Science
Cafeteria Waste Audit: Percent, Recycling and Diversion
Students analyze a sample school cafeteria waste audit, calculating percentages, recycling and diversion rates, and yearly totals, then propose a waste reduction plan.
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Science
Deep Time: Scaling Earth’s History and Reading Rock Layers
Students shrink 4.6 billion years onto a 46-meter rope to see how recent humans are, then use a sample rock column to order layers and a fault by relative age.
Science
Earth’s Biomes: Match the Climate to the Place
Students use a biome reference table to match climate clues, plants and animals to six major land biomes.
Science
Food Webs and the 10% Rule: Following the Energy
Students read about energy flow, learn the vocabulary of food chains, and use the 10% rule to calculate how much energy reaches each level of an energy pyramid.
Science
Population Growth Math: Doubling Time and Rates
Students use the rule of 70, percent growth and birth and death rates to calculate how fast populations grow, then interpret a sample growth table.
Science
Reading Weather Data: Pressure, Fronts and Forecasts
Students read about air pressure and fronts, then interpret sample weather station reports and an hourly record to identify a cold front passing a town.
Science
Renewable or Nonrenewable? Energy Sources and Your Power Bill
Students classify eight energy sources as renewable or nonrenewable, then calculate sample electricity bills and the savings from a more efficient light bulb.
Science
Runoff, Algae and Fish: Reading a Lake Data Set
Students analyze a made-up five-year lake data set to link nutrient runoff to algae growth, low oxygen and fewer fish, then propose a follow-up investigation and a solution.
Science
Soil Layers and Soil Texture: What’s Under Our Feet
Students learn the layers of a soil profile, match each layer to its description, and analyze sample soil texture data to decide which soil drains fastest and holds the most water.
Science
Stream Health Detective: Analyzing Water Quality Data
Students read about stream health indicators and analyze a sample five-site data table to rank sites, calculate averages and propose causes of poor water quality.
Science
The Greenhouse Effect: How Heat Is Trapped
Students read a short factual passage on the greenhouse effect, put the steps in order, match gases to their sources, and do a percent-increase and temperature-conversion calculation.