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Watershed Awareness
Pupils investigate the relationship between upstream influences in their watershed and the watershed's estuary. They apply the scientific process to test a hypothesis while examining the impact of upland activities on estuaries.
Science Matters
That’s An Otter Story
Young scientists discover how sea otters' habitats have changed due to human impact. Through conversation, video observation, and story reading, scholars identify how human interactions change a specific ecosystem in both positive and...
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Celery Stalkers
Students participate in a hands-on activity to see how plants take up water and dissolved pollutants.
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Environment: Just Around the Bend
Students decipher landforms on a map and corresponding satellite imagery. They consider the impact of pollution on agriculture and water. They draw diagrams demonstrating how pollution works its way into the food source.
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Oil Spill
Fourth graders watch a video about the types of products made from oil or oil used as energy to produce the product. In groups, they identify the positive and negative aspects of oil and participate in various activities. They use the...
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Civil Action
Learners will observe the legal procedures involved in class action lawsuits and gain knowledge of how they are sometimes used as a tool to deter polluters of the environment. Students will also read about the background the Love Canal...
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The Last Great Canal
Students read about a cholera outbreak in the 1840's. They read maps, predict how cholera moved throughout the country and participate in a lab activity that demonstrates how disease is spread. They compare cholera through time.
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Rain Forest Rally
Eighth graders study tropical and temperate rainforests. In this rainforest lesson students complete a lab activity using the Internet.
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Relating Number of Insect Species to Water Quality
Students are asked to respond to questions such as:" Have there been surveys of the area to inventory the species?" (For example, for a wetland area, do they know what amphibians live there and how abundant they are?) Are there any...
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Particulate Matter: The Lorax
Students investigate how dirty air is outside. They read and discuss the book, The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss. They investigate using jars and lids to compare the dirt left each day as they remove the lids. They observe the lids and discuss if...
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Science: Making Career Connections
Students explore careers in oceanography. They compare and contrast requirements for careers in the field, and determine what high school courses would help to prepare them. Finally, they create a computer-based project related to...
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Freshwater Habitats
Students take samples from local freshwater sources and examine them for macroinvertebrate life. They take samples from both shallow and deep freshwater environments, measure temperatures, and classify organisms found in their samples.
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My Hometown
Learners identify the basic requirements needed for survival and identify the resouces needed for survival that are found within their own community. They use craft materials to create a model of it and then. create a color key to...
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Freshwater Ecosystems Closing Lesson
Students create a commercial on how to care for fresh water. In this environmental science lesson, students write a script and use materials as props in the commercial. They present it in class and share comments and feedback.
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Groundwater: Cleaning Up
Students research the various aspects of groundwater contamination that threaten health and human safety. They create a model and display that informs other about the health and safety risks. Students illustrate ways in which these...
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Recycling
Fourth graders gain an awareness of recycling. In this science lesson plan, 4th graders become aware of how much garbage we can produce, identify landfills and their purposes, and explain how recycling saves energy and resources while...
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Ground Water: Construct a Model Aquifer
Students recognize that one source of drinking water is ground water located in aquifers. They create a model of an aquifer and summarize their experience in a report.
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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.
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Out of the Deep
Learners observe, describe, and record characteristics of ocean animals (mammals and fish) and sea shells. They conduct an experiment comparing and contrasting sugar water, salt water and fresh water and create a mural of coral reef...
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Outdoor Survivors
Fifth graders complete a survey to decide what are most popular plants among the class. They test the water quality in a nearby pond. Studnts test the quality of soil samples taken from their homes. Different plants are moistened with...
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Erosion
Fifth graders study what erosion is, what causes it, and ways to slow its progress. They complete an experiment that depicts soil moving down a slope as water is poured on it to show how moving water erodes land. Next, they observe...
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Earth Day
Students participate in activities to make them aware of Earth Day and its significance, and how they can make a difference in saving the environment.
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Living and Non-Living
Students discover the basic needs of life. In this science lesson plan, students explore how all living things need air, water, food and shelter
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Lesson Six
Students investigate the importance of ocean resources and what humans need to do to maintain a healthy ocean. For this oceans lesson students participate in an activity after viewing a PowerPoint presentation on the Earth's Waters.