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How Full is Full?
Young scholars examine porosity and permeability and relate these concepts to groundwater flow. They use simple materials to conduct a porosity experiment and use the information to understand how environmental engineers decide on the...
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Terraqua Column
Sixth graders create a TerrAqua column. In this ecosystems lesson, 6th graders build a TerrAqua column to conduct investigations on how living things impact the ecosystem.
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The Greenhouse Effect
Seventh graders investigate the temperature change in open and closed containers. In this earth science instructional activity, 7th graders relate this lab activity to greenhouse effect. They create a line graph from data collected in...
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Water Cycle
Students investigate, develop inferences, and differentiate between different elements of the water cycle. They investigate the observable characteristics of evaporation and condensation over specific time periods
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Hold on Tight!
Students explore the close connection between plant roots and the soil in which they grow. They investigate the roots of plants, make models of plant roots using pipe cleaners, and examine photos and images to explore the connection...
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Quadrat Studies
Middle schoolers use quadrats to investigate plants, animals, soils and weather. They answer questions as they fill in each quadrat. They share their information with the class.
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Inroads On Erosion
Students investigate the concept of farming as found in Puerto Rico an focus on how to prevent erosion. They use a sand table to conduct an experiment to observe the process of erosion and how it is influences by natural factors like...
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Vermicomposting
Fourth graders explore insect life by viewing a soil presentation in class. In this composting instructional activity, 4th graders read assigned text about the process of composting soil and the necessity of soil in plant life. Students...
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Creeping
Young scholars observe, measure, and graph a model of slow down slope movement representing soil creep. This task assesses students' abilities to collect, record, and organize data, set up graph axes, plot data points, draw line graphs,...
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Infiltration
Students investigate how the amount of water that can infiltrate into the soil is influenced by precipitation factors and the nature of the soil. The precipitation factors are type of precipitation, amount, duration and intensity of...
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Recycling by Composting
Young scholars examine the idea of recycling by composting. Using the internet, they research the benefits of composting to the environment. In groups, they collect numbers on how much food and yard waste is produced in their...
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Experimenting with Peanuts
Learners investigate peanuts. In this science lesson, students explore the properties of the peanut and shell. Learners burn a peanut to observe the peanut oil. Students taste test different types of peanut butter.
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Deep Freeze
Students practice various sampling methods for retrieving data under water, ice, and soil. They use the sample material to make temperature measurements, chart contents, and draw their own conclusions as to what is happening in the...
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Chemistry And The Nitrogen Cycle
Students investigate the factors that compose the nitrogen cycle. The harmful effects of acid rain and ozone depletion are also discussed in the lesson. Students define the nutrient that is often limiting to plant growth through...
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Experimenting with Erosion
Students investigate the process of erosion and factors that influence the rate of soil loss. In this erosion activity students formulate a hypothesis and analyze the results of their experiment.
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Hold on Tight!
Students explore the relationship between plant roots and the soil in which they grow. They examine photos of uprooted trees and desert areas and
conduct experiments designed to highlight this mutual relationship between roots and soil....
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The Seed Store
Students investigate the seed cycle. In this plant biology lesson, students plant tomato seeds and observe the plant growth. Students complete an activity sheet.
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Collecting Compost
Students observe a composting box. For this soil lesson, students create a composting bin by using a bin, newspaper, worms, and food scraps. Students create a composting food web.
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Root, Root, Root for the Nutrients
Students observe the growth of a seed, predict what will happen when seeds are planted without soil, and conduct an experiment using a hydroponics system.
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Reflection and Absorption of Light
Students use a microcomputer connected to a light sensor and temperature probe to explore the reflection and absorption of radiation for different surfaces. Students follow instructions in this guided inquiry based lab and are then asked...
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Let's Start Growing
Students investigate how a tree grows from a seed. In this plant biology instructional activity, students use potting soil, tree seeds, and a paper cup to observe seeds growing into plants. Students record observations in their science...
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Lesson 3 - Water Above the Ground
Students define surface water, drainage basin or watershed. They investigate what affects runoff in a drainage basin. They complete lab sheets and worksheets.
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Sun Seeking Plants
Pupils investigate the story "The Tiny Seed" by Eric Carle. This story is used to introduce the children to the concept that seeds change and grow into plants when conditions in the environment including temperature, light, water and...
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Water: Naturally Cleaned
Students use stream trays covered in different types of rocks or soil to investigate infiltrates and runoff. In this water pollution instructional activity, students work in groups with stream trays that have different substrates. They...