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Am I Hot or Am I Cold?
Students practice using a thermometer to determine how the air around the earth gets heated and cooled by the sun. Students chart the daily inside and outside temperature for two weeks.
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Energy Audit
Students examine the level of energy usage on a local and national level. Using the internet, they discover ways to conserve energy every day and how over-consumption of energy negatively affects the environment. In groups, they...
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Water: The Liquid of Life
Sixth graders complete a lesson on the properties, types and amounts of water on Earth. In groups, they travel between stations to identify water resources in Illinois and pollution sources. They complete the lesson with a field trip...
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"pH and the Environment"
Eighth graders experiment and study about acids and bases by becoming involved in direct hands-on learning experiences and then relate those experiences to their own lives. They experience the Ohio River and what can be done to help...
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Observing Mars in the Night Sky
High schoolers compare and contrast the orbits of Earth and Mars, locate the planet Mars, and diagram its retrograde motion.
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Chefs of the Week
Students, as members of a team, are asked to prepare one meal to feed one person in a day. They analyze their meal and their daily menu for the nutritional content and explain this during an oral presentation.
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Solar Storms
Students investigate the cycles of solar activity. They plot the solar activity and use the graph to answer a number of questions and explain the relationship between the solar storms and sunspots and the impact on earth and space travel.
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The Urban Explosion
Students investigate the uncontrolled development of the world's major cities. They define key vocabulary terms, view and discuss video excerpts, and complete a project that involves drawing a "perfect city," developing a plan to...
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How Do Things Fall?
Students study forces by examining the force of gravitational attraction. They observe how objects fall and measure the force of gravitational attraction upon objects. Students discover that, since gravitational constants are different...
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Landscaping for Wildlife
Learners identify the essential elements needed for promoting wildlife habitat. They describe the terms used in habitat design and the shelter for wildlife. Students explore how to create a pond to support wildlife and how to create a...
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Seasoning the School Year
Learners observe the changes a class tree goes through as the seasons change and record observations in journals. They investigate changes in the weather, changes in the length of the day, and how that affects people. They create...
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Scale Drawings of Dinosaurs
Students, working in groups, make scale drawings of dinosaurs. The four groups then assemble their assigned parts into one composite drawing.
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Planets or Not, Here We Come!
Students, working in groups, research planets in terms of the size, temperature, number of moons, and potential for life. They use packets and worksheets as guides for their research. Students may role-play as aliens visiting their...
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The Water Cycle
Students access prior knowledge of the water cycle by completing a KWL. In this water cycle lesson plan, students follow the movement of water through the water cycle.
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Let's Make a Plan
Students investigate pollution reduction policies in place at their school. In this pollution reduction lesson, students interview people in their school to determine what pollution policies are in place. They create a plan to increase...
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Rube Goldberg
Young scholars study Rube Goldberg machines. In this architecture lesson plan, students build a Rube Goldberg machine.
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Biotic and Abiotic Interactions Within a Biome
Students work together to examine the characteristics of a biome. Using the Internet, they research the relationship between biotic and abiotic factors and living organisms. They develop a presentation along with a solution to a...
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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Students develop a recycling plan. In this environmental instructional activity, students develop a recycling plan for their school. Students write an outline of the plan to present to their class.
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Get into the Flow with an Interactive Volcano
Students research the structural elements of a volcano. They make a PowerPoint slide that contains five facts which will be added to a whole class slideshow. They add an interactive table of contents using action buttons.
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Life in a Cup
Third graders make and maintain a mini terrarium. They keep a daily journal of what happens in their terrarium and record daily observations and measurements.
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Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil: Topographic Mapping, Crustal Deformation, Rock Porosity, and Environmental Pollution
Students review an interpretation of geologic history and relate it to the formation of oil deposits. They explore and explain factors controlling the porosity and permeability of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Pupils also interpret...
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Measuring Temperature
Students conduct an experiment using the steps of the scientific method. In this scientific method instructional activity, students experiment with temperature and record their findings using the scientific method. Students complete a...
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Weather Walks
Students study weather by taking walks in various types weather conditions.
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Energy Divide
Fourth graders, after viewing a video on "The Future" Fossil Fuel grade, participate in an energy consumption simulation game in order to analyze how consumption, population, and choice of resource affect the availability of future...