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Weather
Students explore the earth's atmosphere, weather, and climate. They begin class with a discussion about weather patterns, atmosphere, and the layers of the earth. After the class discussion, students rotate through four stations to...
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State Change
Eighth graders explore the physical change of matter. As a class, they discuss their favorite super hero and determine if the hero undergoes a physical or chemical change. Students examine the change of state and phase change. In groups,...
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Rocky Intertidal Field Trip
Students investigate tides and the land submerged under them. For this intertidal field trip, Students visit the intertidal zone and observe the habitats and animals that live there. Students view the pools under rocks where...
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The Sonoran Desert
Little learners examine a map of the southwestern United States and identify the Sonoran Desert. They locate different cities and rivers, determining whether or not each is found within this special ecosystem. A student handout is...
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San Francisco Bay Watershed
Students examine relief maps of California and discuss the San Francisco Bay watershed. Discussion continues with the class helping complete a journey of water through seasons in a "finish my sentences" style lecture. They label rain...
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Exploring Our Watershed System
Students examine how watershed systems are made up, and visit the Susquehanna watershed system and map out the system. They evaluate the order of watercourses in their area.
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Ziplock Chemistry
Students investigate various chemical reactions when creating mixtures in ziplock baggies. In this chemistry lesson, students will recognize various chemical reactions and cite evidence. Safety and assessment strategies are included in...
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Tree Friends
Students are introduced to tree structure and use. They identify their special tree using all senses except sight. Students identify six different internal parts within a cross section of tree trunk (bark, phloem, xylem, cambium,...
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Cloud Types
Students examine cloud types. For this cloud lesson, students identify cloud types, observe clouds and collect data, and analyze data to identify the most common cloud they observe overhead during the course of a month.
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Miller-Urey Experiment Amino Acids & The Origins of Life on Earth
Students study the Miller-Urey Experiment including its history and criticism. For this origins of life lesson students repeat this experiment to see how it works.
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Formation of Rain
Students sequence the steps leading to the formation of rain, and design a model to represent these steps. This task assesses students' abilities to classify, generalize, infer, interpret and communicate data, and construct a pictorial...
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Classification of Clouds
Students view progressive slides of cloud formations and identify which type of cloud is shown as it forms. They estimate the cloud's height while viewing each image.
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South Dakota Quarter Reverse: Four Famous Faces
Students recognize the faces of the four presidents on the South Dakota quarter reverse. After discussing the duties and responsibilities of presidents, they list the contributions of the four presidents. They decide which presidents are...
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Effects of the Sun on Our Planet
Pupils examine the effect of different types of light on the Earth. They discover the role of evaporation and the effects of the sun on the magnetosphere. They also observe different solar phenomena.
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Will It Rain Today or Tomorrow?
Students examine how to forecast weather. They examine the different types of weather and learn the correct vocabulary.
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Clouds as Art: Torn Paper Landscape
Students create a torn paper landscape and use it to study clouds. In this cloud study and art lesson, students make a background art image from torn paper. Students create a torn paper landscape and use cotton balls to illustrate...
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The Same but Different Part II
Third graders experiment with beakers of water and balloons to measure the volume of the gas in the balloon. They determine ways to change the volume of air in the balloon which changes its size but not its physical state. By heating the...
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San Francisco Bay Watershed
Students locate important landmarks on a map and explore the watersheds in California. In this watershed lesson students complete a worksheet and discuss what they learned.
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How Does Your Garden Grow?
Students create a design for a school garden. For this garden design lesson, students analyze what plants grow best in their school's climate and work in teams to design a garden. Students measure the existing space, determine the...
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Frozen Film
Students are introduced to the topic of light interference through this hands-on activity. They observe how light reflects off two surfaces and then meets to form an interesting variation of color on a film surface.
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Build a Psychrometer
Young scholars understand that a psychrometer is a weather instrument used to detect humidity. In this psychrometer lesson, students build a psychrometer. Young scholars use their psychrometers to measure humidity activity.
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Clouds
Students recognize the three main types of clouds. In this clouds lesson, students create a cloud mobile to understand clouds.
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Measuring Humidity
Students measure humidity in the classroom. In this weather instructional activity, students use a psychrometer to measure the humidity in the classroom. Students complete a lab packet.