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How High Does the Atmosphere Go?
Students explain how relatively thin the atmosphere is, compared to the size of the planet, and determine the relative extent of the four major atmospheric layers.
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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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Geology with Peanut Butter and Jelly
Students will enjoy smashing the two tectonic sandwich plates together in faulting and compression fashions! They may even desire to capture their instructional destruction in a slideshow.
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The Physical Environment
Fourth graders use damp sand, a baking pan, and water to simulate erosion. For this erosion lesson plan, 4th graders participate in a simulation to show what moving water does to land.
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Water Cycle and Ecosystems
Students explore the water cycle. In this investigative lesson, students examine the water cycle process. They will record their observations and discuss marine and freshwater ecosystems.
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Effects Of Weathering
Third graders simulate weathering and erosion using sand and soil. They define weathering and the ways in which surfaces become weathered. Working as a class, 3rd graders complete various activities that demonstrate physical and...
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Volcano! Is That a Volcano on Your Plate?
Students investigate where volcanos come from. In this volcano lesson plan, students watch videos do Internet research and participate in experiments to discover the cause of volcanos.
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Air and Water in the Environment
Students demonstrate an awareness of air as a substance that surrounds us and takes up space, and whose movement we feel as wind. They predict and describe how local weather conditions affect living things, including themselves.
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Areology-The Study of Mars
Students examine core samples from Mars and discover what they can use it to tell the history of Mars. In this core sample lesson plan students create and analyze their own core samples then eat them at the end.
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How to Make a Rock
Second graders watch demonstrations and conduct experiments that show the three different types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
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Ecosystems Beneath the Surface
Sixth graders create a KWL chart about microorganisms. In this biology lesson, 6th graders create and label a diagram on a microbial mat. They investigate the processes involved in the carbon, oxygen and sulfur cycles.
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Investigation 6 - Soil Profile
Fourth graders study the components of soil. They observe the basic components of soil and relate the components to plant growth. They record color, texture, and kinds of materials on their profile log (light color, denser, grittier -...
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As the Sun Burns
High schoolers test commercial sunscreens or sunglasses for accuracy of their Sun Protection Factor. They devise a method for testing UV beads with a visual clues which they publish as research. They investigate occupations such as...
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Daily and Seasonal Cycles
First graders identify the sun as a source of heat and light. They identify features of houses that help keep use sheltered and comfortable throughout daily and seasonal cycles. Students are told that summer is the best season to...
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Fossil Inferences
Fourth graders use their knowledge about fossils to arrange fossil pictures in sequence from oldest to youngest. They explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments and discover...
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Changes Inside Planets
Students relate meteorites to the mantle and crust of asteroids. In this planetary lesson students complete experiments to model the separation of light.
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Getting to the Core of Climate Change
Students investigate climate changes by graphing and analyzing ice core data from Greenland and Antarctica. They create, explain and report the pattern of data on a graph of ice core data. In addition they find relationships between the...
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2.2: Sedimentary Rocks
Second graders discuss the geologic rock cycle and work with their group to simulate creating a sedimentary rock. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the sedimentary process and draw the steps of the rock cycle.
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What Goes Around Comes Around!
Learners create an ecosystem in a jar to show a model of the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle. Working in small groups, they research and present orally the information they find on this cycle.
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RIDE THE WILD LEAF
Students identify and interpret that leaves provide food for new trees and plants. Students cut out leaves and glue them on the appropriate
number on included worksheet. Students collect different types of leaves and make leaf rubbings....
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Forests of the Sea
Students read about and conduct experiments to learn about the vegetation under Monterey Bay. In this Monterey Bay lesson, students read about and look at brightly colored pictures of the different types of seaweed that grows in the bay....
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Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Fourth graders participate in an activity which introduces them to common types of precipitation. They examine "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" through a teacher read aloud and make a weather pamphlet.
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Protecting Our Planet
Students examine the impact of pollution. In this pollution instructional activity, students watch Protecting Our Planet, then participate in a simulation of the effect of pollution on a variety of organisms.
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Design an Island
Students explore islands. They create a two- or three-dimensional map of an island. They explain how the topography of an area influences the location of water sources, ecosystems, and human settlements. Lesson includes adaptations for...