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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Communications Lab

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students build and test a type of communication system called a parabolic-dish receiver. This type of system is exactly like radio telescopes, which are discussed in our song. They explain how signals are transmitted and captured with...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thinning and Transplanting

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify and observe one plant per section in their quad and to transplant the surplus seedlings to empty quads and interpret why this is important. They then discuss the purpose of thinning and transplanting. Finally, students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Reason for the Seasons; Science, Geography

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students think about what causes the seasons to change, reflect on what they know about seasons and how their lives affected by seasonal changes.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tune Up Your Ears!

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students discuss meaning of pitch, listen for different sounds in classroom, hallway, and outdoors, and listen to sounds played on piano and on computer to determine high or low pitch.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air Quality and Transportation

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders study about air pollution and the effects it has on our Earth. Students tally cars on a sheet that has been categorized as follows: One person in car, two persons in car, or three or more persons in car. Students go to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Curricular Correlations

For Teachers 1st
First graders listen to prerecorded sounds and put them into categories. They discus the sounds that would be heard outdoors, and indoors. They go outside for a few minutes and take a "hearing walk." Then they come inside and close their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Cricket and The Plant

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine determine the symbiotic relationship between plants and animals as the find ways to naturally reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They study the carbon cycle. They work with probe and graphing calculator to examine the...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Absorption of Radiant Energy by Different Colors

For Students 6th - 8th
In this science fair project, use an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of differently colored paper exposed to sunlight, and calculate energy emission using the Stefan-Boltzmann equation. Find discussion questions, a list...
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Activity
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: See the Light

For Students 3rd - 8th
Take a look at light with these three easy experiments
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Website
Optical Society

Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Exploring the Science of Light

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of information on the science of light and optics. Features a wide variety of resources: key events in history, reference materials, multimedia links, optical illusion activities, glossary of optics terms, and information on...
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Shaking Up Some Energy

For Students 3rd - 8th
Shake N' Light flashlights have been advertised on televisions across the nation in the recent year. But many do not understand just how they get energy to light up the bulb without using batteries. Do this experiment to make your own...
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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Investigating Light: A Form of Energy You Can See

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners will investigate how light is a form of energy that travels as waves away from the source. The basis for this lesson is taken from the Houghton Mifflin science curriculum. In the lesson experiments, students will predict if...
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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Characteristics of Light: Light Travels in a Straight Line

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this lab experience, the students will be asked questions about characteristics of light and sound and whether these energy sources travel in straight lines. The teacher briefly demonstrates light and sound travel. Students will...
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Website
Other

Is the Speed of Light Constant?

For Students 9th - 10th
Using a question and answer format, this page discusses the question: "Is the Speed of Light Constant?" Discusses some of the history and experiments performed with light and the conclusions drawn from those findings.
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Unit Plan
California Institute of Technology

Cool Cosmos: The Herschel Experiment

For Students 9th - 10th
This website provides a background on the discoverer of infared light--Sir Frederick William Herschel. A version of the experiment Herschel conducted in the 1800s is provided as well.
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Graphic
Hunkins Experiments

Hunkin's Experiments: Potato Maze

For Students 3rd - 9th
Hunkin's Experiments is a group of simple cartoon illustrations of scientific principles. Some would work well in the classroom, but others have little value beyond entertaining students. All of the projects are easy to do. This one is a...
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Interactive
Harvard University

Harvard Smithsonian: Everyday Classroom Tools

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
The focus of this series of lessons is to engage students in an exploration of the world around them. The emphasis is on inquiry as students learn about the earth, sun, light, shapes and more.
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Interactive
Museum of Science

The Atoms Family

For Students 3rd - 8th
Let this classic family of monsters guide you as you learn about energy. Interactive exercises, experiments, and demonstrations help to build knowledge and raise questions.
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Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic Instructor: Sun Sational Science

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Discover more about the sun when you visit this educational resource. The content of this site includes solar fun facts, experiments, and activities.
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Activity
PBS

Pbs Kids: Zoom Printables & Activities

For Students 3rd - 8th
Fantastic variety of printable activities that cover motion-related principles. Topics include the following: experiments (engineering, structures, forces and energy, fluids, sound and light, patterns, human body); arts & crafts;...
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Thirsty for Gold

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Student teams conduct an experiment that uses gold nanoparticles as sensors of chemical agents to determine which of four sports drinks has the most electrolytes. In this way, students are introduced to gold nanoparticles and their...
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Unit Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Put a Spark in It! Electricity

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Uncountable times every day "with the merest flick of a finger"each one of us calls on electricity to do our bidding. What would your life be like without electricity? Students begin learning about electricity with an introduction to the...
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Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Give and Take

For Students 9th - 10th
An activity for students to explore how dark-colored materials absorb and emit more energy vs. light-colored material.
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Bubbling Plants

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students learn a simple technique for quantifying the amount of photosynthesis that occurs in a given period of time, using a common water plant (Elodea). They can use this technique to compare the amounts of photosynthesis that occur...