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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inside Earth

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Pupils study the makeup of the earth, including the core, the mantle and the crust. They compare the temperatures and thicknesses of each layer. In pairs, they make a model of a cross-section of the earth out of modeling clay.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Explosive Ideas!

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the layers of the Earth and the dynamic changes that they cause on Earth's surface. Volcanoes and earthquakes become the focus of the lesson as the Oregon State quarter and its Crater Lake images are linked to the topic.
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Organizer
Curated OER

What Makes Up Earth's Surface?

For Students 4th - 6th
In this Earth's surface worksheet, students complete a graphic organizer by writing 1 main idea and 7 supporting details about what makes up the Earth's surface.
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Organizer
Curated OER

What is the Earth's Surface Like?

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this Earth's surface worksheet, students complete a graphic organizer by writing in 1 main idea and 4 supporting details describing the Earth's surface.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Earth Science: Layers of the Earth

For Students 5th - 7th
In this earth science worksheet, students match vocabulary words to their definition. Students identify words dealing with the layers of the earth. They match 13 words.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Are We Falling Apart? Exploding Volcanoes

For Teachers 5th - Higher Ed
Students explore how volcanoes are formed, list the parts and characteristics of volcanoes, state the differences in various types of lava, and analyze the volume of ejecta from a volcano.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding the Layers of the Earth

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the three layers of the Earth describing the composition, thickness, and temperature of each layer. Layers are compared and contrasted and data unearthed placed into graphic organizers.
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Interactive
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: On the Road With the Faultline Project

For Students 9th - 10th
This outstanding multimedia website follows the San Andreas fault system up the California coast from San Diego to just north of San Francisco on the coast.
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Website
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Petrology

For Students 9th - 10th
A review, including notes and labs, of a Petrology course provided b MIT. Petrology is the study of the history and chemical make up of rocks.
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Interactive
BBC

Bbc Future: Journey to the Centre of the Earth

For Students 4th - 7th
Explore deep underground and deep in the ocean to discover what lies beneath the surface. Don't stop until the final destination: the core of the Earth.
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Handout
Purdue University

Purdue University: 3 D Earth Structure Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Take a journey to the center of the Earth and learn about the structure, material properties, and conditions inside our planet.
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Handout
US Geological Survey

Usgs: The San Andreas Fault

For Students 9th - 10th
A great overall site that tells us about the San Andreas fault, where it is and what kind of movements have occurred. It then goes on to talk about earthquakes in general and their occurrences along fault lines.
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Interactive
University of Colorado

University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Plate Tectonics

For Students 9th - 10th
Windows only - Interact with the tectonic plates of the Earth and see how changing variables affects the plates.
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Unit Plan
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: Earth Origin, Composition, and Structure

For Students 9th - 10th
In this lesson, you will learn about how the Earth formed as well as the composition and structural layers of the Earth's interior.
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Unit Plan
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: Earthquakes and the Earth's Interior

For Students 9th - 10th
In this interactive tutorial you will learn about earthquakes and seismic waves. Learn about why and how these form and also discuss the hazards - direct and indirect - posed by earthquakes. You will then learn how our knowledge of...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: How Mountains Are Formed

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers investigate how mountains are formed. Concepts include the composition and structure of the Earth's tectonic plates and tectonic plate boundaries, with an emphasis on plate convergence as it relates to mountain...
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Handout
Oregon State University

Osu: Volcano World: Layers of the Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a website not only on the mantle but also about all the layers of the earth.
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Article
National Earth Science Teachers Association

Windows to the Universe: Volcano Formation

For Students 6th - 9th
Explanation of the factors that result in the formation of volcanoes, some basic but helpful animations and photographs.
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Handout
Nine Planets

The Eight Planets: Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
Excellent Eight Planets site that provides a vast amount of information about planet Earth. Very comprehensive and complete site.
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Interactive
University of Colorado

University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Plate Tectonics

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore how plates move on the surface of the earth. Change temperature, composition, and thickness of plates. Discover how to create new mountains, volcanoes, or oceans! Java is required.
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Handout
US Geological Survey

U.s. Geological Survey: Earthquake Center: Glossary

For Students 3rd - 8th
This resource provides definitions of important earthquake related terms.
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Soapy Stress

For Teachers 9th - 10th
To experience the three types of material stress related to rocks - tensional, compressional and shear - students break bars of soap using only their hands. They apply force created by the muscles in their own hands to put pressure on...
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eBook
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Flex Book Textbooks: Earth Science Concepts for Middle School

For Students 5th - 8th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] A complete, web-based, multi-media textbook covering a wide variety of Earth science concepts for middle grades.
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Article
Other

Bscs: Content Background Earth's Changing Surface

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
This is written to support and further your content learning about the dynamic nature of Earth's surface. The goal is for you to develop a conceptual understanding of landforms so that you will be able to more effectively teach...