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Capillary Action and Adhesion
Students perform classroom experiments to observe adhesion. They perform a second experiment using sand, salt, water, and a heat lamp to observe the principle of capillary action. They also experiment with adhesion in plants.
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How High Does the Atmosphere Go?
Students explain how relatively thin the atmosphere is, compared to the size of the planet, and determine the relative extent of the four major atmospheric layers.
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Building a Better Sentence
Sentence construction is both a science and an art. This bare bones lesson ties an analysis of earth's geology to sentence formation. Although referenced as a major part of the activity, there are no links to the technology or resources...
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"Potato Mountain": Reading/Understanding Topographic Maps
Middle schoolers investigate how to read topographic maps. In this map reading lesson plan students complete a topographic map activity.
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The Physical Environment
Fourth graders use damp sand, a baking pan, and water to simulate erosion. In this erosion lesson plan, 4th graders participate in a simulation to show what moving water does to land.
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Water Cycle and Ecosystems
Students explore the water cycle. In this investigative lesson, students examine the water cycle process. They will record their observations and discuss marine and freshwater ecosystems.
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Effects Of Weathering
Third graders simulate weathering and erosion using sand and soil. They define weathering and the ways in which surfaces become weathered. Working as a class, 3rd graders complete various activities that demonstrate physical and...
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Volcano! Is That a Volcano on Your Plate?
Students investigate where volcanos come from. For this volcano lesson, students watch videos do Internet research and participate in experiments to discover the cause of volcanos.
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Air and Water in the Environment
Young scholars demonstrate an awareness of air as a substance that surrounds us and takes up space, and whose movement we feel as wind. They predict and describe how local weather conditions affect living things, including themselves.
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Areology-The Study of Mars
Students examine core samples from Mars and discover what they can use it to tell the history of Mars. In this core sample instructional activity students create and analyze their own core samples then eat them at the end.
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Ecosystems Beneath the Surface
Sixth graders create a KWL chart about microorganisms. In this biology lesson, 6th graders create and label a diagram on a microbial mat. They investigate the processes involved in the carbon, oxygen and sulfur cycles.
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How to Make a Rock
Second graders watch demonstrations and conduct experiments that show the three different types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
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Investigation 6 - Soil Profile
Fourth graders study the components of soil. They observe the basic components of soil and relate the components to plant growth. They record color, texture, and kinds of materials on their profile log (light color, denser, grittier -...
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Daily and Seasonal Cycles
First graders identify the sun as a source of heat and light. They identify features of houses that help keep use sheltered and comfortable throughout daily and seasonal cycles. Students are told that summer is the best season to...
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Fossil Inferences
Fourth graders use their knowledge about fossils to arrange fossil pictures in sequence from oldest to youngest. They explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments and discover...
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How Are Rocks Formed?
Students identify types of rocks. In this geology lesson, students view animated graphics to identify how sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks are formed. Students take a rock quiz to show how different rocks are formed.
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Changes Inside Planets
Students relate meteorites to the mantle and crust of asteroids. In this planetary lesson students complete experiments to model the separation of light.
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As the Sun Burns
Pupils test commercial sunscreens or sunglasses for accuracy of their Sun Protection Factor. They devise a method for testing UV beads with a visual clues which they publish as research. They investigate occupations such as...
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The Volcano Factory
Students examine the process of tectonic plates and why the Mariana Arc is active with volcanoes. They create a model of the Mariana Arc out of clay.
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2.2: Sedimentary Rocks
Second graders discuss the geologic rock cycle and work with their group to simulate creating a sedimentary rock. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the sedimentary process and draw the steps of the rock cycle.
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What Goes Around Comes Around!
Students create an ecosystem in a jar to show a model of the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle. Working in small groups, they research and present orally the information they find on this cycle.
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Getting to the Core of Climate Change
Students investigate climate changes by graphing and analyzing ice core data from Greenland and Antarctica. They create, explain and report the pattern of data on a graph of ice core data. In addition they find relationships between the...
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Pet Rocks
Students complete a variety of activities related to the physical characteristics of minerals. They classify and group candy, classify rocks and complete a Pet River Rock worksheet. Students try to guess which rock goes with each...
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Examining the Fossil Record
Learners create an evolutionary tree based on fossil morphology and their ages. In this fossil record lesson plan, students are given 23 pictures of fossil. They study their morphology and arrange the fossils by age and structures on a...