Curated OER
It Won't Budge: Balloon
Eighth graders use the scientific method to discover why a balloon is not inflated.
Curated OER
What Does a Quarter Weigh?
Young scholars study the historical figures and symbols of U.S.
patriotism depicted on the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter coins. They
create a balance scale from common materials to measure the approximate weight
of a quarter.
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Looking Back in Time (Alternative Activity)
Students, in groups, devise alternative ways of measuring distances. They view a video and are introduced to the concept of parallax in measuring. They discuss their ideas with the class.
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Quarter Coin Cookies
Students study the historical figures and symbols of U.S.
patriotism depicted on the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter coins. They explore the processes involved in making coins, and how metals canchange in consistency from the...
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Hatching Brine Shrimp
Third graders investigate the environment that is considered favorable for brine shrimp hatching. The salinity level is of particular interest in the observations because the optimum level is needed for survival. They make daily...
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U.S. History: de Soto's Alternate Route
Eighth graders examine various maps associated with Hernando de Soto's expedition. By comparing their textbook maps with newer maps, they answer a battery of focus questions. Using Microsoft Word, 8th graders answer the questions...
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Classifying Living Things
Students identify how to classify living things. They classify various concepts including family members, kinds of clothing, numbers, shapes, and vocabulary words. They discuss how to classify various concepts and classify pictures of...
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Simple Machines/Technology
Third graders examine the concept of work as the movement of an object through a distance. They define gravity and determine what type of work is caused by gravity. They measure how far an object is moved by a force. They make a...
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The Paper Dutch Kite
Learners construct a Dutch Kite using simple materials. In this math lesson plan, students measure kite dimensions according to specified instructions. They also describe and define the different parts of a kite.
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Capturing the Wind
Students collect and analyze data about wind speed. They build a Lego wind sail and measure the wind speed with a rotation sensor. They use software to analyze the data.
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Floodplains in the Field
Students measure a topographic and geologic cross-section across a floodplain using simple surveying and auguring techniques in a field lab. Students also reconstruct the history of a river system.
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Investigating the Compost
High schoolers are introduced to the concept of biodegradability. In groups, they use the internet to research the types of materials that affect the process. They collect materials from their local community and develop an experiment...
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Weather Whys- Cloud Watching Journal
Students examine how natural processes change the earth by identifying their local water cycle. Individual students complete a cloud journal over a specific period of time. They observe clouds daily and take photographs of the clouds...
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Water, Water Everywhere
Studetns view a terrarium with water droplets on the wals. They discuss the ways the water could have got onto the wall of the terrarium. Students design an experiment to duplicate the process. They describe the patterns form their data...
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Acids And Bases -- Universal Indicator
Eighth graders design and perform an experiment that uses a Universal Indicator Color Guide to measure the strength of acids and bases. They also determine happens when acids and bases are mixed together. They decide which of three...
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Seeds and Similarities
High schoolers use the scientific inquiry method to identify the changes in a plant's life cycle. In groups, they plant different types of plants and use a chart to compare and contrast their growth rates. They share their conclusions...
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Mapping the Village
Pupils measure, weigh, and document the amount of trash and garbage generated by the school for one day. They brainstorm solutions for trash in the area and assist with the school-wide recycle program.
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Floodplains in the field (with GIS)
Students measure a topographic and geologic cross-section across a floodplain by simple surveying and auguring techniques. They consider the spatial context of the field observations, use GPS measurements, and desktop GIS analyses.
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Introduction to Remote Sensing
Students view, discuss, and compare different types of maps produced from remote sensing data. They use image processing software to analyze and enhance sea surface temperature maps.
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Sugar Bush Sap Production - Human Environmental Impact on Sap Sand
Eleventh graders compare the amount of sugar sand present in tree sap. For this environmental science lesson, 11th graders measure different tree circumference. They prepare a report and share findings in class.
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Plants Under Attack
Third graders will identify the four needs for plant survival and gain skills and confidence in using scientific measurement tools, probes as well as the spreadsheets and graphing capacity of a computer to represent and analyze data.They...
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Field Experiments on Succession
Student develop a hypothesis regarding the effects of either mowing or fertilizer upon the diversity of plant species in a grassland ecosystem. They set up experiment field plots and measure species richness.
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Building a Better Mousetrap
Eighth graders are introduced to the "Design Process" for technological development by constructing a prototype of a humane mousetrap. Students must record the steps their design groups go through while designing their prototypes and...
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From Molecules to Mole Day Do's
Students recognize methods used to define the mole. After converting various quantities to the mole, students provide a context for understanding the usefulness of scientific notation and the mole.