Students work with specified materials to create aqueduct components that can transport …
Students work with specified materials to create aqueduct components that can transport two liters of water across a short distance in their classroom. The design challenge is to create an aqueduct that can supply Aqueductis, a (hypothetical) Roman city, with clean water for private homes, public baths and fountains as well as crop irrigation.
In this activity, students monitor the change that takes place when water …
In this activity, students monitor the change that takes place when water vapor condenses from a gas to a liquid and see how a change in temperature affects this transformation. Materials needed to conduct the investigation include two thermometers, a clear glass container, ice cubes and tap water. The resource includes background information, teaching tips and questions to guide student discussion. This is chapter 10 of Meteorology: An Educator's Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9. The guide includes a discussion of learning science, the use of inquiry in the classroom, instructions for making simple weather instruments, and more than 20 weather investigations ranging from teacher-centered to guided and open inquiry investigations.
This experimental activity is designed to develop an understanding that air has …
This experimental activity is designed to develop an understanding that air has mass. Students conduct an investigation and observe the change in the position of a bar balancing a balloon inflated with air on one end and a uninflated balloon on the other end. Resources needed include a piece of wood, two rubber balloons, two large paper clips, ruler, nail, hammer and tape. The resource includes background information, teaching tips and questions to guide student discussion. This is chapter 7 of Meteorology: An Educator's Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9. The guide includes a discussion of learning science, the use of inquiry in the classroom, instructions for making simple weather instruments, and more than 20 weather investigations ranging from teacher-centered to guided and open inquiry investigations.
This video provides a good introduction to the field of attribution science. …
This video provides a good introduction to the field of attribution science. Beginning with an introduction to weather and climate, it describes how severe weather might be linked to climate change and the science behind attribution studies. It gives a good explanation behind how scientists use climate models to study whether severe weather events were influenced by climate change. It also discusses the question, "does climate change cause extreme weather?" and provides an introduction to the concepts of probability, causation, and correlation in regards to attribution science (how much climate change influenced an event verses normal variations in weather).
Students gain a basic understanding of the properties of media soil, sand, …
Students gain a basic understanding of the properties of media soil, sand, compost, gravel and how these materials affect the movement of water (infiltration/percolation) into and below the surface of the ground. They learn about permeability, porosity, particle size, surface area, capillary action, storage capacity and field capacity, and how the characteristics of the materials that compose the media layer ultimately affect the recharging of groundwater tables. They test each type of material, determining storage capacity, field capacity and infiltration rates, seeing the effect of media size on infiltration rate and storage. Then teams apply the testing results to the design their own material mixes that best meet the design requirements. To conclude, they talk about how engineers apply what students learned in the activity about the infiltration rates of different soil materials to the design of stormwater management systems.
Western Mining History presents a short history of how dogs provided companionship …
Western Mining History presents a short history of how dogs provided companionship and security for miners in the westen United States. The resources shows Historical|Photographs of arrastras. Western Mining History is an historical site that provides databases, information on mining, mining towns, gold and Photos and maps of the western United States. Consider becoming a member or making a donation to help further the work of the site.
This Western Mining History database uses Mineral Resources Data System to list …
This Western Mining History database uses Mineral Resources Data System to list known Colorado historical mines by county. Each county site has links to the known mines within its borders. Some are known and named, others are unnamed. Mines should be assumed to be on private property unless other research is conducted. Data provided for each mine site include: Name, State, County, Elevation, Primary Mineral Mined, Latitude and Longitude and a link to Google Maps. Photos are provided where available. Additional information for some Mines are satellite photos, and ownership, business and historical records. Mining History is an historical site that provides information on mining, mining towns, the gold and silver rush, and Photos and maps of the western United States. This is a great database for student historical research or data and statistics classes. Consider becoming a member or making a donation to help further the work of the site.
Based only on what we see when we watch stars in the …
Based only on what we see when we watch stars in the sky, it’s easy to believe that the stars revolve around a stationary Earth, a common misconception among children. Although many students have at least heard that the Earth spins, they may not have thought about how this affects how we see stars, planets and the Moon.
