Standard+A+Science+Connections

Tasha Vogel Oscar and the Bird [|Oscar and the Bird] This book introduces students to core science concepts such as asking questions. Within this book, Oscar the kitten finds a tractor in a field and accidentally turns on the windshield wipers. He is, as a result, full of questions about electricity. This book shows students how when you do one event, you can come up with many questions relating to that topic. As a result, you begin to find ways to discover the answers to those questions. Grade Level: 1-3

Karrie Thomas [|Rain: Friend or Foe?]

In this lesson, students will use their knowledge of rainfall, vegetation, and the slope angles of hillsides to make decisions, predict outcomes, and analyze the effects of certain events or practices. This lesson will help students appreciate the complex relationships between various physical processes and the features they help create. Students will predict what will happen to an object during different amounts of rainfall. Students will use a water table to reenact what rainfall may do to a house, city, etc. Grade level: 6-8

[|�53�]
Title: Oil Spill; Dirty Birdies This lesson enables students to analyze the catastrophe about the current oil spill issue. Students are able to explore ideas about how catastrophies a variety of underlying problems. Grade Level: 3-5

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In this lesson, students participate in an activity in which they investigate the data in connection with recyclable materials and develop plans to help the environment. Students will explore recycling plastic containers and develop a recycling plan.===== Grade Level: 3-5

Kaitra Becker
[|Themed Book Lists]

[|Why? by Richard Torrey]
The first link is to a website called Reading Rockets which provides themed book lists that include fiction and nonfiction texts. There are general science themed lists as well as topic specific lists. One book from the lists that I particularly liked was Why? by Richard Torrey. The story is about a boy who constantly asks Why? Reading this story would be a great way to introduce students to asking their own Why? questions that could be further explored in classroom science lessons. Grades: K-2

Jill Opie
//Adventures with Bobby Bigfoot//

[|Environmental Footprint]
//Adventures with Bobby Bigfoot// is an interactive website for children that allows them to estimate the impact of their choices on the environment, i.e. their ecological footprint. There are also links to lesson plans related to environmental science and sustainability education ideas from organizations around the country. This site was created by Redefining Progress in collaboration with [|Earth Day Network]. Grades 3-8

Eric Neils
Antarctica: A Cold Desert Ecosystem [|NatGeo. Antarctica: A Cold Desert Ecosystem] Students will explore the different ecosystems that exist on and around Antarctica. The students will construct a map of Antarctica and label the different oceans, regions and ecosystems. This will lead to a discussion of the relationships between the creatures that exist there. Grade Level: 3-5

[|Water Cycle Wheel]
Students learn about the water cycle by watching an animated video. Students reinforce that knowledge by creating a water wheel to illustrate each phase of the water cycle. Students apply knowledge of the water cycle to real-life examples. Grade Level: 3-5

Courtney Hartmann
Measuring Shadows [|Measuring Shadows] This lesson determines the pattern (length and direction) of shadows cast by sunlight during a several month period and to develop an interpretation of the daily and seasonal patterns and variations observed. This lesson can be done over a period of time. The students can answer the question how do shadows cast by sunlight change during the day? Grade Level: 5-8

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In this lesson, students will construct a rough map of Antarctic ecosystems and explore relationships among the creatures that populate them. It could be adapted to focus on other regions of the world, such as the region that you live in. This lesson also ties into the geography strand of the social studies standards.=====

Grades: 3-5
Jen Salzman Energy Capturing Machines [|Earth Day Video Clips] This site leads you to a series of earth day episodes on the theme of energy in relation to plants and how we can use this for future events in the world. A huge amount of plant material is produced every year when plants die or are harvested. In this podcast you can find out how scientists are using all of this plant matter to make useful biofuel. Grades 5-8

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