About this resource
- Appropriate grades
- 6–8
- Subjects
- science (environmental science, technology and innovation)
- Provider
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
Legal
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In this Science Update, students explore the benefits and disadvantages of bright nighttime lights in public areas. George Brainard, a neurologist at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, presents evidence that suggests the abundance of bright, night lighting may be a factor in the development of breast cancer in American women, who are five times more likely to develop cancer than women in non-industrialized countries. Science NetLinks provides a link to the audio file, a written transcript, and questions to engage students in discussion about melatonin, its relationship to light and darkness, and other consequences Americans might face because of the modern lifestyle. This lesson also contains links to discussions of the benefits of melatonin from the US Department of Health and Human Services and The International Dark-Sky Association.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Science (2005)
Grade 6
- Goal 1: The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
- Objective 1.01: Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.
- Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
- Explain observations.
- Make inferences and predictions.
- Develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.
- Objective 1.08: Use oral and written language to:
- Communicate findings.
- Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
- Objective 1.09: Use technologies and information systems to:
- Research.
- Gather and analyze data
- Visualize data.
- Disseminate findings to others.
- Objective 1.10: Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
- Scientific text.
- Articles.
- Events in the popular press.
- Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate an understanding of technological design.
- Objective 2.03: Evaluate technological designs for:
- Application of scientific principles.
- Risks and benefits.
- Constraints of design.
- Consistent testing protocols.
- Objective 2.04: Apply tenets of technological design to make informed consumer decisions
- Products.
- Processes.
- Systems.
- Objective 2.03: Evaluate technological designs for:
- Goal 7: The learner will conduct investigations and use technologies and information systems to build an understanding of population dynamics.
- Objective 7.01: Describe ways in which organisms interact with each other and with non-living parts of the environment:
- Coexistence/Cooperation/Competition.
- Symbiosis.
- Mutual dependence.
- Objective 7.02: Investigate factors that determine the growth and survival of organisms including:
- Light.
- Temperature range.
- Mineral availability.
- Soil/rock type.
- Water.
- Energy.
- Objective 7.03: Explain how changes in habitat may affect organisms.
- Objective 7.01: Describe ways in which organisms interact with each other and with non-living parts of the environment:
Grade 7
- Goal 1: The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
- Objective 1.01: Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.
- Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
- Explain observations.
- Make inferences and predictions.
- Develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.
- Objective 1.08: Use oral and written language to:
- Communicate findings.
- Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
- Objective 1.09: Use technologies and information systems to:
- Research.
- Gather and analyze data.
- Visualize data.
- Disseminate findings to others.
- Objective 1.10: Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
- Scientific text.
- Articles.
- Events in the popular press.
- Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate an understanding of technological design.
- Objective 2.04: Apply tenets of technological design to make informed consumer decisions about:
- Products.
- Processes.
- Systems.
- Objective 2.04: Apply tenets of technological design to make informed consumer decisions about:
Grade 8
- Goal 1: The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
- Objective 1.01: Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.
- Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
- explain observations.
- make inferences and predictions.
- develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.
- Objective 1.08: Use oral and written language to:
- Communicate findings.
- Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
- Describe strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, and/or data.
- Objective 1.09: Use technologies and information systems to:
- Research.
- Gather and analyze data.
- Visualize data.
- Disseminate findings to others.
- Objective 1.10: Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
- Scientific text.
- Articles.
- Events in the popular press.
- Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate an understanding of technological design.
- Objective 2.04: Apply tenets of technological design to make informed consumer decisions about:
- Products.
- Processes.
- Systems.
- Objective 2.04: Apply tenets of technological design to make informed consumer decisions about:
