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Factors Affecting Plant Growth
Students determine the physical and chemical factors that affect plant growth. In this biology lesson, students explain the role of hormones in plants. They investigate how competition with other plants affect their growth.
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LOOKING AT LAWNS
Students investigate the importance of plants to animals by exploring their own schoolyard. They record relevant observations, findings, and measurements, using written language, drawings, charts, and graphs. They describe ways in...
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Seed Growth
Students develop an independent procedure to investigate the germination of two types of seeds. Students must construct data tables or charts to record observations and results, graph the data, and analyze the data.
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Forests and Photosynthesis
Fourth graders explore the concept of photosynthesis. They investigate the effects of light on seedlings. Students grow plants and record the data. Students view satellite images that show the monthly amount of vegetation present in the...
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The Captain And Lake Wilmar
Tenth graders examine the ecosystem of Lake Wilmar through three coordinated performance tasks. They first investigate the effects of pH on freshwater animals by comparing the zooplankton counts from three different areas. They then...
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Biotechnology: An Agricultural Dilemma
Students investigate the types of genetically modified crop plants there are and the benefits and risks of such plants. The agricultural needs in developing nations for this biological knowledge to resolve societal issues is also...
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Building Materials
Fifth graders are presented with three rocks and a variety of tools and are asked to investigate the properties of the rocks to see which rock is best for building tables and benches for a museum picnic area.
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Toxicology and Living Systems
Learners investigate how toxic chemicals affect biological systems. They determine the toxic dose of a chemical that inhibits seed germination in a Brassica rapa. They investigate the effect of environmental tobacco smoke on human lung...
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Aerobic and Anaerobic Microbe Analysis in a Subarctic Setting
Students investigate the relationships between protozoa, algae and monera in freshwater, shoreline soil, and reindeer rumen. They publish reports of their findings.
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The Extraordinary Life of the Alaskan Tundra
Students investigate the characteristics of the tundra on the North Slope of Alaska. They conduct Internet research, develop a chart of the types of vegetation, plant growth, and fauna found on the tundra, identify examples in their own...
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Sustainability
Fifth graders investigate the concept of natural resources. They participate in a simulation project to see possible uses. They use the internet to study how Hacienda Verde is used as a model for others for sustainable coffee crops.
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Pollution
Third graders investigate pollution. They discuss pollution and its effects. They create a Venn diagram of pollution and people polluting. They create a landfill and predict what will occur over a week's time. They create two air...
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Goodbye Honey Buckets
Young scholars investigate arctic geology and hydrology as well as tundra ecology as they consider options for sewage treatment. Public safety, environmental impact, and issues of construction and engineering be explored.
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Be a Watershed - Create a Living River
Students investigate water ways by conducting an experiment with classmates. In this natural resources lesson, students define a watershed and identify where large ones are located within the United States. Students utilize cups,...
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King of the Mound
Students investigate water as an agent of change. They conduct an experiment involving a mound of soil, observe and record any changes that occur when ice melts on the mound of dirt, and create a drawing of the changes that take place...
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Agents of Erosion
Fourth graders explore the agents of erosion. They observe rocks that are rough and unweathered and record observations. They investigate rocks rubbed with sandpaper and ones that are not and the effects that the sandpaper has on the...
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Cypress/Tupelo Swamps
Young scholars study the geologic history of terrain, soils, and drainage patterns. They recognize ecological processes that determine the dynamic nature of habitats. They investigate the influence of human activity on the landscape.
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Whose Breakfast isn't for the Birds?
Students explore coffee production. In this cross-curriculum rainforest ecology lesson, students research regions where coffee comes from and investigate how the native birds in the rainforest are effected by coffee production. ...
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Weather and Oceans: Uneven Heating of the Earth
Students investigate what causes the heat on Earth. In this Earth heating instructional activity, students experiment with different heat sources and determine where the Earth gathers the most heat. Students explore vocabulary words...
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Soda Bottle Compost: Nutrient Cycling in Action
Students investigate, through their own experimentation, the important role wildlife play in nutrient cycling. Earthworms and compost are used in this experiment and different experimental setups be evaluated.
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Weather Tools
Learners explore Earth science by participating in a weather identification activity. In this scientific instrument lesson, students identify several weather related tools such as the weather vane, thermometer and rain gauge. Learners...
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Survival Under a Rock
Students investigate ways that animals adapt to their environments through hands-on activities using isopods and an interactive video.
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Landfills: Building Them Better
Students investigate the three methods of waste disposal. They listen to a teacher-led lecture, answer discussion questions, and write a letter to the E.P.A. from the viewpoint of an environmental engineer.
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It's a Small World After All! (Pond Microcosms)
Young scholars use microscopes to investigate the diversity of life that exists in pond water. They then conduct a controlled investigation to study the effect of a pollutant (rice) on a microcosm ecosystem.