Curated OER
Experiment: How acidic is rain in your area?
Learners collect water samples from around your home and school, check the pH level of each water sample, and record the pH levels in a chart that looks something like this:
Curated OER
Desert Dynamics
Students investigate the plants and animals found in Utah deserts and how these organisms have adapted to their environment. They brainstorm ways that desert plants are different from or similar to wetland plants.
Curated OER
Predicting the Route of the Monarch's Spring Migration
Pupils consider the habits of the monarch butterfly and predict the path it take as it migrates in the spring.
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Finding the Pole Star
Students study the constellations fo the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia and their use in finding the Pole Star. They realize that other celestial objects--Sun, Moon and planets--share the rotation (and hence rise and set), even though their...
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Cavern Life
Students describe elements and conditions that effect cavern life. They explain the three cavern zones and the differences of each zone. They perform various activities based on grade level.
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Zen Gardens
Learners study the design elements and symbolism of Japanese gardens through a hands-on lesson in Zen Garden design.
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Graphing San Diego Tides
Students observe the tides in San Diego for one month. Using this information, they graph the tides on a chart along with the phases of the moon. They answer questions related to the graph to end the lesson.
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Agriculture, Weather, Economy and Indiana
Fourth graders, in groups, investigate the role of weather in Indiana's farming economy. They make a prediction as to weather and its effect on the economy of Indiana. They present their data using a media presentation of data...
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Blowing in the Wind
Students identify and interpret maps, graphs, charts, tables and political cartoons. Students identify what a compass rose is and review its meaning in relation to standard directions. Students design their own weathervanes. Students...
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For Creative Minds: Mountain Ecosystems
In this mountain ecosystems instructional activity, students read information about mountain ecosystems and study various diagrams about the environment. Students match animals in the ecosystem to their descriptions.
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NUMB3RS Activity: Chains and Pyramids
Watch an episode of the TV show, NUMB3RS and then explore the mathematics of chain letters and pyramid schemes, both of which involve geometric progressions and exponential growth. They discuss why both are dangerous and illegal.
PBS
Heart to Heart
Study heart health and math in one activity. After measuring their resting heart rates by finding the pulse in their wrists, learners build a stethoscope to listen to their heart rate, and note the differences between the two methods.
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Arbor Day Lesson Plans
Arbor Day provides a great way to teach students about trees, plants, and why we need to protect our planet.
Aiken County Public Schools
Claymation in the Classroom
Students design an appropriate and usable storyboard and then create a claymation video. They take digital photographs frame by frame, then assemble the stop-motion movie using video software.
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NIGHT AND DAY: DAILY CYCLES IN SOLAR RADIATION
High schoolers examine how Earth's rotation causes daily cycles in solar energy using a microset of satellite data to investigate the Earth's daily radiation budget and locating map locations using latitude and longitude coordinates.
Teach Engineering
A New Angle on PV Efficiency
Let me get an angle on this! Investigate the orientation of a photovoltaic panel and its effect on efficiency. By using a light source, learners collect and plot current output to determine the ultimate orientation. The resource includes...
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Lightning and Thunder
Students conduct an experiment. In this lightning and thunder lesson, students learn how to figure out how far away a thunderstorm is.
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Once in a Blue Moon
Third graders identify the phases of the moon. They use technology to access websites on the Internet dealing with the moon.
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Salt: White Gold
Students examine the importance of salt for trade routes and the economy of a community.
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Johnny Appleseed
Students engage in a study of apples using children's literature. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Student list facts about apples and compare them while answering some guided questions. They plant some apple seeds and...
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Fall Bulletin Board Ideas
Fall is a perfect time to make colorful bulletin boards that you can use to display student work.
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Spring Has Sprung
Spring lesson plan ideas can allow students and teachers a chance to use the outdoors as a classroom and a source of study topics.
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Is the Hudson River Too Salty to Drink?
Students explore reasons for varied salinity in bodies of water. In this geographical inquiry lesson, students use a variety of visual and written information including maps, data tables, and graphs, to form a hypothesis as to why the...
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Sea Ice Board Game
Learners understand the sea ice cycle and can explain its stages. In this Sea Ice instructional activity, students play a game to identify types of sea ice. Learners answer critical thinking questions about sea ice. Students complete a...