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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Measurement of All Things: Atmospheric Detectives

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students identify the characteristics of aerosols. Using remote sensing, they participate in an experiment in which they determine how the sun's radiation and elements in the atmosphere interact with one another. They also research the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Australian Ecology and Bushfires

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders discuss the different types of ecosystem. For this earth science lesson, 8th graders explain the benefits and harm of fire. They research articles about bush fires or controlled burn instance and share it with the class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Nations

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Young scholars, in groups, research countries in East and Southeast Asia. The group designs an oral presentation and PowerPoint slideshow to showcase research on landforms, political and economic issues, global interaction and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War in Vietnam

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students view and discuss Powerpoint presentation on Vietnamese Conflict, read essay, Resuscitation of the Dead Earth, review vocabulary, and answer critical thinking questions as a class.
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Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

It's A Bird...It's A Plane...It's...CARBON!

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
An interesting lesson takes pupils on a trip through the carbon cycle. A reading passage allows scholars to take notes and make choices about what happens to the carbon on its journey. This third lesson in a series of 21 discusses...
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Lesson Plan
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PHET

Planet Designer: Retro Planet Red

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What does the atmosphere on Mars look like? This fourth instructional activity in the series of five is designed for high schoolers. Scholars apply previous knowledge to add atmosphere to Mars in an online simulation. This comprehensive...
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Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Micro-GEEBITT Climate Activity

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
A truly hands-on and inquiry based learning activity bridges all the lessons in the series together. Beginning with a discussion on average global temperatures, young meteorologists use real-world data to analyze climate trends in order...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Use an Anemometer," said the Meteorologist

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students participate in an hands-on construction of an instrument to measure wind speed.
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Lesson Plan
1
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PHET

Planet Designer: Kelvin Climb

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
It's time to get those creative juices flowing! This second lesson in a series of five continues allowing pupils to design their own planets. It the same format as the first, but, this time, allows learners to alter greenhouse gases to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dust in the Wind; Chemicals in the Water

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars explore mechanical and chemical weathering at stations. They articulate some mechanisms of chemical and mechanical weathering through exploration in a lab. Students stations describe how chemical weathering differs from...
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Lesson Plan
Michigan Sea Grant

Wetlands

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Wetlands may not sound particularly ornate, but they are as important as any habitat! With a hands-on activity, young scientists build a wetland model and observe its many functions in action. They discover the importance of wetlands to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Radiation Comparison Before and After 9-11

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Using the NASA website, class members try to determine if changes could be detected in cloud cover, temperature, and/or radiation measurements due to the lack of contrails that resulted from the halt in air traffic after the attacks of...
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Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Historical Climate Cycles

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Ice core samples give scientists access to climates of old—those from more than 800,000 years ago. Through an analysis of various temperature graphs from ice cores, tree rings, and weather stations, scholars compare historical climates...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Devastation of Indian Quake

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read an online article at CNNfyi.com to determine what happened in India after an earthquake. They determine the magnitude of this earthquake and address the issue of relief efforts from other countries.
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Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Weathering of Limestone

For Teachers 9th - 12th
We all know limestone weathers, but what affects the rate of weathering? Young scientists investigate the physical and chemical weathering of limestone (chalk) through experimentation. First, they conduct trials with different-size...
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Unit Plan
Intel

Beat the Heat

For Students 6th - 8th
Explore greenhouse effect and climate change through a 15-day unit. Scholars learn about these STEM concepts by researching, conducting surveys, experimenting, and collaborating with experts in the field. They frequently communicate...
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Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Determining Absolute Age

For Teachers 9th - 12th
How can radioactive decay help date old objects? Learners explore half-life and radioactive decay by conducting an experiment using pennies to represent atoms. Young scientists graph data from the experiment to identify radioactive decay...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Comparison Study of Water Vapor Data to Precipitation over North America

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students use NASA satellite data to compare water vapor over the United States.  In this data analysis lesson students use an Excel spreadsheet to map their data. 
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Cosmic Microwave Background

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Begin your next class with a BANG! Pupils discuss the formation of our universe and its expansion before proceeding with an activity designed to demonstrate what most likely occurred billions of years ago. They conclude with a discussion...
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Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Modeling the Big Bang Theory

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young astronomers learn about the Big Bang Theory and redshift through a hands-on activity in the last installment of a three-part series. Participants draw dots on balloons and then inflate them to model how galaxies moved farther apart...
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Lesson Plan
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Channel Islands Film

Once Upon a Time (Saxipak’a): Lesson Plan 4

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
How did the environment and natural resources found on the Channel islands influence the culture of the Chumash? Archaeology meets technology in an activity designed for middle schoolers. After viewing West of The West's documentary Once...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seasons and Cloud Cover, Are They Related?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students use NASA satellite data to see cloud cover over Africa.  In this seasons lesson students access data and import it into Excel. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather Analysis - Lab Activity

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders perform research in the subject of weather to answer several key questions to increase comprehension of concepts. Students use weather prediction as an application for the research.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ozone Hole Expert Groups

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Research topics associated with the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Researchers write five facts about their topic and one question for each of those facts. They present what they learned to the rest of the class. Six topics are...