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Strange New Planet
Students simulate different spacecraft missions using materials provided. For this space science lesson, students observe and record a planetary model's features from a distance. They relate this activity to scientists' space exploration...
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Robot Gears
Students build simple gear trains and record data to discover how to compute gear ratios. They investigate the definition of torque and how torque can be increased or decreased in a gear train.
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Inertia
Students conduct a simple inertia demonstration by spinning a hardboiled and raw egg. They push a wagon to demonstrate inertia. They explore Newton's first and second laws of motion.
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Cleaning Air with Balloons
Students examine how a pollutant recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution. They listen to a teacher-led discussion, conduct an experiment with balloons, static electricity, and pepper, and observe and record the...
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Crash! Bang!
Young scholars study the physical force of linear momentum by investigating collisions. They analyze the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions. They calculate linear momentum.
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Earthquake Proof Structures
Eighth graders build a structure that is able to withstand a simulated earthquake. They research earthquakes, earthquake measurement, and society's preparation for and reaction to them. Pupils build models and present them to the...
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Dripping Wet or Dry as a Bone?
Students use a sponge and water model to explore the concept of relative humidity and create a percent scale. They define humidity and saturation, build a simple humidity/saturation model, collect, predict and interpret data, and create...
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TE Activity: Muscles, Muscles Everywhere
Students study three different muscle types and investigate the affect of space travel on astronauts' muscles. They examine how exercise has a positive affect on muscle both on Earth and in space while looking at engineers' roles in...
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Digestive System
Students analyze how the digestive system works by taking the food we eat and breaking it down for our bodies to use for various reasons. They list the major components of the digestive system and draw a diagram. They explain how...
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TE Lesson: Fighting Back!
Students examine the roles of the immune system in keeping the body healthy. They see how engineers contribute to this process by creating antibiotics, and vaccinations. They discuss how an astronauts' immune system may be suppressed...
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Do As the Romans: Construct an Aqueduct!
Students explore how the Romans engineered and built aqueducts. They read a manual, explore the Construct a Roman Aqueduct online activity, and construct an aqueduct that will transport two liters of water across a short distance in the...
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Two-Cell Battery
Learners build their own two-cell battery and determine which electrolyte solution is best suited for making a battery. They discuss background information for their experiment, construct and test their battery, and using the chart on...
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Take Charge!
Students induce an electrical charge on various objects, and experiment with electrical repulsion and attraction. They define related vocabulary, play Bingo and complete a take-home quiz.
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Wheeling It In!
Students use everyday materials (milk cartons, water bottles, pencils, straws, candy) to build a small-scale transportation device that incorporates the wheel and axle and the lever. They race their carts/trucks, measure distance, time...
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The Sky is Falling!!
First graders complete a variety of activities about fall. They study a plant's life cycle and what happens to plants in the fall. They make leaf rubbings and discuss seed dispersal. They write a creative story about a seed and visit a...
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Close Enough?
Students examine how navigation is based on mathematics and how making a mistake in measuring an angle could have an impact on a target. They observe a teacher-led lecture, use a calculator to complete two worksheets, and participate in...
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Ring Around the Rosie
Young scholars examine the concept of angular momentum and its correlation to mass, velocity, and radius. They listen to a teacher-led lecture, conduct an experiment with rotational inertia, angular momentum, and rotation speed by...
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Industrial Revolution
Students cite the importance of the steam engine, cotton gin and steel making process. They describe conditions in cities due to increased industrialization. They explain how the living and working conditions led to the development of...
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Funny Putty
Students are introduced to the properties of solids, liquids and gases. They see that colloids are mixtures which display the properties of more than one of these states. They engage in an excellent experiment which demonstrates this fact.
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Giraffe Riff Raff
Students study the effects of wildlife conservation and relocation. In this conservation instructional activity students view video on the preservation of the giraffe populations and discuss the impact that humans have had on them.
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African Americans in Science
Students explore the careers of prominent African Americans in science, mathematics, and technology. They use The Faces of Science: African Americans in the Sciences website, which includes profiles of past and present African Americans...
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Fostering Geospatial Thinking: Space to Earth: Earth to Space (SEES)
Students locate and access data to help them with their science inquiry. In this geographical positioning lesson plan students evaluate and compare data sets.
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Buoyant Boats
Young scholars design and construct a boat out of aluminum foil and a few other simple materials. The boats then be tested by floating them in water, then adding mass until they sink. They explore the various shapes of boat construction.
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The Power of the Plug: How Electricity Will Change Our Lives... Again
Students study electricity. In this physics lesson, students review electrical energy by discussing three ways of generating it. Students explore various energy sources used for creating electricity and examine how different states...