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Inherited Traits
Young scholars work with a partner to complete an inventory of their traits and compare and discuss their unique qualities. In this biology instructional activity, students determine percentages for the frequency of observed traits of...
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Sink or Float?
Students predict and test different items to see if they sink or float. In this sink and float lesson plan, students predict whether an item is buoyant or not, and learn that size and weight do not matter when it comes to buoyancy.
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
Perpetual Flow Activity
Set up a demonstration of how gravity can drive the perpetual flow of water during your hydro power unit. Science learners work in teams to make observations and formulate questions about how it works. They compare the model to what they...
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What's a Capacitor?
Students explain concepts of charge storage, how a capacitor works and how DRAM uses capacitors to store memory. They construct a capacitor and use a multimeter with capacitance meter capability to measure the stored charge in the...
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When Are We Wasting Water
Students study water conservation. In this water conservation instructional activity, students participate in a water conservation experiment. Students discover how to conserve water while washing their hands.
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Runoff: Intro to Watersheds
Learners are taught that a watershed is, what types of basic land cover are impermeable and permeable to water. They trace the flow of water around their school and around their home. Students determine what watershed their school is a...
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Weather Whys- Cloud Watching Journal
Learners examine how natural processes change the earth by identifying their local water cycle. Individual students complete a cloud journal over a specific period of time. They observe clouds daily and take photographs of the clouds...
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Marketing the New Hybrids
High schoolers work together to develop a hypothesis on the natural and applied hybridization of certain species in an ecosystem. Using the internet, they research this topic and read any recent articles or studies. They must note the...
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Illinois' Habitats Happening
High schoolers use the scientific inquiry method to examine the ecosystems and biomes in Illinois. Using the characteristics of a local habitat, they identify the best conditions for an ecosystem to survive and how a slight change can...
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Communications
Students incorporate different disciplines into this lesson. In this science lesson, students investigate the use of communicating without words, and how it is different than communicating with words. They discuss the pros and cons of...
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Giraffe Riff Raff
Students study the effects of wildlife conservation and relocation. In this conservation lesson students view video on the preservation of the giraffe populations and discuss the impact that humans have had on them.
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Performing Well Under Pressure
Students study the physical properties of minerals and illustrate their functions. For this mineral lesson students construct models of some minerals.
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You Can Die Here
Students examine Death Valley including the amount of precipitation and winds that it gets. In this climate based lesson students explain the reasons for the amount of precipitation and windward patterns in Death Valley.
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Blast Off with Model Rockets
Students investigate science and math by building a rocket. In this geometry activity, students build a rocket using paper towel tubes while investigating questions about launching a rocket. They discuss balance and unique structure as...
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Creating a Simple Telegraph Machine
Students experiment and discuss circuits and how they work. In this science lesson, students construct a telegraph machine using cardboard, wires, battery, electric tape and masking tape. They investigate what happens as the circuits...
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Chain Reaction
Learners study animal behavior and how it changes to its environment. In this animal lesson students design and conduct experiments.
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Testing Your Water
Students perform several water quality tests on groundwater from their area. They use test strips to determine the pH, hardness, alkalinity, nitrates, iron and chloride levels.
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Animal Migratory patterns
Students use field research and traditional research to identify migrating species of birds as well as their migratory patterns. Students generate a list of questions regarding migration and a plan to research the questions. A field...
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Up, Up and Away with the Montgolfier Balloon
Young scholars construct hot air balloons. For this science lesson, students assemble their own balloon using tissue paper and glue. They time the duration of the flight, record data and calculate team averages.
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Pulsar Stars And Black Holes
Learners explore the discovery of pulsar stars, and the characteristics of pulsar stars. Theories and ideas behind black holes are discussed. The issues of women's historical role in science are also touched on.
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Chromosome Fusion
Students see how patterns can reveal events of the past, thereby merging elements of both experimental and historical science.
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The Planets Moon
Students explore the theories of the creation of the universe and examine the properties of celestial bodies. They analyze the relationship between the sun, Earth and other planets. They discover the infinite potential of the science of...
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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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Web It
Students study spider webs. For this lesson on spiders, students carefully examine spider webs and try to determine how a spider web works to trap the spider's prey without the spider sticking to his own web.