Lesson Plan
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Solar Energy Connection

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars conduct solar experiments. They calculate the solar gain and operate a solar cell devise used to generate electricity. Students compare and contrast solar energy gain with young scholars in India. They analyze the...
Lesson Plan
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Parts of a Solar Panel-Part I

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine electrical contacts, solar cells, and rechargeable batteries and compare and contrast the characteristics of a solar cell to a rechargeable battery in a hands-on activity. Students complete a worksheet as they...
Lesson Plan
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What is Lightning?

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students experiment with electricity to understand lightning. In this lightning instructional activity, students show how static electricity causes lightning. Students discuss questions about their experiment and gather important facts....
Lesson Plan
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Characteristics of Energy

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders view a video and create a KWL to identify energy sources. In this energy sources activity, 4th graders explore the meaning of energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, thermal energy, radiant energy, and electrical energy....
Lesson Plan
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Corrosion to Corals

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars study galvanic exchange and how it produces electric currents.  In this ocean lesson students predict what metals deteriorate in salt water. 
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Cleaning Air with Balloons

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners examine how a pollutant recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution. They listen to a teacher-led discussion, conduct an experiment with balloons, static electricity, and pepper, and observe and record the...
Lesson Plan
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Insulators and Conductors

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders experiment to discover which items are conductors and which items are insulators.  In this insulators and conductors lesson, 4th graders experiment and create a T-Chart.  Students are assessed on the correctness...
Lesson Plan
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Tools to Live By

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders compare life in the early 1900's with the life today. In this technology lesson, 3rd graders research about the development of a certain technological tool. They collect data and report findings in class.
Lesson Plan
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Capturing Wind Energy

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students investigate technology and make a correlation between technology and the weather. In this science activity, students experiment with the weather and climate using technology to help them understand forces and motion. They...
Lesson Plan
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What is all the Fuss about?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students brainstorm a list of science discoveries and inventions that they think are important. They work in small groups, students examine 1-3 science discoeries more closely. Each group needs a recorder, and they answer three...
Lesson Plan
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WAVES AND PHOTONS

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine the many types of electromagnetic waves, the concept of an EM wave, how James Clerk Maxwell proposed a slight modification of the equations of electricity, Heinrich Hertz and his radio-frequency, wavelengths, and light...
Lesson Plan
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Greenewables

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students form expert engineering teams working for the (fictional) alternative energy consulting firm, Greenewables, Inc. Each team specializes in a form of renewable energy used to generate electrical power: passive solar, solar...
Lesson Plan
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Introduction to Friction

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students study the properties of the frictional force between two surfaces in contact. They inspect various phenomena in nature where friction plays an important role and demonstrate
Lesson Plan
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Earth's Ecology

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students investigate the three states of water. In this physical science activity, students watch the video "Earth's Ecology" and observe water in its' three states. Students record observations.
Lesson Plan
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A Day In My Life

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students brainstorm how they can conserve energy in their daily lives. In this energy lesson plan, students discuss how they use energy and ways to conserve it.
Lesson Plan
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Exploring Meteorite Mysteries: Building Blocks of Planets

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students simulate the formation of chondrites and asteroids. In this astronomy instructional activity, students demonstrate accretion using balloons and static electricity. They compare and contrast their models to the actual process of...
Lesson Plan
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Solar Energy Experiment

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Learners observe solar energy at work. In this science instructional activity, students watch two bottles, painted black and white, sit in the heat with balloons on the mouth of the bottles. They observe and discuss why the balloon of...
Lesson Plan
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The Historical Development of Magnetism

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Students discuss the history and importance of magnets to the world. In this magnetism lesson, students write an essay of a world without magnets.  Students may research addition information to add details about uses of magnets.
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The Magic of Solar Thermal: How the Sun Can Be Used to Heat Water

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars are introduced to how the sun is used to heat water.  In this solar lesson students identify the different types of solar water heating and demonstrate how it works.
Lesson Plan
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Lightning in a Jar

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students create lightning with two common objects and observe the colorful "discharge" of electrons on a smaller scale. By exploring the phenomena of static electricity, students relate their knowledge to the real-life weather phenomena...
Unit Plan
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Meet Meteorology

For Teachers 4th
Students explore meteorology, discuss Earth's atmosphere, create drawings of the water cycle, create meteorology journals, and role play forecasters. Nine lessons on one page; includes unit test.
Lesson Plan
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The Scientific Method Using Mystery Powders

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students use the scientific method to determine physical and chemical properties of unknown substances. In this scientific method lesson plan, students discuss chemical and physical properties of substances as a class after a...
Lesson Plan
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Matter, Matter

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars define vocabulary related to the parts of the atom.  For this matter lesson, students navigate the web to find the structure and the forces that affect atoms.  Young scholars complete an experiment with...
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Reduced Fare

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers discover the relationship between tectonic plate boundaries and the communities of life that thrive at such boundaries. In this biology lesson plan, students find that methane from oxidized carbon in sediments provides...