Teach Engineering
The Amazing Red Planet
Introduce your class to Mars with a resource that provides information about its size, location, length of day, length of year, number of moons, and average temperature. Also includes is information about the lans for past...
Curated OER
Freshwater Fish Anatomy & Taxonomy
Tenth graders use a classification key to identify organisms. In this classification instructional activity students identify freshwater species of fish and document their observations.
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The Chemistry of Refining Crude Oil
Consider our energy sources: wood, coal, oil, uranium. Learners compare the pollution to energy produced for each. They practice fractional distillation of an alcohol/water mixture to simulate the process of refining crude oil....
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Winter Wonderland - Winter Olympics and the Water Cycle
After a concise introduction to the water cycle, junior meteorologists access NOAA's average snowfall data. They choose a city to examine in terms of precipitation. Then they look at historical snowfall data and use it to predict snow...
ARKive
Human Impact on the Environment
Study the ways that humans have impacted the environment, particularly the spread of plastic waste. After watching a short film about the Laysan albatross population, learners complete a worksheet and research other ways that plastic...
PHET
Measuring the Interplanetary Magnetic Field
Scientists need to figure out how to measure interplanetary magnetic fields, but the magnetic field of the spacecraft is interfering with their readings. Scholars attempt to solve the problem that has perplexed NASA scientists for years.
Curated OER
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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Earth Kids: Kindergarteners Taking Care of the Earth
Students explore a variety of ways of how to care for the environment in the nine lessons of this unit. They observe how to be responsible "Earth Kids."
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Physical Changes and the Water Cycle - Three
Third graders observe and reproduce the water cycle in their very own classroom. A simple, yet very effective, demonstration on how water evaporates is observed by the young scientists. They make observations and sketches in their...
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Cloudy vs. Clear
Learners analyze line plots. In this weather lesson using real NASA data, students discuss how weather affects the way the Earth is heated by comparing different line plots.
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Motion of the Sun and Earth: Using a Playground Model to Explore Rotation and Revolution
Students experience the rotation of the Earth and the Sun and the Earth's revolution around the Sun, using a playground mode.
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Investigating the Earth-Moon-Sun System
Eighth graders research Native American legends involving the sun, moon, and stars and compare them to the origin of present day knowledge. They create a written report and make an oral presentation of their findings to the class.
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Heating the Earth
Young scholars explore how the angle of sunlight affects the Earth's temperature and seasons and then apply this understanding to their local situation.
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Earth and Space Science: Exploring Earthquakes
Students explore earthquakes. In this earthquake lesson, students research earthquakes and identify where they take place. Students use map skills to track down earthquake locations. There are internet sites suggested in this lesson.
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Beyond the Earth Part II
Students explore the solar system. In this solar system lesson, students use Internet and print resources to research a component of the solar system. Students create travel brochures based on their research findings.
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Rocks and Minerals
First graders examine different types of rocks and minerals. They create models of the rocks and minerals they find interesting. They discuss and explain three ways in which the earth changes.
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Earth's Rotation
Learners explore the Earth and its rotation. Volunteers model the sun-Earth system to demonstrate that the Earth rotates around the sun. In groups, students simulate "traveling" around the sun and discuss when it is night and day.
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How Big is the Sun? Exploring the Size and Scale of the Sun, Earth and Moon
Students explore the relative sizes of the Sun, Earth and Moon as they make an impressive large-scale model for classroom use throughout the unit.
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Beyond The Earth Part I
Learners explore the solar system. In this space science lesson, students take notes on the solar system provided by their instructors. Learners then collaborate to design a computer-generated drawing of the solar system.
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The Earth's Rain Forests
Students study the importance of the world's rain forests. In this rain forest lesson, students read about the role of the rain forests in the world's environment. Students then write a formal letter to a member of Congress or Senate...
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Day Six: Floater What Ifs
Young scholars observe earth science by examining results from an experiment. In this buoyancy lesson, students practice floating different items in two different liquids and identify why certain objects will float and others sink. Young...
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How Much Energy Does the Earth Receive from the Sun?
Students explore energy. In this science lesson, students conduct an experiment in which they measure how much energy is produced by the sun. Students build a calorimeter to measure the amount of energy.
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Splish-Splash: Daily Use of Water
Students explore the daily use of water in Kenya and Ghana. In this Peace Corps lesson, students compare similarities and differences between water use by people in Kenya and Ghana and their own communities as...
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Hello Sun, Goodnight Moon
Students become familiar with different times around the world through the reading of 9 O'clock Lullaby. In this Earth, sun, moon lesson, students recognize the movement of the Earth and the relationship to the sun and the...