Curated OER
The Living Earth-Glaciers
Students investigate glaciers. In this earth science lesson, 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
Celebrating Earth Day
Young scholars explore environmental safety by planting seeds outside their classroom. In this Earth Day instructional activity, students identify the different ways to recycle and conserve resources on Earth while facilitating recycling...
Curated OER
Mulch
Students conduct a series of experiments on mulching. In this earth science lesson, students discuss the benefits of mulching on soil. They explore how different types of mulch affect plant growth.
Curated OER
Earth Science
Students explore how water and waves erode the earth. In this erosion instructional activity students determine the processes of wave erosion and building.
Curated OER
Earthquake Activity
Learners design and build a vehicle using Lego. In this earth science activity, students analyze the factors they need to consider when building their vehicles. They present their finished project in class.
Curated OER
Earth Day Activity: I Should, I Should Not
In this Earth Day should/should not learning exercise, students complete sentences about earth day, billing in blanks with either "I should" or "I should not, then use a word bank to write 5 sentences about a picture of children picking...
Curated OER
Dinosaur Eggs Discovered! Unscrambling the Clues
Just a heads up: this lesson is based on a book, Dinosaur Eggs Discovered! Unscrambling the Clues. If you do not have or do not want to purchase the book, you may still find the other activities and worksheets useful in your earth...
Curated OER
Reason for the Seasons
Young scientists examine why we have seasons on Earth, and how the motion of the Earth around the Sun causes them. Groups of learners are given a variety of balls, a bamboo stick, a marker, and a flashlight, then use the objects to...
Curated OER
Living On Earth
Students discover the many different animals within various habitats and discover how each individual species interacts with its particular environment. Through charting different animals and their distinct habitat and matching animals...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Northward Ho!
Middle schoolers design a simple compass. They examine how the Earth's magnetic field has both horizontal and vertical components. They determine how a compass works and work with cardinal directions.
Curated OER
Earth Day
Students practice addition and estimation. They use tens models to solve the problems related to grocery bags and Earth Day. Afterwards, they complete an activity sheet and draw a large grocery bag decorated with Earth Day messages.
Curated OER
Origins: Earth Is Born
Students develop a timeline of all the major events involved in the formation of the Earth and the emergence of humans. In groups, they focus on a specific topic by watching a PBS program and taking notes. After the video, they list...
Curated OER
The Living Earth
Students discuss glaciers and write a definition for a glacier as a class. After discussion, they participate in an activity that demonstrates how glaciers can cause dramatic changes and create new landforms. Groups discuss their...
Curated OER
Earth's Rotation
Fourth graders investigate the Earth's rotation. In this Earth's rotation lesson, 4th graders realize that the rotation of Earth causes the days and nights on Earth. Students break into groups and use a flashlight and a sphere to...
Curated OER
Earth Day
Students participate in activities that familiarize them with what Earth Day is, why it is important, and why it is a celebration.
Curated OER
Sedimentation Lab Activity
Students predict how sediments in a water column will settle. In this earth science lesson, students examine the layers of sedimentation. Students are given sediments to place into a column of water and observe how they settle....
Curated OER
Scientists Use Web Site to Report Volcano Activity
Students react to statements about volcanoes, then read a news article about scientists monitoring eruptions at Augustine volcano in Alaska. In this earth science and current events lesson, the teacher introduces the lesson with a...
Space Awareness
History of the Universe
Your pupils may believe that you and their parents are the oldest things in the universe, but surprise! There are elements of the universe that are even older. Elementary scientists create a class timeline to demonstrate the...
Curated OER
Can You Hear a Tree Fall in Space?
How does sound travel in space? Fifth graders investigate this question with a science activity, in which they research the properties of sound. Schedule a lab visit for individual Internet research, or include the activity after you...
University of Colorado
Great Red Spot Pinwheel
The great red spot on Jupiter is 12,400 miles long and 7,500 miles wide. In this sixth part of a 22-part series, individuals model the rotation of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. To round out the activity, they discuss their findings as a...
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...
University of Colorado
Looking Inside Planets
All of the gas giant's atmospheres consist of hydrogen and helium, the same gases that make up all stars. The third in a series of 22, the activity challenges pupils to make scale models of the interiors of planets in order to...
Science & Plants for Schools
Photosynthesis - A Survival Guide
Young scientists learn what it takes for life on Earth to survive with this series of photosynthesis resources. Offering twelve different activities ranging from independent practice worksheets to in depth scientific...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Climate and Forest Ecosystem Services
Forests, through sequestration, capture excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and store it, aiding in climate change. The third installment in a four-part series on how climate impacts forests explores carbon sequestration....