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The Cream of the Crop
Students read and discuss article, "Simple Method Found to Vastly Increase Crop Yields," then research the basic components of conventional and organic agricultural methods. They, in groups, organize and present their research to the class.
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What Goes Around Comes Around!
Learners 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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Quick-Change Flip Book
Students create flip books that illustrate the growth and change of a plant or an animal as it goes through its life cycle.
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Genetically-Modified Food
Students investigate the pros and cons of genetic engineering. They watch a short Bill Moyers video, conduct Internet research, create a poster, participate in a pro/con debate, and write an essay expressing their personal feelings on...
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How Do We Use Scientific Inquiry To Solve the World's Problems?
Ninth graders examine how a scientific investigation is performed. They read and discuss examples of various scientific experiments, design an experiment involving fast growing plants, and create graphs and charts to present their...
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Demonstrating Liquid Crystallization
Young scholars conduct an experiment which illustrates applications of chemistry in our everyday world.
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Human Embryology
Ninth graders are introduced to the concept of human embryology. Individually, they complete an exercise in which they determine which trait they got from which family member. In groups, they identify and label the reproductive organs...
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Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns
What does it mean to grow? To germinate? For the plan detailed here, class members investigate the growth process of an oak tree while focusing on the beginning stages of planting and germination. They plant seeds and record observations...
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"Garden Springs Gardeners"
First graders ponder the question of how plants help their lives. They observe and compare properties of several different plants. Differentiate between living organisms and nonliving objects.
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Building a Parachute
Fourth graders construct a parachute using specified materials in a set amount of time. They observe a toy parachute attached to a toy man and discuss what makes him move slower or faster. Then in small groups they design, construct,...
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Electricity
Fourth graders experiment to find out how to light a bulb with simple materials. They make predictions if a light bulb set-up could work and gain knowledge to tell the difference between an open and closed circuit. They also figure out...
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Composting
Students survey what composting is. They observe the benefits of composting over the course of the school year by making your own composters and gardens. Group members compare two different compost piles, make conclusions about...
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Specialty Crop Production/Orchids
Twelfth graders explore the fascinating world of orchid production including propagation, care, culture, and finishing. They complete market research and design a production schedule for an orchid crop of their choice. They write a short...
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Cells, Cells, Cells
Students explore plant and animal cells. Using household items, students create a three-dimensional model of a plant or animal cell. Students identify and label each cell part.
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The Copper Basin Problem
Students view a video about how human actions impact the environment. They design a set of experiments to address some of the problems and issues raised by the video.
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Fruit or Vegetable?
Watermelon is a vegetable? A tomato is a fruit? Believe it or not, this debate is decades old. Groups examine rulings by the US Supreme Court, the USDA, and state statutes before developing their own criteria to use when labeling...
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Pollinator Habitats
Students read and discuss background information included with this instructional activity. They brainstorm the best sources for developing a list of native or migratory pollinators. Students work in groups to design habitats based on...
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Make Words
In this making words worksheet, learners make as many English words as they can from the letters found in the word wildebeest.
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Straight from the Heart
Students explore the heart and its functions. In this lesson about the heart, students use observation to understand the heart. Students construct a heart model, watch the vibration of their pulse, and listen to a heartbeat with a...
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Stereoisomers
Learners investigate stereoisomers using models that can be rotated and manipulated. In this stereoisomers lesson plan, students try to make models of molecules look alike by rotating the bonds. Using a mirror, the teacher demonstrates...
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The Amazing Apple
Learners analyze an apple. In this lesson about developing inquiry skills, students do an experiment with an apple. Learners make several observations about the apple. Students answer questions to help them improve and practice their...
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Planet Zorcon
Students relate the geography and economics of Utah. In this geography instructional activity, students log their use of resources both natural and synthetic. Students participate in an experiment to understand how the Earth will be in...
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Digital Mitosis and Claymation
Take mitosis and meiosis out of the biology textbook and onto the screen! An innovative class project prompts young biologists to create an animation movie using clay, showing the phases involved in mitosis or meiosis by...