NASA
Is It Alive?
Determining whether or not something is living can be more difficult than it seems. Put your young scientists to work defining their own criteria to identify life, then work with three samples to see if they are alive or not.
NOAA
Where Have All the Glaciers Gone?
What happens when ice melts? Well ... water happens. When that melting ice is a glacier, the amount of water that results produces change throughout the world. Middle school science sleuths uncover the truth about global warming, the...
North American Montessori Center
Sun and Moon Autumnal Equinox Activities
Two hands-on activities celebrate the sun and moon autumnal equinox. First, scholars create a cairn using a shoebox, flashlight, and drawing tools to view the sun's progression. Second, learners take to the kitchen to bake mooncakes and...
Radford University
Trouble in the Orchard
It's no fun catching a fungus. Scholars first investigate how the seasons affect the angle of the sun and the lengths of shadows. They then apply right triangle trigonometry to determine the height of trees based on their shadows to...
Curated OER
To The Clock of Eras
Third graders investigate the events of geological time using a chart called a "Clock of Eras". In this geological events lesson plan, 3rd graders compare a standard clock to a geological clock. In addition, students consider periods...
Curated OER
Internet Quest: Weatherman Walt-Why the Sky is Blue
Students analyze atmosphere and light. In this earth science instructional activity, students are introduced to an investigation about why the sky is blue. Students complete a WebQuest to answer the question.
Curated OER
Branches of Science Lesson Plans
Teachers can use branches of science lesson plans to get students excited about science careers.
Curated OER
Sampling Rocks
Students investigate rocks. In this earth science lesson, students collect rocks from the schoolyard and describe each of the rocks. Students measure and weigh each rock and record the results. Students create a rock guide for the...
Curated OER
What Goes Around Comes Around
Students investigate how the ocean plays a part in the water cycle. In this earth science lesson, students locate a puddle outside and mark it with chalk. Students observe the changes in the water during the next two days.
Curated OER
Cyclones
Students explore Earth science by researching natural disasters in class. In this cyclone lesson plan, students discuss the creation of cyclones and what their potential destruction can be in the wrong environment. Students read assigned...
Curated OER
Too Cool for School-The Greenhouse Experiment
Students create a town model and analyze the type of greenhouse gases their town emits. In this earth science lesson, students build greenhouses to investigate how trapped heat causes temperature change. They relate this activity to...
Curated OER
The Effect of Acid Rain on Limestone
Pupils investigate the pH of rain water in this earth science lesson. They collect rain water from their area and explore the pH when lime stone is added, then they will use the data collected to conjecture as to the effect of acid rain...
Curated OER
What's A Water Column Profile?
Learners investigate water column data. In this earth science and seawater instructional activity, students determine how temperature, salinity, and density have an impact on sea water by viewing and analyzing data obtained from a number...
Curated OER
Sampling Rocks
Students explore Earth science by identifying types of rocks in their schoolyard. In this geology lesson, students collect a group of rocks from their playground and categorize them based on color, shape and size. Students read the book...
Curated OER
Ecology Integration Using IMovie
Amazing! Any 5th grader would be more than willing to participate in this project. Students are broken into groups, each group reads one book from a list of five. They use their book as the basis for choosing an animal and environment to...
Curated OER
Earth System Science
Students explore the Earth and its ability to support life. They discuss the geosphere and the water cycle and complete the Water Wonders activity. After completing the activity, they respond in their journals and reflect upon the...
Curated OER
The Rifting of Pangaea and the Gettysburg Battlefield
Eleventh graders analyze and interpret an animated model of Earth’s rifting processes. For this Earth Science lesson, 11th graders connect Earth’s rifting processes with the Earth’s surface in the Gettysburg battlefield. Students apply...
Curated OER
What is the Mantle Like?
In these earth science worksheets student complete this project to model activity in the mantle, one Earth's four layers. The project includes liquid and powder materials in addition to several measuring components. Students must then...
Curated OER
Investigating Different Rock Types
Students analyze a rock using their eyes and then a hand lens. For this science lesson, students determine and discuss how hard or how easy it was to find and classify the assigned rock. Students record their observations on an index...
Curated OER
Introduction to Earth Sun Relationships Incorporating P.E.
Third graders investigate space science by performing physical activities. In this solar system lesson, 3rd graders perform a relay activitiy with their class in which they race between different "planets". Students define space...
Curated OER
Our Space Station Earth
Middle schoolers discover ways to preserve the Earth's resources. In this natural resources lesson, students investigate how many gallons of water the average American uses per day and then total their estimated usage. Middle schoolers...
Curated OER
Global Warming Investigation Guide
Students expllore the issue of global warming. They investigate how temperature changes naturally over time and by location. In addition, they explore the different areas where human activities might be affecting
climate and write a...
Curated OER
How Does Flowing Water Shape a Planet's Surface?
Students investigate how flowing water influence landforms. In this earth science lesson, students observe water behavior as it flows from the stream table at various inclinations. They discuss whether water shaped Mars landforms or not.
Curated OER
Lighthouses and Lenses
Young scholars explain the importance of lighthouses. In this earth science lesson, students investigate the focal lengths of Fresnel lenses. They research about the different lighthouses in their area.