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To Spread or Not to Spread
Students explore the difference between the three types of contrails. In this contrails lesson, students make observations of contrails and record them. Students identify the three types of contrails and complete an experiment activity.
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Weightlessness
Students use a coffee cup to demonstrate weightlessness. After a lecture/demo, students read an article on free-fall. They perform a simple experiment which helps them explain the concept of weightlessness.
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Dew Point
Fourth graders investigate saturation conditions and measure the dew point. They conduct an experiment, record data on a worksheet, and measure the dew point in the experiment.
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Sky 2: Shadows
Students explore space science by participating in a shadow experiment. In this sky observation lesson, students identify how the sun creates different sized shadows by moving across the horizon. Students utilize yard sticks, markers,...
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Tightrope Trials
Students research the concepts of center of mass and how to make different things balance. They make symmetrical cut-outs of different "creatures" and experiment with how they balance on a tightrope of string.
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Water and Ice
Students study the liquid and solid states of water. In this water states lesson plan, students complete three experiments to study water as it cycles from a liquid state to a solid state and back. Students finish with a Venn Diagram...
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What Do You Know!
Students experiment using a compass for navigation and consider how various instruments affect how we travel.
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The Land of Milk and Honey: Reasons for Migration
Fourth graders analyze migration patterns. In this colonial North Carolina lesson, 4th graders listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of immigrants from Switzerland who settled North Carolina. Students write...
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Four Forces of Flight
Pupils explore the four forces of flight. They investigate the four forces of flight: lift, drag, thrust and weight (gravity). They experiment with flight-testing various objects commonly found around the house and constructing paper...
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Understanding Bernoulli's Principle
Fifth graders explain why we fly. In this space science lesson, 5th graders discuss Bernoulli's prinicple and its relation to flight.
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Paper Gliders
Sixth graders study friction and drag. In this science lesson plan, 6th graders use different models of gliders and test to see which of the gliders fly the farthest. Students analyze their data and construct a graph.
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How's the Air Up There?
Students experiment with soda cans and water to discover why air pressure is greater closer to Earth's surface.
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How Things Fly
Students conduct a series of hands-on experiments that help them explain the role of lift in fixed-wing flight. They observe the flow of air and water around several surfaces and then consider the dynamics of airflow around an aircraft...
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Flight Home
Young scholars experiment to investigate the role in fixed-wing flight. They watch as air and water flow around surfaces to examine the dynamics of airflow around an aircraft wing.
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WHY DO SOME THINGS FLOAT WHILE OTHERS SINK
Students explore how density can cause things to sink or float by experimenting with a jar, oil and corn syrup.
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Newton's Third Law of Motion
Seventh graders are introduced to Newton's Third Law of Motion. In this physics lesson students examine the concept of thrust as one of the forces acting on aircraft.
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Weightlessness
Students predict the behavior of coffee in a cup while it is dropped during a demonstration. They relate their observations to the weightless conditions that astronauts experience in space and discuss the concept of free-fall.
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Out Of Sight Air; Weather
Fourth graders conduct an experiment to get them thinking about the invisibility of air, and to prove that air has weight.
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Slime!
Students participate in a science experiment in which they try and move gelatin cubes with and without a lubricant. They examine the concept of friction and resistance to motion.
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Liquid Crystal IR Detector
Students experiment with one method of detecting infrared radiation. They simulate the detection of infrared radiation using a liquid crystal sheet.
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Air Pressure
Fourth graders observe a demonstration experiment showing air pressure. They explain air pressure by completing the worksheet.
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The Effects on Flight Characteristics/Performance Due To Variations in Design of Sled Kites.
Learners expand upon previous lessons with sled kites by varying the dimensions or materials while building a news sled kite while working in a team. They fly their original kites and the new ones under similar conditions to determine...
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Perpetual Motion
Students discuss movement of air currents and then experiment to create visible models of air currents. Students connect the model to weather patterns.
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Making Sense of Things: The Human Body and Senses
Students conduct an experiment to evaluate the accuracy of their senses.