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Honing in on Hummingbirds
Young scholars explore ruby-throated hummingbirds. In this cross-curricular hummingbirds lesson, students listen to the book The Mystery of the Missing Hummingbirds and choose related topics to research with a partner. Young scholars...
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Hide In Plain Sight
Students view video clips and use the Internet to look for hidden animals. They then use the Internet to print out animal shapes and color them. They create environments on construction paper in which their animals can hide.
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Introduction to the Nature Journal
Young scholars create nature journals. In this introduction to the nature journal lesson, students discover the uses of nature journals and begin their own. Young scholars are challenged to use vivid, concise terms in their descriptive...
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An Introduction to Sensors
Students research the International System (SI) of units of measurements. They make measurements using the metric system. They study key concepts used in building and use of sensors, how sensors work and their role in measuring...
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Botanical Discoveries
Sixth graders examine the Lewis and Clark Expedition. For this plant discovery lesson, 6th graders put in chronological order the plant discoveries of Lewis and Clark. Students understand the characteristics of leaves and find the area...
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What Happened to Mya
Students research the symptoms and treatments of diabetes. In this diabetes lesson, students explore the topic and share their findings through a case study. Several extensive activities are also suggested.
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The Bio-fuel Project: Creating Bio-diesel
Students investigate bio-fuel. In this investigative lesson, students create bio-fuel from vegetable oil waste. Students will analyze, predict, collect and synthesize data from their experiments with bio-fuel.
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Shapes (Orienteering)
Students explore the tools of navigation. In this shapes lesson, students navigate using direction cues to create a shape. Students follow specific steps to create their shapes. Students use compasses to see the directions they are...
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How Old Is Mike?
Students examine the absolute dating of fossils, they use a list of names and ages to determine the difference between relative age and absolute age. They explore the relative age and absolute age of people and of fossils.
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Simple Machines - Levers
Fourth graders lift objects with the fulcrum and load in various positions and then experiment with how much force is exerted by the effort and load arms of the lever. They place 5 paper clips in the load and move the fulcrum to match...
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Termite Biology
Students explore the physical characteristics, distribution and habitat of termites. The lesson focuses on the termite as a social creature contrary to most other insects.
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Household Pests
Sixth graders discover the various habitat requirements for assorted household pests from ants to wasps. They conduct various activities including researching the life cycles moths, cockroaches, and mosquitoes
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Ecology: Effects of Land Use on Natural Streams
Eighth graders examine how humans affect various ecosystems. In this ecology instructional activity, 8th graders discuss different ways that contaminants enter the stream. They explain the consequences of eutrophication in lakes.
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Bird Populations
learners study bird migratory patterns and the methods that researchers use to study them. Students are introduced to the concepts of the study of bird movements.The skill of scientific questioning is used to find results.
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Frozen Water Before? I'm Sure You Have; But I Bed You've Never Frozen Salt Water! Water!!
Students examine what happens to salt water when it freezes. In groups, they measure density and salt concentrations in different samples of water and record its freezing time. They discuss the relationship between water density and...
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Making Friends With Franklin
Students will reflect upon the life of Benjamin Franklin in order to understand his place in history. Emphasis is placed upon the development and contributions he made to modern science inquiry. The learner uses readings to do various...
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Drawing Lesson Improves Communication Skills
Young scholars work in pairs to improve their communication skills through a drawing activity. They draw a figure on their papers and describe to each other what was drawn.
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Friction: Friend or Foe?
Using a hands-on approach, learners explore the effect of friction on objects. Learners use toy cars, shoes, wood, metal, and more to experiment with the causes and effects of friction. Afterwards, they conduct experiments in which they...
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Wildlife Conservation III
Discuss the importance of wildlife conservation. Learners talk about the animals and plants on the US Fish and Wildlife Services list of endangered and threatened species. Then, they engage in a detailed discussion of the reasons these...
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How Do Cells Reproduce?
Beginning biologists prepare a sugar solution for yeast cells to live in, and divide it into two different jars. Samples from each jar are viewed with a microscope, and then one jar is placed in a warm environment and the other a cold...
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Gravity Versus the Mighty Egg
Students design, revise and construct a method for protecting an egg from cracking when it is dropped from a height. They work in small groups to develop their protection method and then collect and analyze data as a class when each...
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Thermodynamics Problems for All of Us: Thermal Management
Pupils evaluate current literature on the Internet and in handouts about the energy considerations for the computer industry and calculate energy needs for real life problems. Working in groups, they present the problem they researched,...
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The Weather Classroom: Atmosphere
Students explore the planets and their atmospheres online. They write the story of "Goldilocks and the Nine Planets" to explain how each planet's atmosphere differs from Earth's. They design a viable life form.
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The Wildland/Urban Interface Dilemma
Students examine all sides of the issues surrounding wildland fire. Groups assume the roles of different people who must decide what to do about a fictitious wildfire. They have a discussion to analyze the issue. A good, real life...