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Unit Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Cells

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In this unit, students look at the components of cells and their functions and discover the controversy behind stem cell research. The first lesson focuses on the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. In the second lesson,...
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Unit Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Life Science

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This unit covers the processes of photosynthesis, extinction, biomimicry and bioremediation. In the first lesson on photosynthesis, students learn how engineers use the natural process of photosynthesis as an exemplary model of a complex...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Photosynthesis Life's Primary Energy Source

For Teachers 6th - 7th
This lesson covers the process of photosynthesis and the related plant cell functions of transpiration and cellular respiration. Students will learn how engineers can use the natural process of photosynthesis as an exemplary model of a...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Do Plants Eat?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Through a teacher-led discussion, students realize that the food energy plants obtain comes from sunlight via the plant process of photosynthesis. They learn what photosynthesis is, at an age-appropriate level of detail and vocabulary,...
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Primary
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Science Education Center: Photosynthesis: Blinded by the Light

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Delve into myths your students might hold about photosynthesis in this video. Help your students gain a better understanding of photosynthesis reactions and how plants use light energy for nutrition and growth.
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Handout
Other

Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory for Biological Science

For Students 9th - 10th
All about plants has information on plant parts--seeds, flowers, fruits, roots, and spores--and plant processes--seed dispersal, germination, pollination, and photosynthesis. You can also take a tour of this Los Angeles-based...
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Unit Plan
NBC

Nbc Learn: Chemistry of Green: Chlorophyll

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this video/lesson series you will learn the role of chlorophyll in photosynthesis, and the role of pigments in making plants green (or making them appear green). Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and...
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Science in Focus: Energy: Energy in Food

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
A video workshop examining how the Sun provides energy for all living things beginning with the process of photosynthesis. Presents current scientific thinking about energy transfer through the food chain as well as ways to deal with...
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Handout
Chem4kids

Chem4 Kids: Thermochemistry

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site provides a general overview of thermochemistry, the division of chemistry that deals with temperature in chemical reactions. Content explores what heat and cold really are, the heat and energy around you, and a bit about Lord...
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Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Courses: Civil Environmental: Ecology I: The Earth System

For Teachers 9th - 10th
College-level online course highlighting the fundamentals of ecology. Course topics include coevolution of the biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere; photosynthesis and respiration; and the carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles....
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Handout
Encyclopedia of Earth

Encyclopedia of Earth: Environmental Chemistry: Carbon Cycle

For Students 9th - 10th
Article explaining the importance of carbon as the basis for life, carbon dioxide's role in photosynthesis and respiration, carbon in the ocean and lithosphere, the impact of human activities on the carbon cycle, carbon that seems to be...
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Unit Plan
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Ready for an Energy Makeover?

For Students 9th - 10th
Sometimes these are changes that happen routinely in the natural world, and sometimes these are "makeovers" where human creations transform energy into a specific form that serves a specific need. Either way, we call these changes energy...
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Unit Plan
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Cell Processes: Photosynthesis

For Students 9th - 10th
Use this tutorial to get an overview of the process of photosynthesis.
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Lesson Plan
Other

Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Ctr.: Exploring Energy Transformations in Plants

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This set of lessons has students investigate how plants obtain energy from different sources to support their growth and development. Students conduct investigations, make predictions, and construct scientific explanations of the...
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Handout
Texas A&M University

Peer Curricula: Story Time: Melvin Calvin

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of Melvin Calvin, the chemist who figured out how photosynthesis works. The emphasis of this biography is on his early life, the development of his interest in science, and his education.
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Handout
Texas A&M University

Story Time: Discover Scientists' Biographies

For Students 9th - 10th
Read very accessible biographies of thirteen scientists in many fields including medicine, paleontology, genetics, chemistry, physiology, marine biology, microbiology, biochemistry, and natural selection. Emphasis is on the scientists'...
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Lesson Plan
Other

The Plant Cell: Teaching Tools in Plant Biology: Why Study Plants?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Plants are essential for all life and development. Teach your students about this incredible lifeforce with this teaching guide, lecture notes, and PowerPoint presentation. [PDF]
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Graphic
NASA

Nasa Earth Observatory: Global Maps: Chlorophyll

For Students 9th - 10th
Discover how chlorophyll is related to photosynthesis and watch a map evolve from July 2002 to October 2008 showing the varying levels of chlorophyll. Read about how important chlorophyll and photosynthesis are to our environment.
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Lesson Plan
Other

Nasa: The Case of the Prize Winning Plants [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th - 8th
This program uses a scenario with fictional detective characters to present plant growth to students. While the unit focuses on the basic needs and parts of plants, the topics of plant classification and adaptations, soil formation and...
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Photosynthesis Summary

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] What is photosynthesis? Students will review the process of photosynthesis, the light reaction, and the dark reaction (Calvin Cycle). Common misconceptions will be...
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Handout
NASA

Nasa: Earth Observatory: The Carbon Cycle

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the element carbon and its importance on the Earth's atmosphere and sustainability of life on the planet. Additionally, understand the role the carbon cycle plays in global climate change over time.
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Website
Other

Water on the Web

For Students 9th - 10th
Water on the Web (WOW) is an advanced site allowing students to actively participate in data analysis from real research sites. Lesson plans on a range of topics are provided. There is also a tutorial for using Excel to graph WOW data.
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Website
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Photosynthesis

For Students 9th - 10th
This video segment from Interactive NOVA: "Earth" looks at photosynthesis, the chemical process plants use to make their own food.
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Lesson Plan
Science & Plants for Schools

Science & Plants for Schools: Teaching Resources

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
A collection of teaching resources to help students explore plants! Resources investigate anatomy of plants, reproduction and life cycles, fruits, seeds, classification, photosynthesis, factors that affect plant growth, and respiration....