Curated OER
DAY AND NIGHT
Students use a lamp as the sun and his/her body as the earth. They rotate in different directions to explain how the earth moves around the sun. Using specific questions in their discussion, students discover the reasons for day and night.
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Modeling Day and Night
Students complete a science experiment to study the role of night and day on sleep patterns. In this sleep patterns lesson, students brainstorm about night and day and the causes for the rotations on Earth. Students work in groups to...
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Day and Night
Students discuss why day and night occur after visualizing a teacher-led demonstration.
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Understanding the Layers of the Earth
Fourth graders explore the three layers of the Earth describing the composition, thickness, and temperature of each layer. Layers are compared and contrasted and data unearthed placed into graphic organizers.
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Earth and Seasons
Sixth graders comprehend that the path Earth takes as it revolves around the sun is called its orbit. They also comprehend that the axis is an imaginary line that passes through Earth's center and its North and South Poles. Students...
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Day 4: Plate Tectonics II
Pupils explore the theory of plate tectonics. In this geology lesson plan, students conduct a simulation of the crust of the Earth floating on the mantle. Pupils research plate tectonics and share their findings with the class. Students...
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Sun too close? We'll just change Earth's orbit
Learners study an article and discuss what would happen if the Earth's orbit changed. For this Earth's orbit lesson students answer a list of questions and complete an activity.
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Day and Night
Students using experiments try to demonstrate how observations can be affected by the cycles of night and day.
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Earth's Journey Around the Sun
Sixth graders examine how the angle of the sun's rays is a factor in determining the seasons. They watch a teacher demonstration of the concepts and write a paragraph demonstrating their understanding.
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A Day In My Life
Students brainstorm how they can conserve energy in their daily lives. In this energy lesson plan, students discuss how they use energy and ways to conserve it.
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Magnetic Field Activities
Students explore the idea of magnetic field through investigations of magnetic fields as produced by various common magnetic materials and direct currents. They study the vector nature of fields, the ubiquity of field sources in the...
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Measuring the Earth (Eratoshenes' method)
Sixth graders engage in problem solving, communicating, reasoning, and connecting to represent and solve problems, using geometric models.
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Cloudy Days are for Reading and Writing
Students research weather proverbs and determine the scientific validity of 3 weather proverbs. They write an essay presenting their reasoning. They interview elderly people to graph the most frequently heard proverbs and theorize...
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Earth: Land Use Picture Project
Students explore how changes in human land use are impacting local environments. They also explore some of the social impacts of various land uses in their area. They identify and discuss some social impacts of the different land uses.
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28 Days - The Lunar Cycle time line
Third graders create a labeled lunar diagram time line illustrating the lunar cycle using Internet resources. An assigned date/month is given to each student, and an online Moon Phase calculator assists them with their drawings.
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Earth Science
Students analyze the mechanisms for generating ocean currents, temperature, and deep ocean circulation. They are able to assess the formation and breaking of waves and their effect on shorelines, particularly the North Carolina coast. ...
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The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change
Students analyze the impact of climate variability and change utilizing a broad span of topics over a wide range of grade levels. This three lesson unit is easily adapted for the various instructional levels listed.
PHET
AM Radio Ionosphere Station
Tune in! Young scientists use an AM radio at home to monitor solar output. The long-term project would be ideal in a flipped classroom or as an out-of-class project.
Peace Corps
Introducing Culture
Growing up within a culture leaves a lot of ideas and values unspoken. Take a closer look at the cultures in which your learners live with a discussion activity that addresses cultural identity and traits of those living within the...
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Lunar Learning
Students learn about the phases of the moon. In this moon phases lesson plan, students learn about what causes the moon to look different to us everyday and how the Earth and Sun's position determine what phase the moon is in.
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Cloudy vs. Clear
Students analyze line plots. In this weather instructional activity using real NASA data, students discuss how weather affects the way the Earth is heated by comparing different line plots.
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Primary Level: Earth Day
Learners research the environment prior to brainstorming a list of ways they can help stop Global Warming. Students then design posters to hang throughout the school and choose at least 1 action to implement in their household.
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Earth Day-Conservation Walk/Ride
Young scholars explore the relationship between conservation of our resources and the use of other modes of transportation (walking, biking and roller blading). They show respect for their environment by picking up garbage in the area. ...
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Me and My Shadow
Students apply the process of scientific inquiries or technological design to explore the explanations of the daily patterns of the Earth's rotation. They record different shadow lengths showing the apparent movement of the sun through...