
Watching Apples Grow
Students examine the importance of each season to the life cycle of an apple tree. In small groups, they create a four-season display illustrating the life cycle of an apple tree along with a written description of each season.
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Natural Inquirer
Students interview wildlife experts to gain information needed to research and write a report about an aquatic plant or animal affected by climate change.
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Biomes: Extreme Climate
Students discuss the causes of global warming. In this earth science lesson, students examine how global warming is connected to the arctic and world climate. They write a paragraph about their interconnection.
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Weather Characteristics
Students identify characteristics of weather and seasons, describe the current weather, identify the current season, and locate the current temperature at www.weatherchannel.com. They also depict the current forecast using Math Keys...
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Measuring Shadows
Learners determine the pattern (length and direction) of shadows cast by sunlight during several month period, and develop interpretation of daily and seasonal patterns and variations observed.
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Weather
Learners explore the weather and how it affects different seasons and activities. In this weather lesson plan, students discuss how the weather differs in each season, interview an Elder about how weather effects their activities, and...
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Fall Trees
Students create fall trees using brown paper, tissue paper, background colors, glue, markers and crayons in this Art and Science activity about the changing of seasons. Emphasis is placed upon learning about the Fall season and creating...
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Investigating the Dynamic Martian Polar Caps
Students download NASA Hubble Space Telescope images of the Martian polar ice caps in summer and winter, and measure and compare various images of the changing Martian and Earth polar ice caps.
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My Place In Space
The purpose of this unit is for students to make the rich set of connections between astronomy and the rest of science and technology, language arts, cultural studies (social studies), math, art, and music.
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Phases of the Moon: Cooperative Learning
Third graders examine the phases of the moon. In this moon phase instructional activity, 3rd graders listen to a read aloud of The Moon Seems to Change by Franklyn M. Branley and discuss the phases of the moon. They complete a moon phase...
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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
Introducing Temperature Measurement
Pupils read a thermometer, associate weather conditions and seasons with temperature changes and keep a record of daily temperature.
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Frog Metamorphosis
Students play 20 Questions with animal characteristics and then view an animation of how a tadpole changes into a frog. They consider the importance of camouflage to frogs and write out the story of a frog from tadpole to adult.
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Watercolor Leaves
Students explore autumn leaves. In this autumn lesson plan, students read a story about fall and discuss why leaves change. Students examine fall leaves and trace leaves onto paper. Students may use watercolors to decorate their leaf.
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Water Quality in the Greenhills Stream
Seventh graders conduct year long study of water quality over different seasons using variety of probes, including D.O., pH, conductivity and temperature, that are attached to portable technology. Students select three data points in...
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Weather "Whys"
Students explore the weather. In this weather data lesson, students collect weather data from Internet and media sources. Students graph the collected data discuss it as well as the seasons of the year.
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Spring-Aloud Read
Students study the season of spring and create stories about the season. In this spring season lesson plan, students read books about spring and discuss the season. Students then color and create a mini-book about Spring.