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Earthquakes
Students observe the melting of ice. In this phase change lesson, students observe ice as it melts. They discuss the process and create a Venn diagram comparing water and ice.
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Getting to Know Soil
Students make predictions and analyze soil. In this soil properties instructional activity, students make predictions about soil properties for various soil samples. Students examine the types of soils and record their observations....
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Dating Popcorn
Students simulate the dating process with popcorn. In this geology lesson, students discuss how geologist find the age of rocks by gauging the amount of decay of radioactive elements. They have 6 bags of popcorn and each group microwaves...
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My Friend, The Volcano
Young scholars describe the positive impacts of volcanic activity on marine ecosystems. In this volcano lesson students explore the process that causes volcanic activity along the Mariana and Kermadec Island Arcs.
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Comets
Students explore the nature and composition of a comet. They research comet facts, legends, and myths. They identify different types of comets and describe what happens to a comet as it travels closer to the Sun.
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The Water Cycle
Students describe the water cycle. Students identify the processess in the water cycle. They draw an illustration of the water cycel with arrows showing the path water takes through the cycle. Students label condesation, precipitation,...
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Rocks and Minerals: Sedimentary Rocks
Students explore the concept of rock formation. In this sedimentary rocks lesson, students observe and record their findings about sedimentary rocks. Students then create limestone, coal, and sandstone models and write reports...
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Sedimentary Rocks
Second graders receive an introduction to the rock cycle. They dicuss the geologic rock cycle. They create a simulation of a sedementary rock.
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Sculpt-a-Planet
Students study the moon and the planets. They create a painted, paper mache moon or planet sculpture.
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Metals, Nonmetals, Metalloids
Students recognize that metals, nonmetals, and metalloids have common attributes. They Identify physical and chemical properties. Students define ores and identify where ores can be found.
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It looks Like Champagne
Students interpret phase diagrams and explain the meaning of vocabulary words. In this ocean explorer lesson students describe two uses of super-critical carbon dioxide.
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Personal Written Response Activity
Students complete a final written project. In this personal response instructional activity, students respond in a creative way to one of the issues presented in the unit. Students may choose to create a series of postcards from a...
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My Time
Students create a timeline of their lives. In this timeline lesson, students discuss relative and absolute time. They use events in their lives to create categories on a timeline. They link this lesson to geologic timelines.
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Molecular Origami
Young scholars construct an origami models of different molecules. For this chemistry lesson, students explain what expansive soils are made up of. They discuss what happens when this expansive soil expands or shrinks.
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Reading Weather Maps
Fourth graders the symbols that are used on weather maps. They develop five day forecasts based on information they gather from weather maps in the newspaper and on the Internet.
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Geology Quiz Worksheet
For this geology quiz worksheet, students answer 10 fill-in-the-blank questions about geology. They answer questions about types of rocks, hardness, and mineral attributes. They check their work with the answers at the bottom of the page.
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Why is the Sky Blue?
Students explore diffusion or scattering of light. In this physics lesson, students explain why the sky is blue and sunsets/sunrises are red.
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Weather Predictions
Students record weather data and create a five day forecast. Students investigate the roles of meteorologists and identify symbols used on a weather map. After gathering weather data for a week, students will create a five day forecast...
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Rocks, Minerals, and Fossils
Fourth graders do 5 different lab stations to explore rocks, minerals, and fossils.
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Groundwater as Part of the Water Cycle
Ninth graders study the effects of soil and rocks on filtering groundwater. In this groundwater lesson students complete a lab activity that includes sources of contamination.
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Carving Mountains
Students explore geography by participating in an illustration activity. In this land-form lesson, students define vocabulary terms associated with glaciers and forests. Students utilize pens, cardboard and pottery clay to draw and...
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Fossil Adventure
Students work as a class to write a general definition of fossil based on their discussion and examine pictures of the different types of fossils. Once discussion is complete, they write and illustrate a book about a T Rex that has died...
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The Water Cycle
Students develop a better understanding of the need to conserve our renewable resources. In this water cycle lesson students take notes, complete a guide sheet and illustrate the water cycle.
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A Hydrothermal Adventure
Students analyze hydrothermal vents. In this hydrothermal vents lesson, students discover the effects of hydrothermal vents on tectonic plates. Students make model hydrothermal vents to understand how they form and operate.