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Determining the Altitude of Iridium Flares
Students examine what iridium flares are and when they occur. In this iridium flare lesson students complete an activity to see how far overhead Iridium satellites are.
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Exploring the Night Sky: Summer
Students explain how moon phases occur. They describe and explain at least two common misconceptions that people have about the moon. Students explain what a star is. They explain 3 ways that the night sky has been used throughout history.
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Astronomy and Me: Moons Over New Haven
Third graders study the features of different moons orbiting the planets. In this astronomy lesson, 3rd graders explore the different phases of the moon using an interactive online website. They compare and contrast the features of the...
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Let the Sun Shine!
Young scholars investigate how the sun can be used for energy. They read a handout, discuss the pros and cons of passive solar building design, develop flashcard questions, and identify jobs that can be helped by solar energy.
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Climate And the Greenhouse Effect
Students demonstrate the greenhouse effect. They recognize that relatively small changes to our environment can stimulate significant climate changes. They determine that the "scientific method" is a process of testing hypotheses and...
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Bats Do It-Why Can't I?
Middle schoolers explore echos and how they are utilised in navigation. In this sound lesson students calculate the amount of time between a sound and its echo.
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The Sun in Our Lives
Third graders identify the different parts of the sun. In this astronomy lesson plan, 3rd graders examine how the sun's energy drive life processes on Earth. They construct a model of a solar system using large rolls of toilet paper.
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Earth's Rotation
Fourth graders investigate the Earth's rotation. In this Earth's rotation lesson, 4th graders realize that the rotation of Earth causes the days and nights on Earth. Students break into groups and use a flashlight and a sphere to...
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Why Plants Are Green
Students discover the properties of chlorophyll in plants. In this plant biology lesson, students conduct an experiment to find where the chlorophyll in the plant is located. Students are split into small groups and study plant parts....
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Phases of the Moon
In this moon phases activity, students learn about the different phases that the moon goes through. They then use the information the learned to answer the 9 questions in the packet. The answers are on the last page.
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MAPPING THE TOPOGRAPHY OF UNKNOWN SURFACES
Students describe in words and graphic displays the elevation or depression profile of sections of Mars' Olympus Mons and/or Valles Marineris. They explain how orbiting spacecraft build up global maps one data slice at a time.
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Building a Terrarium System
Learners create their own terrariums. In this ecological model lesson, students create terrariums using soil, seeds, pebbles, and two liter bottles. Learners compare the elements of a terrarium to a food web.
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Characteristics of Energy
Fourth graders view a video and create a KWL to identify energy sources. In this energy sources lesson, 4th graders explore the meaning of energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, thermal energy, radiant energy, and electrical energy....
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Student Exploration: Mineral Identification
In this mineral identification activity, students read nine vocabulary words and answer 5 short answer and fill-in-the-blank questions regarding minerals. There are four additional pages of related activities.
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Electricity and Magnetism: Ben Franklin and His Influence
Fourth graders explore electricity by examining the life of Benjamin Franklin. In this biographical lesson, 4th graders listen to the teacher read facts of Benjamin Franklin's life and analyze his contributions to our current society. ...
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Crash Test Smarties
Students share hypotheses about the variables needed to produce a collision between two moving objects. They simulate the impact of a moving object on an object that creates a spray of debris, and simulate a NASA Deep Impact study.
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Topo Triangulation
Learners investigate how to read a topographical map and triangulate with just a map. They convert a compass measurement to a protractor measurement, reverse a bearing direction, and using a worksheet take a bearing of certain landmarks...
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How Are Clouds and Fog Formed?
Fifth graders investigate how clouds and fog are made of tiny droplets of water. They discuss how clouds and fog are formed, then conduct an experiment in which they observe what happens when an ice cube is placed on top of a bottle...
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Making a Simple Film Canister Kaleidoscope
Students use clear film containers with 1/4 inch holes drilled in the bottom to create kaleidoscopes. They use mirror board folded into a triangle shape and cake decorating sprinkles to create the kaleidoscope effect.
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Down, Dung and Dirty
Students observe the changes seen in succession and the biodiversity of a community through its species richness and evenness. They create a dung culture in a clear plastic cup from horse, goat or cow dung then observe the numbers of...
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Rocks and Soil
Learners explore the physical properties of rocks. They explore the three different types of rocks and are able to compare and contrast their different properties. Students simulate the creation of sedimentary rock, they also...
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Sound
Fifth graders explore and examine the basic properties of sound. In pairs, they speak through a balloon and listen to the sound vibrations, and listen to a ticking clock or watch through a variety of materials and identify the...
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Minerals and Rock Cycle Review
In this minerals and rocks worksheet, students answer questions about the chemistry of minerals, scratch tests, rocks and the rock cycle, and erosion and deposition.
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Minerals Prime
In this minerals worksheet, students answer fifteen multiple choice questions about mineral formation, volcano and mountain formation, mineral tests and properties of minerals.