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Beach Combing: Evidence of Life
Students comb the beach and gather remnants of unfamiliar life forms to make speculations about the origins of their discoveries. In this environments awareness lesson, students work in groups to search for evidence of life on the beach....
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Scientific Method and Crystal Growth
Students conduct a hands-on experiment growing crystals to demonstrate the nature of science as inquiry. They discuss and test variables that affect crystal growth. They research mineral crystallization and mineral formation on the...
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Food & Science - How Healthy is Your Diet?
Learners experiment with various foods to determine fat and starch content. They rub jam, peanut butter, bananas, and other foods in a small circle on a piece of paper, and observe the results. If there is a high fat content in the...
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A Tale of Two Wetlands
Students observe 2 separate wetlands (following downloadable worksheets) and record 10 similarities and 10 differences between them. Then they present their recommendations to the class who roleplay the government's wetland conservation...
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How to Keep a Scientific Journal
Students record observations of a living organism over a period of time. They observe meal worms and record their observations in a scientific journal.
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You Light Up My Life: Developing a Scientific Theory for What Fuels a Candle's Flame!
Students examine how candles work and how scientific theories are developed and tested. Students propose hypotheses about what is burning in a candle then perform tests in order to develop their scientific theory. After a teacher...
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Apply Technological Design and Scientific Habits of Mind
High schoolers work together to brainstorm their obstacles in testing different scientific principles. In groups, they are given a scenerio with a specific dilemma and they use the internet to research how to solve the problem. They...
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Using Adjectives to Describe Observations
Seventh graders write observations of organisms based on both audio and video sources. They describe organisms which they view using appropriate adjectives.
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Piece of the Sky: Introduction for Making S'COOL Observations
Students observe and discuss cloud cover. They identify percent of cloud cover, calculate cloud cover by fraction and convert to a percent, and compare their models with the current real sky cloud cover.
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Cloud Observation and Graphing
Students identify the three major cloud groups. They are introduced to the three main cloud types and spend a week making and recording observations of clouds. Students produce a graph that presents their findings and conduct research...
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Using the Scientific Method to Determine Which Conditions Best Favor Plant Growth
Seventh graders examine how the environment can affect biological processes. They identify the best conditions for the germination of bean seeds. They record and analyze their data. They write about their observations in an essay.
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Monet's Japanese Bridge -A Scientific Journal
Fourth graders design a bridge and answer critical questions about scientific inquiry and enterprise in a Science journal.
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Rocky Observations
Students examine two images of rocks, make their own observations of individual rocks through drawing, and explain how the same observation skills can be used in the study of geology.
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Snail Observation Exercise
Students are given a pond snail in a clear glass and asked to make observations on the snail's form and behavior. One of the key ideas is that seemly common subjects (like snails) often have surprising or interesting properties.
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Math: Knot Observations
Students discover the importance of knots to mathematicians in developing scientific theories. In small groups, they examine knots and make obeservations about them. Students discuss the ways to distinguish knots and make lists of...
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Observation and Discovery
Learners explore the basic skills guiding sound scientific invvestigation and methodology. They are introduced to a powerful scientific tool-the microscope. Students review the parts of the microscope. They discuss the inventor of the...
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My Science Journal
In this scientific method instructional activity, students complete a ten page science journal that could be used for any investigation. Included are pages for question, hypothesis, materials, procedure, observations, data, diagram and...
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How High Can You Fly?
Students learn the four concepts of flight; drag, lift, thrust, and weight. In this scientific inquiry lesson, students participate in a flight activity where they jump as high as they can to stamp a large sheet of paper and measure and...
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Describing Objects: Attention to Details
Seventh graders study how observation and accurate descriptions are an important in science. They use basic science words in their descriptions.
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Observation Zooming
Sixth graders use zoom lenses to observe meal worms and draw them from three different zoom levels. They complete their artwork in sketchbook and complete a questionnaire about their abilities as scientific artists.
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The Rock Cycle
In this rock cycle learning exercise, learners copy the table illustrated for data and observations of rock samples. Then they examine the rock samples observing the characteristics and the arrangement of grains in each. Students then...
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Everything's Under Control
Fifth graders prepare for a "Mad Scientists Fair" by creating a controlled study and by conducting experiments. They make and record observations and classify specimens according to characteristics. They compare results to their original...
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Using the senses
Students use their senses to compare a frog and a hamster. In this animals comparison lesson plan, students get into groups and observe, smell, feel, and listen to what their animals are like, and classify them into categories.
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Chick Embryology
Students investigate techniques that can be used to observe the development of the chick embryo. They explore the environment in which the chick develops and how it can be manipulated.