Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
DNA Extraction
What does your DNA actually look like? Use simple materials with this experiment to find out! Geneticists of all ages can follow these instructions to extract their own DNA. For learners who are hoping to extend the activity, there are...
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Air Quality Issues
Students identify the different layers of the atmosphere. They examine the different types of air pollutants. They also discover laws in effect that work to protect the environment.
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On Thinning Ice: An eco-theatre production about climate change
Students investigate the causes and possible consequences of climate change in the north, and realize their choices and actions can help reduce climate change. Some of the skills involved in the instructional activity are discussion,...
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Life on the Edge
Students participate in a variety of activities about endangered animals. They read books, watch videos, and, in pairs, choose an endangered animal to research. They create a 2 slide presentation to be compiled into a class slide show.
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Is It A Crime To Be Gay?
Students stage a parliamentary committee hearing in the newly independent Eastern European country of Boldovistan. Role playing characters with differing attitudes towards homosexuality, students testify on legislation to abolish laws...
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An Introduction to Fetel Tissue Transplantation
Students explore fetal tissue transplantation. They research basic factual information and justify their opinions. They write a paper discussing their position. Students consider the consequences and values associated with their...
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The Truth About Hydrocodone
Students explain the beneficial uses of pain relievers. In this health science lesson, students discuss the harmful effects of prescription drug abuse. They complete a worksheet at the end of the lesson.
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Community Action
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of decisions that students make daily that affect the welfare of the environment categorizing them as being either helpful or harmful. They then trace local actions to distant consequences to determine how...
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Graffiti Hurts
Fourth graders examine the economic and social consequences of graffiti. They complete a handout, list their feelings about graffiti, and explore the Graffiti Hurts website.
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What can American third graders learn about soil from the European Union
Third graders develop a list of ways humans destroy soil. In this soil conservation lesson, 3rd graders listen to a book on soil conservation and design posters about how to conserve soil. Students share their work orally with classmates...
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The Breathtaking Nature of the Urban Explosion, Part 2
Students explore ozone levels. They measure the concentrations of ground-level ozone in the atmosphere. Students observe changes in the concentrations of ozone over time. Students complete a data sheet to record ozone readings over a...
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Technological Advances in Health
High schoolers explain how technology influences human existence by examining the benefits and risks of different biotechnological advances.
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The Future of the Milky Way
Students brainstorm ideas about the future of our galaxy. In this space science lesson, students research the three main events happening in the Milky Way. They write a report about their findings.
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Galloping Who?
Third graders do an Internet search to find out about Galloping Gertie and what caused the bridge to fail.
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Ecology: Effects of Land Use on Natural Streams
Eighth graders examine how humans affect various ecosystems. In this ecology activity, 8th graders discuss different ways that contaminants enter the stream. They explain the consequences of eutrophication in lakes.
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Avogadro's Law
Students study Avogadro's law and what it means in science. In this gaseous instructional activity students complete an Avogadro's law experiment.
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Estuarine Habitats
Sixth graders study the important habitats, flora, fauna, and physical factors of coastal habitats. They compare the aquatic habitats to terrestrial habitats by researching and completing tables with the information.
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Thermodynamics Problems for All of Us: Thermal Management
Young scholars evaluate current literature on the Internet and in handouts about the energy considerations for the computer industry and calculate energy needs for real life problems. Working in groups, they present the problem they...
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Lamarck Is Dead!
Students read Lamarck's obituary and respond to questions. They discuss the four laws from Lamarack's studies. Students apply this information to scientific theories in general.
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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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Relational Causality
Students explore the concept of Bernoullii's Principle and how it behaves. Have each student fold the piece of paper in half. Then have them place the paper like a tent on a smooth surface. Have them blow under it (they can use a straw...
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Sweet or Unsweet?
This lesson challenges students to make their own judgments about the safety of artificial sweeteners after hands-on study and Internet research, and to support those judgments with carefully considered evidence and reasoning.
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Mountains in the Sea Exploration No Escape
Students study data to hypothesis about the influence of a water circulation cell on the retention of benthic invertebrate larvae in the area of a seamount. They investigate the positives and negatives of larvae retention in this series...
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Pollution Solution
Fourth graders examine how trees help to absorb the pollution that is emitted from automobiles. They review the process of photosynthesis and determine how forest management is important on their reservation. They think about the...