Curated OER
Volcanoes: Fifth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Fifth graders explore volcanoes and the rocks they produce using the Internet. The lab portion of the lesson prompts young scientists to compare and describe igneous rocks. Next, they critique a pair or more of books on volcanoes in...
Curated OER
The Marvels of Mud
Young scientists roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty in this three-day earth science investigation. Following the scientific method, children monitor the growth of algae in pond water samples in order to determine the role that...
Teach Engineering
Life Cycles
Breathe some life into product design. Pupils learn about the stages of product creation, use, and disposal—sometimes called a cradle-to-grave assessment. They see how this cycle relates to the life cycle of organisms.
Urbana School District
Magnetism
The compass was first used in 206 B.C., but we didn't discover magnetic poles until 1263 A.D. Presentation begins with the history of magnetism before continuing on to magnetic fields, magnetic forces, electromagnets, currents,...
Energy for Keeps
The Energy Times
Extra! Extra! Read all about past and present energy use in a classroom-made historical newspaper. Useful as a cross-curricular assignment between science, history, and language arts, the project is sure to get young journalists...
Colorado State University
What Is a "Model"?
Model the transfer of energy during a typical 24-hour period. Young scholars use a game-like approach to learning the patterns of heat transfer through the day and night. Groups of four exchange different tokens as the energy transfers...
Curated OER
Reflections on Earth: Exploring Planet Earth from Space
Students examine satellite images of Earth and contrast images at different scales. In this exploring Earth from space lesson plan, students use satellite images to contrast images at different scales, calculate distances from the scale...
Curated OER
Colors of our Earth
Young scholars are introduces to soil profile classification. They remember that classification of soils is an important aspect of studying soils as it aids in predicting how soils react to weathering, transport nutrients or pollution. ...
Curated OER
Calculation the Cricumference of Earth using "Google Earth"
Eighth graders investigate properties of circles. In this eight grade mathematics lesson, 8th graders apply proportional reasoning to data gathered with “Google Earth” to calculate equatorial and polar circumference of the Earth.
Curated OER
The Living Earth-Glaciers
Students investigate glaciers. In this earth science instructional activity, students use sandy ice cubes to observe how glaciers change the land. Students list forces that cause changes in the Earth's surface.
Curated OER
Moving the Earth
Fifth graders simulate the three primary types of fault movement lateral fault, reverse fault, and normal fault by positioning their hands and applying pressure to them to observe the similar action taking place in the Earth's crust.
Curated OER
Tracking Satellites Using Latitude and Longitude
Students, viewing an Internet site, plot the path of several satellites using latitude and longitude over the course of an hour. They learn the four basic types of satellites and their purpose.
Curated OER
Science: Studies of Earth
Using a digital camera to document local landscapes as they are today, students will explore how changes in human land use are impacting local environments. Students will also explore some of the social impacts of various land uses in...
Curated OER
Measuring the Earth (Eratoshenes' method)
Sixth graders engage in problem solving, communicating, reasoning, and connecting to represent and solve problems, using geometric models.
Curated OER
The Earth and the Compass
Fifth graders construct a water compass to investigate the effects of Earth's magnetic field and other sources of magnetism. They predict, observe and draw conclusions from their investigation.
Curated OER
Pangaea Puzzle: Exploring the Tectonic Forces That Shape the Earth
Sixth graders follow in the footsteps of early scientists as they put the pieces of Pangaea back together and discovered the forces that create the variety of landforms and sea-floor features of our Earth.
Curated OER
Using Magnetotactic Bacteria to Study Natural Selection
Students observe bacteria that are able to orient themselves using the Earth's magnetic field.They comprehend the difference between anaerobic and aerobic organisms. Students can tell the difference of the shape of magnetic force field...
Curated OER
Earth Forces
Students use geological techniques such as plate tectonics, mountain building, earthquakes, and volcanoes, in order to explain the earth.
Curated OER
Earth's Age: The Dating Game
Students conduct a simulation to determine radioactive decay and half-life. Using pennies, dice or sugar cubes as isotopes placed in shoe boxes simulating rocks, they hold five trials representing 1000 years each to find the theoretical...
Curated OER
How Life on Earth Began
Seventh graders investigate the concept of evolution and how it was a mechanism for the foundation of life on Earth. They conduct research and attempt to make cognitive connections with the evidence to agree with the presupposition of...
Curated OER
Earth's Biomes
Tenth graders examine characteristics and animals of terrestrial biomes. In this Earth's biomes instructional activity, 10th graders view a PowerPoint, take noes, sort pictures, research biomes, and create a diorama of a biome for...
Curated OER
Earth's Ecology
Students investigate the three states of water. For this physical science lesson, students watch the video "Earth's Ecology" and observe water in its' three states. Students record observations.
Curated OER
How Do We Use Resources & Energy?
Students research the cost of energy waste. In this resources and energy lesson, students study statistics on the use of plastic bags and calculate the cost of making plastic bags. Students investigate how they can save natural resources...
Curated OER
Earth Structure and Materials
High schoolers explain what is meant by term nuclear radiation, describe in detail electromagnetic spectrum, differentiate between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, understand half-life of isotopes, differentiate between processes of...