Lesson Plan
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Celsius or Fahrenheit?

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders create a thermometer.  In this Celsius or Fahrenheit lesson plan, 2nd graders create an individual thermometer to use for measuring the temperature.  Students convert the outside temperature. 
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Stable and Unstable Structures

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students consider ways to create stable bridges. In this bridge design lesson, students view pictures of bridges that have collapsed. They use the information to work in small groups creating a blueprint for a bridge of their own. Their...
Lesson Plan
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Comparing Ecosystems

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students, in groups, research two biomes. They create a Venn diagram and include the characteristics of each biome, placing similar features in the overlapping area of the circles.
Lesson Plan
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Composition of Air: Let us Find Out

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students identify the various components of air as they demonstrate that air is present in the environment.
Lesson Plan
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Ride the Rock Cycle

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine the steps of the rock cycle. They describe what happens to the rocks in each of the stages. They participate in a rock cycle game to help them with the steps.
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Human Needs

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate human needs and how they have adapted to different environments. They complete an experiment to discover the effect of stress on muscles. They use the food pyramid to create a plan for healthy eating.
Lesson Plan
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Design-A-Weed

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners create a "super weed" that prospers in teh harsh conditions on plant Weediv. They comprehend how weed adaptations give the plants an advantage over native plants. Students define the term adaptation. They give three examples...
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Wind Surge: Interactive On-line Mac and PC

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students examine the influence of the end wall. They find a basin size and wind speed such that a given wall height is overtopped. Then, increase the wall elevation until overtopping stops. Students explain the difference in results.
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Ecology 8 Land Biomes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars identify and describe the main features of one land biome. After researching what a biome is, they give various examples of biomes around the world and in their backyards.
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What Makes you Hot?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers manipulate different variables in a model and make inferences about the temperature on Earth.  In this heat lesson students calculate the blackbody radiation of an object at a certain temperature. 
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Solar System: Let's Take a Trip

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders consider outer space. In this introductory solar system lesson, 3rd graders complete a KWL chart and listen to the story The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System, by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen. They will contribute...
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Phases of the Moon: Cooperative Learning

For Teachers 3rd
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...
Lesson Plan
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The Sky Show

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students use lecture and research to answer the question: Why is the sky blue? students research a variety of other sky phenomena, chart their observations and participate in experiments.
Worksheet
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Chasing El Nino

For Students 9th - 12th
For this El Nino worksheet, students review this specific change in the climate cycle by completing 20 short answer questions.
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Making Craters

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Pupils study craters and identify the different things that characterize craters.  In this crater lesson plan students create a model of an impact crater. 
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Staying Healthy Year Round

For Teachers K
Students are read a variety of books and observe the weather in the different seasons. In groups, they compare and contrast the type of activities people are doing. They also discuss how they adapt to the changes in seasons by the...
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Our State Road Trip

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Young scholars take a virtual tour of the country of China instead of a state. Using the Internet, they examine the differences between a political and physical map and use latitude and longitude to locate specific places. They also...
Lesson Plan
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Stratigraphy -- Layers of Time in the Earth

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students are introduced to the process of stratification. Using the internet, they read about the Richard Beene archeological site near San Antonio. Using a map, they color code the different layers present at this site and answer...
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Day and Night

For Teachers K - Higher Ed
Students discuss why day and night occur after visualizing a teacher-led demonstration.
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Making Sense of Unusual Findings

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners work on the development of observation skills and seeing how they can be used in different contexts. The lesson is good for helping the beginner and novice, along with encouraging and reminding the expert observer of right...
Lesson Plan
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Surviving on the Siberian Tundra

For Teachers K - 4th
Students describe ways Nenets have adapted to their environment after listening to a National Geographic article about them. They compare their own adaptions to their environment with those made by the Nenet culture.
Lesson Plan
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Lawnchair Larry Flies!

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students research and experiment to discover the lifting power of helium gas.
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Earth Processes

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore and discuss the process of evaporation. They discuss how wet things become dry. Students observe the process of evaporation and they make predictions about the observations they make about evaporation. Students...
Lesson Plan
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A Thoreau Look at Our Environment

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders write journal entries o school site at least once during each season, including sketched and written observations of present environment. They can use sample topographical maps and student's own maps. Students can use...