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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Machines: The Wede & Lever

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students describe how wedge and lever makes work easier. For this physics lesson, students analyze experimental data by creating a graph to see the trends. They calculate the work done and mechanical advantage of these simple machines.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Enslaved and Running

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students use runaway slave advertisements to discover how the language varies from the 18th to 21st century. Using primary source documents, they research the brutality of slavery and the desire of those in slavery to be free. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating a Thematic Map Using S'COOL Data

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students observe weather patterns, collect data, and make a weather predictions for various locations on a map.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Long Island Sound

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students use the Internet to research the history of Long Island Sound. In groups, they identify the sources of point and nonpoint pollution and how humans are impacting the area. After watching a video, they discuss the role of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Warm and Cold Air

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine what happens to air when it is heated or cooled. They conduct an experiment using bottles and balloons, record and discuss their observations, and write a hypothesis.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oxygen vs. Air Pressure

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students conduct an experiment to determine if water level is affected by a change in oxygen level or air pressure.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's Okay to Exhale: Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students will observe the differences between photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Then they observe the links due to climate changes and relate how climate change affects their lives.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hubble Space Telescope

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the universe through the eyes of the Hubble space telescope. They conduct research from looking at the universe that is simulated with a digital projector. The images are projected onto the wall in a simulation of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why is the Sky Blue?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore diffusion or scattering of light. In this physics lesson, students explain why the sky is blue and sunsets/sunrises are red.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biosphere

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine the basic biosphere and its components.  In this ecology lesson students complete several experiments including designing a system that is balanced to sustain life.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carbon Dioxide Heats It Up

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students design an investigation to test whether vegetation in an area helps regulate the ambient air temperature. They make comparisons between the investigation and global changes in climate. In groups, they present their findings to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemical and Physical Changes

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate different gas behaviors. In this chemistry lesson, 8th graders describe how changing volume and temperature affect gas particles motion. They collect data and make a generalization about these variables'...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lightning

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students study lightening and the history behind how it was used for electricity.  For this electricity lesson students complete several experiments on the invention of the lightning rod.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

CO Buildup City

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers conduct a controlled experiment. They collect data in an organized manner. Students analyze data to reach a conclusion and communicate findings. They explain how city size, temperature, and pollution is related to the air...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Get To the Core!

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners practice analyzing ice core samples to discover climate changes. Using the samples, they identify and graph the gas amounts. They use these numbers to determine their effect on global warming. In pairs, they complete a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bryant Creek Watershed Project - Making a Karst Dictionary

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Learners explore the definitions relevant to Karst topography. They develop a Bryant Watershed Dictionary of the special words and terms that are used to talk about the topography and hydrology of the area they live in.
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Website
Other

The Amazing World of Science With Mr. Green: Introduction to the Atmosphere

For Students 9th - 10th
This teacher website provides a comprehensive lesson unit on the structure of Earth's atmosphere and how it sustains and impacts life on Earth and its ecosystems. Includes labeled diagrams, student worksheets, a slideshow, flashcards,...
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Activity
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Virtual Ballooning to Explore the Atmosphere Activity

For Students 9th - 10th
In this computer-based virtual lab, students will learn about the layers of Earth's atmosphere by launching virtual balloons to collect temperature and pressure data at various altitudes. Given a limited number of balloon flights,...
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center: Forces of Change:meet Your Atmosphere

For Students 9th - 10th
This superb site has detailed information about the composition of the atmosphere, how it is always changing, how it protects life on earth, and the destructive impact human activity has on it. There is an atmosphere design lab, as well...
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Activity
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Lab 1: Think Globally: Act Locally

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lab experiment in a series of experiments that explores Earth Science Systems. This lab introduces students to the parts of the Earth system: the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and pedosphere. As the students learn about the...
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Handout
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: How High Does the Atmosphere Go?

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson shows the parts of the atmosphere and their size (thickness) relative to the size of the Earth. It includes background information, lesson outline, links to standards and assessments.
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Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Structure of Earth Materials

For Students 9th - 10th
A college course featuring mineral image galleries, labs, and instructor's notes on the topics of crystalline structure, crystal chemistry, and bonding in rock-forming minerals.
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Interactive
Physics Aviary

Physics Aviary: Deep Sea Diver Lab

For Students 9th - 10th
Examine the factors affecting the pressure under a fluid. Run this simulation on "Earth-Like" planets with the same atmospheric pressure but different accelerations due to gravity.
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Activity
University of Utah

University of Utah: Aspire: Atmosphere

For Students 9th - 10th
Read an informational text comparing the atmosphere of Earth and other planets and then answer six review questions. Check your answers when finished.