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The "Write Sport"
Fifth graders discuss the history of sports in Iowa. In this sports lesson plan, 5th graders write a friendly sports letter and a how to directional writing. They write five entries in their journal from the point of view of a piece of...
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Imperialism in Africa
Students study imperialism in Africa. In this Imperialism activity, students consider how democratic revolutions around the world led to imperialism in Africa.
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Transportation with Lewis and Clark
Young scholars listen to a PowerPoint presentation and complete a Venn diagram comparing the methods of transportation in the early 1800s with today's transportation. They experiment with the buoyancy of keelboats.
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A Tale of a Whale: And Why It Can Be Told
Students examine the characteristics of particular whales. In this whale characteristics instructional activity, students discover the methods scientists use to track whales and attempt to match the unique pattern of callosities...
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A Basin Filled With Time
Students use fossil leaves and a mathematical formula to study climate change. In this climate change and fossil lesson plan, students determine the differences in temperatures during two different times during the Cenozoic era using...
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More Than Meets the Eye
Students use the Archimedes method to demonstrate scientific principles behind observations.
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Water Pressure Experiments
Students perform experiments measuring water pressure. They record their observations after poking holes in plastic bottles filled with water with the lids on and then off. They discover the role gravity plays in the water flow.
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Conceptualizing an Experiment
Students work together to design an experiment. They discover the origin of a family artifact. They analyze the data and discuss the results. They determine if the experiment is the best way to find out this type of information.
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Rocks and Their Properties: Day 5
Students demonstrate their knowledge of rock formation processes in varied ways by sharing their cooperative research projects with the class. They generate well-framed questions in response to each presentation.
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Getting Fired Up
Students explore first-person accounts of volcanic eruptions throughout time and use second-hand information about volcanoes. They use both types of accounts to write news articles covering the events of a historic volcanic eruption as...
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Charles Darwin
Students research Charles Darwin and the process he used to develop his theory of evolution. They keep a journal about the skill of observation and make a newspaper of their learning.
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Prairie Restoration and Prairie Ecology
Young scholars collect data as they identify and classify native prairie plants and insects. They create their own population study using a variety of sampling techniques to determine the population density of various species. Students...
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Destructive Impact of Environment on Artifacts
Young scholars recognize that artifacts are destroyed over time. In this environmental factors on artifacts instructional activity, students experiment and observe through the microscope to find the environmental impact on...
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Wappo Indians of Napa County
Third graders describe the American Indian nation in their local region long ago and in the recent past in terms of national identities, religious beliefs, customs, and various folklore traditions. They synthesize their findings into a...
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Green Space in the City
Students examine city parks and their importance and affect they have on the health and well being of a community. An oral report with visual aids is prepared as a group to educate the class on the importance of green space in the city.
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Sharks: Scavenging Stomachs
Students examine the role played by sharks in the marine food chain. They conduct a scavenger hunt collecting items that have actually been removed from the stomachs of sharks, and create a display that includes the items and newspaper...
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Beautiful Butterfly Tiles
Third graders create a butterfly drawing that includes the elements of art and principles of design. They create artwork that can be made into ceramic tiles to be installed around the classroom doorways in our new addition.
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Water-Is There Going to be Enough?
Students research the availability, usage and demand for water in the local area historically and use projections of the availability, usage and demand for water up to the year 2050. They gather data and present the information in...
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Harriman and Plant Identification
Students observe and record botanical details from the plant specimens. They identify plants using sorting key and field guide and classify specimens for preservation and display purposes.
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Maple Syrup Production
Students make their own maple sugar and learn about how it is made on a grander scale. In this maple sugar instructional activity, students make their own maple sugar and learn about evaporation and what labor is put into making it.
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How Do You Know A Panther Was Here?
Students research the signs that panthers leave. In this panther track lesson, students conduct Internet research into the signs that panthers leave such as tracks, scat, scrapes, and scratches. They make a three-dimensional poster using...
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A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Students write from an animal's perspective. In this writing instructional activity students explore the landscape of San Francisco prior to the arrival of the explorers. Students research animals indigenous to the area.
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Discover a Pond Food Web
Students study the biodiversity of animal life in a pond. They investigate the interdependence between pond organisms by completing a pond dipping activity and completing a checklist.
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Medicine, Technology and Society
High schoolers compare and contrast traditional Chinese and contemporary Western approaches to medicine. They bring a rational and scientific approach to the evaluation of alternative medicines. They study acupuncture from a Chinese and...