Curated OER
Weathering Culminating Activity
For this science worksheet, students complete the graphic organizers that demonstrate an understanding of the mechanical weathering process.
Curated OER
Understanding Salinity
Students discuss why the ocean is salty. They discuss what salinity is. Students are told that is they want to know how much salt is in a body or water, they would use a special scientific tool. They complete an Estuarine Layers science...
Curated OER
Parl Ranger in Training
Students develop a research presentation about rock formations and natural erosion. Using traditional and online resources, students gather and organize information about rock formations. Students use their information to create a brief...
Curated OER
How Does Water Cause Weathering?
Fourth graders explore the weathering process of water on rocks. They observe how water and friction from other rocks cause them to weather. Students discuss examine and discuss various rocks found on the playground, beach, etc. They...
Curated OER
Cracked Marbles
Fourth graders determine how weathering, specifically ice, snow, and freezing water change the Earth's surface and rocks. After completing the investigations, they explain how heating and cooling expand and contract marbles until cracks...
Curated OER
Erosion in Different Soils [Erosion Races]
Fourth graders review how erosion can happen by wind, water, and gravity which they studied in previous instructional activity. They attempt to discover if all soils erode at the same rate. In small groups, 4th graders experiment with...
Curated OER
Physical Science Fun
Fifth graders explain how the land changes by developing some "land dances." Working in cooperative groups, each group develops a movement sequence that depicts the vocabulary word they are given. They teach dance to other classmates.
Curated OER
Cemetery Geology
Students examine the chemical and physical weathering process of different rocks in a cemetery based on dates on the stones. Students discover the susceptibility of different rock types to weathering.
Curated OER
Weathering and Erosion
Sixth graders discuss the differences between chemical and mechanical weathering. Using that information, they create a concept map showing the forces that cause these types of weathering. After participating in an activity, they...
Curated OER
Secrets in a Grain of Sand
Students working in small groups examine beach sand to discover signs of erosion, weathering, ocean currents and waves. They present their findings to the class.
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Rocks and Landforms
Eight hands-on lessons module where students learn about rocks and landforms. These inquiry-based investigations explore the different types of rocks, how they are formed, the different types of landforms, and the effects of glaciers on...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Processes of Sedimentation in Gravel Pits
In this field investigation, students will investigate processes of deposition that have contributed to the current Minnesota sediments and landscape. After learning about weathering and erosion and having a short introduction to...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating the Rate of Weathering on Various Rock Types.
In this Earth Science field investigation, students will make observations of the rock above and below the Minneopa State Park waterfalls. Students will then make observations of gravestones at Minneopa Cemetery. Through these...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Sedimentary Rock Deposition and Weathering
Middle schoolers will hike to the Mawikwe Bay Sea Caves along the frozen shoreline of Lake Superior in order to investigate the sedimentary rock deposition and weathering of the sandstone cliffs. Students will measure take measurements,...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Landscape Regions
A lab activity where students study the" relationships between landscape appearance, topography and underlying geology". In this particular activity students explore the landscape region of New York State to see the effects of...
Geographypods
Geographypods: Theme 2: Natural Environments
A rich collection of highly engaging learning modules on topics related to the natural environment. Covers four main areas - plate tectonics, forms and processes, weather and climate, and rainforest and desert. Within each of these,...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Hurricane Matthew Causes Weathering and Erosion
View videos and photos from the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew and see how the earth's landforms changed as a result of the heavy winds and rain. Weathering and erosion made a new landform and dramatically changed the coastline....
Other
Nasa: Iss Earth Kam
Students get a whole new perspective of the world through images obtained from the International Space Station. Students can even request images to be taken through ISS EarthKAM. Activities and educator guides are provided.
Vision Learning
Visionlearning: Earth Science: The Rock Cycle: Uniformitarianism and Recycling
Instructional module focusing on the rock cycle. Discussion includes the concept of uniformitarianism and how earth materials change from one form to another. The site also includes an interactive practice quiz and links relating to the...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Geology: Surface Processes
In this interactive tutorial, you will learn about the types of weathering and erosion that rocks and landforms undergo. This will lead to a discussion of soil and the types of soil. Lastly, you will learn about mass movements of soil,...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Dinosaur Breath
Through discussion and hands-on experimentation, students learn about the geological (ancient) carbon cycle. They investigate the role of dinosaurs in the carbon cycle and the eventual storage of carbon in the form of chalk. Students...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Engineering for the 3 Little Pigs
The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate the importance of rocks, soils and minerals in engineering and how using the right material for the right job is important. The students build three different sand castles and test them for...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Rock Jeopardy!
Students reinforce their understanding of rocks, the rock cycle, and geotechnical engineering by playing a trivia game. They work in groups to prepare Jeopardy-type trivia questions (answers) and compete against each other to demonstrate...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Engineering for the Earth
Young students are introduced to the complex systems of the Earth through numerous lessons on its natural resources, processes, weather, climate and landforms. Key earth science topics include rocks, soils and minerals, water and natural...