University of Connecticut
Building Your Own Biosphere
On September 26, 1991, four women and four men entered the scientific experiment, Biosphere 2; the doors were sealed for two years in order to study the interactions of a biosphere. In the activity, scholars explore biospheres by...
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Radiation Budget Lesson: Exploring Albedo
Students experiment with sunlight and temperature. They study the definition of albedo, or the percentage of incoming sunlight that is reflected, rather than absorbed.
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Theobroma - Food of the Gods
Students discuss the history of cacao and its use in the production of chocolate. They analyze actual cacao pods and record their observations. Finally they create a five minute contour drawing of the cacao pod and seeds.
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Flip Books!
These aren't exactly worksheets, but rather a selection of pdf files of different atmospheric or solar events. Print your chosen pdf file for each aspiring astronomer in your class, have them cut out the individual mini pages, arrange...
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Measuring Precipitation
A little engineering design is mixed into this instructional activity on precipitation measurement. Groups plan and construct a rain gauge, and use it to collect precipitation. As part of the PowerPoint presentation, learners view a...
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Stopping Deforestation in the Amazon: A Publicity Campaign
Students investigate the environment by designing a group project. In this ecology lesson, students identify the man made threats to the Amazon while reading environmentally conscience vocabulary terms. Students collaborate in groups...
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Hurricane Frequency and Intensity
Students examine hurricanes. In this web-based meteorology lesson, students study the relationship between ocean temperature and hurricane intensity. They differentiate between intensity and frequency of hurricanes.
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Tornadoes
Students examine the characteristics of a tornado. They practice using new vocabulary and participate in a question and answer session. They use the internet to gather more specific information.
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Let's Take a Rock Apart!
Students examine a crushed rock and sort the minerals they find in that rock by color and other properties.
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Mystery Minerals
Learners minerals and how they form. They investigate the classification of minerals according to physical properties. Students watch a video about mineral characteristics. In groups, learners participate in hands-on activities and...
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Voyage to Kure Viewing Guide
Learners complete a worksheet while viewing a video about the oceans. They locate the oceans on a map and identify positive and negative ways in which humans have impacted them. They discuss any questions at the end of the lesson.
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Motion Experiment
Students experiment with the laws of motion. In this motion lesson, students explore Newton's Laws of Motion. Students work in groups experimenting with different objects and observing different types of motion.
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Problem Based Learning Scenario
Students research about the function of MPA's. In this marine science lesson plan, students explore how humans influence changes near these areas. They explore different MPA's in the Great Lakes region.
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Three D Constellations
Learners address a major misconception in astronomy, the understanding of scale. The lesson is designed to introduce students to both celestial coordinates and to the first rung on the distance determination ladder, parallax.
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Adopt-An-Insect III
In this biology worksheet, students search through the links provided on insects to identify the order to which each insect belongs. Then they write the characteristics that distinguish insects from other arthropods. Students also select...
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The Nutrient Cycles
Students investigate the circle of sea life by creating nitrogen compound models. For this oceanography lesson, students discuss sea creatures and where their waste goes. Students identify nitrogen cycles in the ocean by viewing...
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Cookie Topography
Students construct a cross section diagram showing elevation changes on a "cookie island." Using a chocolate chip cookie for an island, they locate the highest point in centimeters on the cookie and create a scale in feet. After tracing...
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How Size Shapes Animals
Students investigate how size affects large and small animals differently. In this animal lesson plan, students determine how size affects different animals by constructing their own animal out of marshmallows. Once students create...
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Design a Reef!
Middle schoolers explore coral reef ecosystems. In this ecosystems science lesson plan, students research coral reef ecosystems to determine the major functions the participating organisms must perform. Middle schoolers construct a...
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The Affect of Water Temperature on Living Organisms
High schoolers examine the environmental impact of global warming. In this environmental science instructional activity, students design and conduct an experiment about the effect of temperature on paramecia. They write a lab report...
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Watch Out for Landslides
Students conduct an experiment. In this landslides instructional activity, students learn about landslides and discuss how they could minimize the risk of landslides. Students complete an experiment to see if changing the slope of the...
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Olympic Solar Energy
Students use cardboard and aluminum foil to construct a solar oven that concentrates enough sunlight to cook a hotdog. They review the history and use of solar energy in relation to the Olympics.
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The Hydrologic (Water) Cycle
Learners construct a model of the hydrologic cycle, and observe that water is an element of a cycle in the natural environment. They explain how the hydrologic cycle works and why it is important, and compare the hydrologic cycle to...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Tribal Origin Stories
The teacher reads and retells Californian tribal origin or creation stories that come from the traditions of a variety of California Indian tribes. Then, pupils get together in groups and retell the stories they just heard; just as the...