In this activity, students find evidence of the Earth’s spinning through observing the apparent movement of stars. They use outstretched arms to measure the distance between a star and an object at the horizon. Later, they return to the same spot, re-measure, and notice that the star is in a different position, and try to explain this movement. Finally, the instructor shares the accepted scientific explanation for the phenomenon.
This Western Mining History database uses Mineral Resources Data System to list …
This Western Mining History database uses Mineral Resources Data System to list known Colorado historical mines by county. Each county site has links to the known mines within its borders. Some are known and named, others are unnamed. Mines should be assumed to be on private property unless other research is conducted. Data provided for each mine site include: Name, State, County, Elevation, Primary Mineral Mined, Latitude and Longitude and a link to Google Maps. Photos are provided where available. Additional information for some Mines are satellite photos, and ownership, business and historical records. Mining History is an historical site that provides information on mining, mining towns, the gold and silver rush, and Photos and maps of the western United States. This is a great database for student historical research or data and statistics classes. Consider becoming a member or making a donation to help further the work of the site.
Douglas County Colorado presents a virtual museum showcasing the history of the …
Douglas County Colorado presents a virtual museum showcasing the history of the Douglas, County Colorado Region including Castle Rock, Aurora, and Highlands Ranch.
This jigsaw activity introduces students with Arctic weather data using a role-playing …
This jigsaw activity introduces students with Arctic weather data using a role-playing activity that has students read and interpret graphs while considering the optimal time to plan a research mission to the Arctic.
Learn about dinosaur teeth with Dr. Julia McHugh the curator of paleontology …
Learn about dinosaur teeth with Dr. Julia McHugh the curator of paleontology at The Museums of Western Colorado.. Why are some teeth flat and others pointed? Is there a difference between mastodon and mammoth teeth? Step into the Dinosaur Journey collections and learn about the many different teeth that live "behind the scenes".
This lab exercise utilizes a small (and relatively easy to make) wind …
This lab exercise utilizes a small (and relatively easy to make) wind tunnel with a fog tracer that helps students visualize the flow dynamics around obstacles. In this exercise the use of cylinders perpendicular to the flow allows for estimations of drag coefficients and visualization of different Reynolds number flow patterns. Wind tunnel instructions are included.
This activity has 3 maps with real stratigraphic data recorded adjacent to …
This activity has 3 maps with real stratigraphic data recorded adjacent to drill holes in the Illinois Basin. Students contour the structural data. They may also contour the associated thickness data or they can just look at the trends of the thickness data relative to the structures on their completed structure map.
This video, from ClimateCentral, features a team of scientists from the Northern …
This video, from ClimateCentral, features a team of scientists from the Northern Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling Project who study atmospheric air bubbles trapped in an ice core. This work highlights a period in Greenland's ice sheet which began about 130,000 years ago and lasted about 10,000 years; a period known as the Eemian. The air bubbles from the ancient atmosphere reveal what happened with climate change over that period of time.
Make a drinking straw rocket. Activity from Weekly STEM in a Bag. …
Make a drinking straw rocket. Activity from Weekly STEM in a Bag. Colorado Americorp agents in Araphahoe, Denver, Garfield, Larimer, and Weld Counties. Work supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service under Americorps grant number 18AFHCO0010008. Opinions or points of view expressed in this lesson are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of or a position that is endorsed by the Corporation or the Americorps program. This resource is also available in Spanish in the linked file.
In this resource, students learn about changes in water availability due to …
In this resource, students learn about changes in water availability due to drought in California from 2013 to 2017. This resource provides opportunities for students to interpret data and analyze imagery for observational evidence of drought conditions through maps, satellite images, and photographs.
This PBS Learning Media activity addresses drought basics, including its causes and …
This PBS Learning Media activity addresses drought basics, including its causes and impacts and ways to assess it, by using media from NOAA and NASA. It defines the types of drought, the impacts, monitoring, and responses to drought. Use this resource to stimulate thinking and questions on the complexity of drought and to identify some variables used in defining drought.
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