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Effigy Mound Activity
Students research effigy mounds of Native people in Wisconsin. They create large models of effigy mounds in a given area based on factual information from their studies and research.
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Microclimates of Our School
Students read the story "Weslandia" by Paul Fleischman, define the term microclimate, gather and record data in various places on school grounds to establish the presence of difference microclimates, analyze and compare microclimates,...
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Trends Forecasting
Students practice trends forecasting to predict the weather. For this forecasting lesson plan, students learn how meteorologists predict the weather by looking at weather trends. They then predict their own forecast, analyze the results,...
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Siting Wind Power
Students analyze a variety of curves that describe the power extracted from the wind by a variety of commercially produced wind turbines. They utilize site specific topographic maps and political boundary data to evaluate and make...
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City Life In Europe
Middle schoolers explore Paris. In this geography skills lesson, students watch "City Life in Europe," and conduct further research on the city of Paris and the country of France. Middle schoolers create postcards that feature Parisian...
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What Do We Do With A Dirty Bomb?
Students examine composition of dirty bomb and its possible effects on a city, and investigate simulations of such an event; students use computational and problem solving skills to assess damage and prepare report proposing solution to...
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Properties of Materials - Part B
Learners describe the history of materials. They use the kinetic (particle) theory to explain changes of state in matter and trace the flow of heat during changes of state and chemical changes.
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Conditions at Sea Data Activity
Students study how to forecast sea conditions. In this oceanography lesson students complete a class activity on wave making.
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Earth Forces
Students use geological techniques such as plate tectonics, mountain building, earthquakes, and volcanoes, in order to explain the earth.
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Marie Antoinette: The Tragic Queen
Students view a documentary on Marie Antoinette, who became a symbol of the reviled monarchy. After viewing, students discuss what they saw then create a family line of Marie Antoinette. They compare maps of Europe from her time to ours.
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Temperature in a Cultural Context
Fourth graders investigate the effects of temperature on Native American lifestyle and culture. In small groups they conduct research on cultural practices showing a connection to the climate and create a poster displaying their...
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Mapping the changes in Canada's population
Students find and analyze data found in the census. They compare the population from 1996 to 2001. They explore the type of data they can find in the Census of Population.
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Mapping the Village
Students 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.
Channel Islands Film
Arlington Springs Man: Lesson Plan 2
West of the West's documentary Arlington Springs Man and a two-page scientific article about the same topic provide the text for a reading comprehension exercise that asks individuals to craft a one page summary of information gathered...
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Country Mouse, City Mouse?
Students recognize the characteristics of a rural area. They analyze land use to determine whether the map is of a rural (country) area or an urban (city) area.
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Soil Composition: Then and Now
Students identify the location of their school from a 1926 digitized Soil Sample map. Using remaining landforms, they determine the type of soil identified during that time, and compare it to the soil currently found near the school.
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How do we measure global earthquakes?
Students examine three seismograms of a recent South American earthquake recorded by USGS stations. They measure the S-P distance and use a P and S wave travel-time graph to find the epicenter distance for each seismogram. In addition,...
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Science: Draining the Land - the Mississippi River
Students use topographic maps to identify parts of rivers. In addition, they discover gradient and predict changes in the channels caused by variations in water flow. Other activities include sketching a river model with a new channel...
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Globe Lesson- The Revolutionary War
Students discover using globes. For this geography lesson, students use a globe to outline the original 13 colonies. Students also use a globe to measure the distance from London to New York City and determine how many days it would have...
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Charles Lindberghs's Flight to Paris
Pupils practice map skills. In this map skills lesson plan, students locate the cities of New York and Paris on a map. Pupils read about the flight made by Charles Lindbergh in May 1927 from New York to Paris. Students answer 8 questions...
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Field Trip - San Francisco Bay Model
Students investigate scale models while attending a field trip within the San Francisco Bay Area. In this oceanography lesson, students identify the currents of the Bay Area and discuss how they are created by different tides. Students...
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How Healthy is the Wetland?
Students explore wetlands. In this ecology activity, students visit a wetland site and collect data about the wetland functions. Students record their results and use the data recorded to rate the wetland site on its function.
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The Best Birthday Present Ever
Learners view a PBS "In the Mix" video about smoking and identify cigarette ingredients, the physical effects of smoking and techniques used in tobacco advertising. They compose a letter persuading someone to quit smoking.
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The Greatest Survival Story of All Time
Students use the Internet to read about an explorer's survival in the Antarctic. They try to find a better route for him to have taken.