Curated OER
THE EARTH FROM ABOVE
Young scholars comprehend the geographic themes of location, movement, and human-environment interaction. They identify ways in which individuals depend upon each other within their community. Students identify examples of linkages and...
Curated OER
Build A Model of the Water Cycle
Students identify and describe the steps in the water cycle. They discover the sun as the source of the cycle. They work together to create their own water cycle model.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Students identify the three layers of the earth: core, mantle and crust. They demonstrate knowledge of the concepts of convergent and divergent motions of the earth and an understanding of plate tectonics.
Curated OER
Urban Changes
Students explore how landscapes undergo constant changes with urban development. They plan and build their own "city" by including features that have minimal resource demands to sustain the city itself.
Curated OER
What are Rocks and Minerals? How can they help us?
Sixth graders investigate the difference between rocks and minerals. They name the three kinds of rocks (sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic) and know the differences between them.
Curated OER
Water, Water Everywhere
Students explore water. In this water cycle lesson, students conduct a scientific investigation that requires build a terrarium models of the earth. Students record their observations of the changes regarding water in the terrarium.
Curated OER
Geological Forces and Topography
Pupils discuss and research the Earth's geological processes. In this geology instructional activity, students study maps of Utah and the United States to learn about geological features. Pupils then complete the research cards for each...
Curated OER
A Reef of Your Own
Students study the reproductive strategies of reef building corals. In this coral reef lesson students describe the behaviors of reef building corals and their nutritional strategies.
Curated OER
Earthquakes
Sixth graders explain that earthquakes are sudden motions along breaks in the crust called faults. They list the major geologic events including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and mountain building, which are the result of crustal plate...
Curated OER
Sundials: Observing and Using Shadows
Students build sundials and observe changes in shadows over the course of one or more days. They identify patterns in the shadows and discuss how shadows may be used to tell time.
Curated OER
Solar Power
Learners discover how engineers use solar energy to heat buildings. They investigate the thermal properties of different materials. They evaluate the usefulness of each material.
Curated OER
Miniature Water Cycles
Students construct a model of the water cycle in action using two-liter pop bottles to build a terrarium. Locate examples of evaporation and condensation in the water cycle (e.g., water evaporates when heated and clouds or dew forms when...
Curated OER
Heat Up the Floating Plates
Eighth graders research the connection between the convection currents within the mantle of the earth and the moving of Earth's plates. A connection to lessons at previous grade levels on the rock cycle and important background...
Curated OER
Rocks Up!
Students will design and build a structure to support a rock. Students will use their knowledge of movement of objects to determine the proper base to be built to support their rock. Students will explore their natural area for...
Curated OER
Topics in Environmental Science
Students discover topics in environmental science. In this science lesson plan, students build a model to simulate the greenhouse effect and analyze and interpret data, especially the results of introducing pollutants into nature.
Curated OER
Recreating the Greenhouse Effect
Students recreate the greenhouse effect. In this environmental science lesson plan, students gather materials and follow procedures to create the greenhouse effect on a small scale.
Curated OER
Hanging Around
Students explore weight by building a spring scale and observing how it responds to objects with different masses. Each team of students can make their own spring scale by following steps which are specifically outlined in the plan. As...
Curated OER
Windmill activity
Students explore how to build an efficient windmill design by taking into account how the lift and drag caused by the movement of wind can be used to make the blades of the turbine move. Through their readings, hypothesis and by trail...
Curated OER
Go Glacier Go!
Students create a model of a glacier and observe how it moves. In this landforms lesson, students learn what a glacier is, build a model glacier and observe how it moves in a manner that more closely resembles a liquid than a solid.
Curated OER
Working in Space
Students design and build one of three engineering problems dealing with living and working in space.
Curated OER
Our Water Resources
Learners build a model aquifer to study groundwater zones and water table formation. Students use the models to measure the movement of polluted groundwater.
Curated OER
Habitat Mural
Young scholars build a collage of an ecosystem. The goal is for them to understand interactions in a community, plant and animal adaptations, and how all life depends on plants. This activity is based on Wump World and students describe...
Curated OER
Introduction to Minerals
Students discuss rocks and other earth materials made up of minerals. They identify minerals by means of their more obvious physical properties such as hardness, luster, color, streak, cleavage and fracture. They arrange a given set of...
Curated OER
Help Maggie Rebuild Her Airplane!
In this airplane worksheet, students build airplanes out of paper and test their accuracy while flying them. Students build 6 planes and fill out test logs to go with them.