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Structure of the Earth
Eighth graders examine the forces that are constantly acting on the Earth. They describe the theory of tectonic plates and demonstrate the two kinds of earthquake waves. They also examine the role of volcanoes in the structure of the...
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Magnetic Mapping
Students draw arrows to show the direction the compass needle is pointing when it is placed around different points of a penny and a bar magnet. Students must then answer questions about the activity on a provided worksheet.
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Packing Materials
Students observe the effects of water on four different packing materials to determine which ones are more soluble. They then decide which material would be a good packing material to use for the environment and which may be a bad...
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Electrical Energy
Students conduct an experiment to find out how well different wires radiate heat when voltage is applied across the wire. They use the results of their experiments to consider how the gauge of the wire and the type of wire affect the...
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Environmentally Friendly Home
Learners discuss ways to make homes more environmentally friendly. They comprehend ways to reduce home resource consumption, such as passive solar heating, insulation, and geothermal heating and cooling
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Pendulum Clocks
Students use string, wire, weights, and a stopwatch to build pendulum clocks. For this pendulum clocks lesson plan, students use the pendulum clocks to investigate weather, climate, force, and motion.
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Ocean Exploration
Students explore a simulated ocean floor. In this environmental lesson plan, students take on roles of an ocean dive team exploring the ocean floor. Dive logs will be created and the students will explore their sections of simulated...
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Tidepool Island Biogeography
Students experience and test island biogeography ideas by comparing diversity and abundance of rocky inter-tidal patches. Working, in groups of three, they investigate rocks and creatures found in a tidepool. Lesson plan designed for...
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Floating Pencil
Students discover how salt water makes a pencil float better than freshwater by measuring and comparing the lengths of the portion of the pencil that floats above the water surface. They then determine if an unknown water sample is...
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Rising Waters
Fourth graders rank balls by size from smallest to largest and from lightest to heaviest and then by how much they made the water rise. They then discuss why certain balls make the water rise higher than do other balls.
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Colored Dots 1
Students observe that colored markers are a mixture of many different colors by performing a chromatography experiment. They make observations, record information, and make generalized inferences from their observations.
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More Power to You
Young scholars construct a simple galvanometer in order to detect the presence of an electric current as well as determine the amount of the current. Activity is divided into two parts, first part as group work and second as individual.
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Sand in Bottles
Eighth graders calculate the speed of bottles as they roll down a ramp with varying amounts of sand inside. Using their data, 8th graders estimate speed of three labeled bottles with different amounts of sand and compare those results...
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Powder
Students investigate several unidentified substances and suggest a use of each substance. They can explain that a substance has characteristic properties, such as density, a boiling point, and solubility, all of which are independent of...
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Predator/Prey Relationship
Middle schoolers study and analyze data collected on the relationship between the snowshoe hare and lynx in Canada over a 28 year period and create a graph. Students also write a response to a proposal to reduce the lynx population.
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Changes in Pulse Rate
Eighth graders practice making observations and collecting data after determining a baseline pulse rate then collect data on the changes in that rate with exercise. Students must organize their data and analyze their observations.
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Probing Under the Surface
Eighth graders use a measuring stick to determine the shape of the inside of the bottom of a box, then apply their knowledge to an additional situation. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, collect and...
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River Planning
Students use a model to conduct an experiment involving dam construction. Based on their observations, they draw conclusions about social, economic, and and environmental issues and make a decision concerning dam location. As a group,...
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Water Pollution
Young scholars study four samples of "rain water". They asked to determine the pH of the samples and then to neutralize them. Students are asked to predict any negative effects which might be associated with water having a low pH and...
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Boyle's Law
Students work in small groups and use a hand-held vacuum pump with a balloon under the dome with some air. Another deflated balloon is attached to the end where the air goes out. As the air is drawn out of the dome the first balloon with...
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Exploring the Beach
Young scholars explore the beach. In this marine habitat lesson, students inspect sand grains, design beach profiles, classify marine life, and examine natural beach habitats. Young scholars use spreadsheets to record data from their...
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Viewing Viruses
Students view the characteristics of viruses following the 5-E learning model. By participating in discrepant events Students observe the impact of viruses over humans. By participating in discussion students examine the characteristics...
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Small World Project
Students participate in the Small World Project that develops their interest and abilities necessary to find reliable information from the Internet and through global communication. They develop homepages, research topics, and produce a...
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How Far Will It Roll?
Students construct a car with the longest roll using a ramp. They construct Lego cars, modify the wheel sizes and car configurations to evaluate which car design rolls the longest distance, develop a graph, and complete a worksheet.