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Images of Our Changing Earth
Students identify and explain that remote sensing can detect changes on the Earth's surface that occur over time, and name at least three: urbanization, deforestation, and succession. They select a global change issue to investigate and...
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Culminating Alternative Energy Project
Students work in teams to complete an alternative energy project. In this alternative energy lesson plan, students are assigned a city and decide on the most appropriate alternative energy source for their city. Students use maps from...
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Modeling The Anatomy Of A Grass Plant
Students explore the structure of a typical and generalized grass plant. They visualize the structures of a grass plant by constructing a paper model. In addition, they identify the names and structural relationships of the parts of a...
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Gelatin Volcanoes
Students investigate magma flow using gelatin volcano models. For this earth science lesson, students sketch the magma bodies as observed from the top of their model. They explain why magma moves that way.
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Places on the Planet: Latitude and Longitude
Students locate different places on globes and maps by learning about latitude and longitude lines. In this latitude and longitude lesson plan, students identify specific locations based on the degrees of latitude and longitude.
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Environmental Rhyme and Reason
Students employ poetry as a medium to relay information and express views about significant environmental issues that exist today and to assess their effects on The State of the Planet as we enter the next millennium.
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Categorizing Celestial Objects
High schoolers work together to develop a classification system for planets. They take a class vote and read an article about an astronomer's classification system. They write an essay on how scientists make decisions for the general...
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Climate Change & Coral Activities
Students study how the ocean stabilizes our planet's climates and how global warming is becoming a threat to this fine balance. In this climate change lesson, students identify that fossil fuel emissions are responsible for...
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Water Works Wonders
Students examine where water is found in the world, how we use it, and the various forms it takes. They observe the refraction of light through a prism, record the day and night sky over a week's time, and create a topographic model of...
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Water Cycle Stories
Students create water cycle stories. In this water cycle lesson, students review the parts of the water cycle. They create a story that describes the journey of a water molecule as it makes its way through the cycle and into different...
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Wow, Saturn Is Much Bigger Than Earth!
Students compare and contrast the sizes of Earth and Saturn. They create scale illustrations of each planet and label them. They share their models with the class.
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Planet Structure & Interior
Students compare Jupiter and Earth. In this Earth and space studies instructional activity, students compare the composition of Earth and Jupiter and analyze how the composition affects the rate at which the planets spin.
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Planet of Plenty
Students examine a small piece of land to determine the diversity of life on Earth. They role play as visitors from outer space seeing life on Earth for the first time. They measure and observe their plots while working in small groups....
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How the Amount of Solar Energy Absorbed by the Earth is Dependent Upon the Earth's Position
Students investigate the angle of light and how it faces the earth. They conduct a series of investigations with the following two objectives. Students determine if the angle of light is a factor in the absorption of heat. They correlate...
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After 7 years, capsule of comet dust heads to Earth
Students examine an article on a space capsule and explore NASA. In this space exploration lesson students brainstorm the pros and cons of space exploration, then rehearse a sketch and present it to the class.
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Wax On, Wane Off
Students explore the Earth's only natural sattelite, the moon. They view a demonstration using tennis balls of the waxing crescent moon, waxing gibbous moon and a lunar eclipse.
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Planets or Not, Here We Come!
Students, working in groups, research planets in terms of the size, temperature, number of moons, and potential for life. They use packets and worksheets as guides for their research. Students may role-play as aliens visiting their...
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The State of the Planet
Learners address four different environmental topics (water issues, the threat of food shortages, human population growth, and global warming) as they watch a film and discuss the future of the earth. In groups, they complete various...
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Introduce Vocabulary: I Am Planet Earth
Learners discover the meaning of tier two vocabulary words. In this vocabulary lesson, students read I Am Planet Earth, listening for 3 pre-select tier two vocabulary words. Words are defined by the teacher and learners practice...
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TE Activity: Space Shelter
Students simulate that they need to develop a new home on a different planet. They design a shelter that will ensure their survival after researching the characteristics of the other planet. They write an essay about their home design.
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The Big Bang
Students explore our universe. In this solar system lesson, students gain knowledge about the solar system, galaxy, the universe and the Big Bang Theory. Students watch videos and view a slideshow.
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Continents and Oceans on the Move
Students create an awareness of the vast percentage of water covering the earth. They relate similarities/differences between topographical maps and other maps of various time periods. Students examine how to use a topographical map.
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Science: What Is the Carbon Cycle?
Students examine the carbon cycle while identifying its sources, sinks, and release agents. Using magazines and newspapers, groups of students design collages illustrating the carbon cycle. Finally, they write responses to several...
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It's A Jungle in Here!
Fifth graders research rainforest destruction. In this geography and ecology instructional activity, 5th graders work as a group to research the effects of logging, farming, and mining on the rainforest. Students gather and display data...