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Activity
National Science Teachers Association

The Ethanol Project

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
In a mock senate hearing regarding the development of ethanol as a fuel source, each person in the class is assigned a role to play and must uphold the stance of their character. Once the senate hearing is complete, each person writes a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Edible GMOs?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The debate over genetically modified organisms is on! Young biologists imagine that they have been asked to choose which corn chips will be sold for a fundraiser, one made with GMOs or one without. This four-day lesson plan requires...
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Lesson Plan
Carnegie Mellon University

Debate

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Set your environmental studies class up to debate a current topic regarding your choice of six suggested statements about energy use in the United States. Teams read material that you have gathered and then form their arguments. The...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Radiation Reassessed

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Young scholars investigate the dangers of radiation by exploring recent nuclear tragedies.  In this scientific debate activity, students define the idea of radiation "half life" and determine if low doses of radiation are truly damaging...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Great Scientific Debate

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine scientific issues that affect the public by debating their classmates. They also write brief essays that show they have learned how to express their reasons for their pros and cons of a particular topic.
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Handout
Story Behind the Science

Story Behind the Science: Just How Big Is the Universe? [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains the history of the scientific debate and research on the topic of the size of the universe. The writer discusses the relevance of debate in the evolution of scientific theories.