Virginia Department of Education
Numbers in a Name
What's in a name? Pupils create a data set from the number of letters in the names of classmates. Each group then takes the data and creates a visual representation, such as a histogram, circle graph, stem-and-leaf plot, etc.
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GROWING PLANTS UNIT
Learners predict outcomes of scientific experiment,.conduct a scientific experiment with control groups, and plant seeds to observe, measure, and compare growth across groups. They gather, record, analyze, and share data with other...
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Archaeology
Students compare and contrast the role of scientists with that of archaeologists. They also describe the roles of observations and evidence in science.
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Archaeology
High schoolers examine how observations lead to investigations, and how archaeologists conduct their investigation.
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Scientific Inquiry
Middle schoolers make inferences about what activities occur at different places in school. They form a hypothesis as to how space is used. They simulate how archeaologists explore past people by designing and conducting a research project.
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Probability: Playing with Fire
Students use probability to determine how likely it is for each tree in a small forest to catch on fire.
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Probability Plus
Students participate in a variety of activities to understand statistics. They collect and interpret data. Also students distinguish the difference between a population and a sample. They make inferences and create arguments using data.
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Collaborative Book Club Groups
Students participate in book club forums where they write descriptive, evaluation, analysis, synthesis, or inference essays. They take on the role of a character in their bok and publish a web page.
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The Role of Lawyers
Twelfth graders compare and contrast the role of lawyers in Japan and the United States. After viewing movies and television shows, they make guesses about the justice system in the United States. They answer discussion questions and...
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Maverick
Learners apply probability to real life situation. In this statistics lesson plan, students play poker and make predictions on what hand they will get next. They apply their knowledge of how probability works to make their predictions.
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Wind Turbines
Students build their own wind turbine. In this physics instructional activity, students calculate the power output of their wind turbines. They evaluate their design and make the necessary modifications.
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Classroom Conservation
Fourth graders suggest ways paper and other natural resources can be used and recycled in the classroom. Students conduct a investigation into paper use and make distinctions among observations, conclusions (inferences), and predictions.
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Did You Feel That? Earthquake Data Chart
Students plot earthquakes on the world map using coordinates of longitude and latitude. They designate the earthquakes magnitude with a symbol which they include in the map key.
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Theoretically Speaking
Students define probability. They determine outcome from a given situation based on simple probability. Students create experimental data using a coin and a number cube. They write how theoretical and experimental probability are different.
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Creating The Virtual Model
Students engage in a lesson that is about the concept of earthquake design. The lesson includes the integration of technology and how it can be used to create buildings and structures for withstanding an earthquake. Students also define...
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Cloud Forecast
Students record weather observations and research online weather data. In this weather observations lesson, students study the cloud cover for several days and record their observations in a chart. Students identify the cloud types and...
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The Story of Harvey
Students explore the concept of responsibility. In this character education lesson, students read The Story of Harvey. Student discuss the levels of responsibility of each character in the story.
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Hazard Mitigation: Bioterrorism
Students discuss different ways to spread infectious diseases. In this bioterrorism lesson, students model the rate of smoke emission using CalRoad software. They analyze the effects of airborne release of biological...
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Circle of Gold Guided Reading
Students participate in a variety of Guided Reading activities including comprehension questions, discussion, prediction, characterization and inferring meaning while they read Circle of Gold by Candy Dawson Boyd.
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Photoelectric Devices
Fourth graders view a teacher-made PowerPoint presentation on how photoelectric devices work, and then they answer FCAT-like questions on the material presented. They answer questions about what they viewed in an assignment imbedded in...
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Our Daily Five
Students explore the food pyramid through a class discussion, hands-on experience with food items, and a floor game that helps them to identify the food group involved. Lesson extensions include the use of play money, art, and dance.
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Decomposing Artifacts
Seventh graders participate in an experiment in which they calculate the time of decomposition of different materials. In groups, they fill bags with different materials and cover them in soil. After six months, they create a line graph...
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Weather Instruments
Students research weather instruments. In this weather instructional activity, students use the Global Climate DVD and take notes on weather instruments. Students answer multiple choice questions on a worksheet.
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Clouds and Your Imagination
Learners study and illustrate clouds. In this cloud study lesson, students study clouds and then illustrate what they see. Learners use their imaginations to interpret images from the cloud picture they drew.