US Geological Survey
Water Cycle Poster
How many parts make up the water cycle? How many things on Earth rely on water as a system? Learn more about the water cycle in an informative and colorful poster. Print and hang, or project the graphic in the classroom for optimal use.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Historical Climate Cycles
Scientists use ice core samples to obtain temperatures of the earth from 400,000 years ago! The third of five lessons instructs pupils to interpret historical climate data to see changes over time. In part I, participants interpret...
Curated OER
Water Cycle Reading and Writing
Here is a great way to get pupils to express a scientific concept in a fun way. After hearing the story of Walter the Water drop and learning facts about the water cycle, the class will write a creative expository piece describing what...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
The Solar Wind Tunnel
The winds of change are blowing in our very own solar system! But what makes some heavenly bodies more affected by solar winds than others? Pupils discover the concept of magnetic forces at work in space in this attractive interactive,...
Curated OER
"Space" Investigations
Sixth graders understand the patterns of change observable on Earth as a result of the movement of the different bodies in the solar system. They identify the physical characteristics of the different components of the solar system.
Curated OER
Creating and Analyzing Graphs of Tropospheric Ozone
Students create and analyze graphs using archived atmospheric data to compare the ozone levels of selected regions around the world.
Curated OER
Please Ex-Planet
Seventh graders create a model of an earth centered solar system and a model of the sun centered solar system. As a class, they discuss why the earlier astronomers believed their model and why it changed when evidence arose that this...
Curated OER
The Air Up There!
Students create a model of a column of air and discover one of the reasons why low and high pressure systems exist and why low pressure is often associated with bad weather.
Curated OER
Planetary Weather
Students are asked what do they recall about weather. They reasearch weather on the other planets of the solar system. Students work in groups and each group is assigned two planets. They create a display showing the weather on each...
Curated OER
Meteors
Students identify the different types of meteorite using an interactive website. In this earth science lesson, students simulate how meteors crash on a surface. They relate meteor size to crater size.
Curated OER
Writing About the Indian Monsoon (Calibrated Peer Review):
Students develop an understanding of the atmospheric processes underlying the Indian Monsoon. They explore the use data to make a scientific argument. They listen to lecture on atmospheric circulation processes.
Curated OER
Weather Forecasting: From Then to Now
Eighth graders review the history of weather forecasting. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders identify the different tools used in forecasting weather. They explain why it's important to know the weather.
Curated OER
Global Change- Earth as Home
Students create their own environment. In this environmental protection instructional activity, students pretend they are the owners of a tropical island. They create jobs for the citizens and develop the island as a model environment.
Curated OER
The Geography - Writing Connection
Students examine and describe the four physical systems of the Earth. Using two of the systems, they practice their writing skills and use vocabulary associated with the different types of landforms. They predict the types of shelters...
Curated OER
Flip Books!
These aren't exactly worksheets, but rather a selection of pdf files of different atmospheric or solar events. Print your chosen pdf file for each aspiring astronomer in your class, have them cut out the individual mini pages, arrange...
Curated OER
Ocean Streams
The instructions for demonstrating ocean turnover are provided in this resource. You could set this up for your earth science class as part of a lecture on convection currents or as an explanation of how ocean currents form. An animation...
Curated OER
Outcomes Science 4: Earth & Beyond
In this earth and beyond science worksheet, students read through an 18 page packet containing information and questions pertaining to global carbon cycles. There are website links available on the pages where additional information on...
Curated OER
How Do Atmospheres Affet Planetary Temperatures?
Students perform a literature search and use reputable research resources in order to find the surface temperature of different planets in our solar system. They speculate about the observed and unobserved factors. Then brainstorming is...
Curated OER
Meteor, Meteoroid, Meteorite: What's the Difference?
Young scholars explore the difference between a meteor, meteorite and meteoroid. In this space science lesson, students first read information about these space bodies. Young scholars make Comet Cookies and use them to model a meteor...
Curated OER
Understanding a Geological Map
Students identify different types of maps and observe a geological map. In this geology lesson students create a replica map of a geological area that includes a key.
Curated OER
Is There Water on Mars?
Students decide whether or not there is or has even been water on Mars. They analyze temperature and pressure data from the Pathfinder mission to Mars, and then they analyze images of Mars, interpreting the landforms they see and...
Curated OER
Rain and Rainbows
Learners explore the weather system by analyzing water properties. In this precipitation activity, students review weather related vocabulary terms and discuss how rainbows are created by light hitting droplets at the right time....
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...
PHET
Planet Designer: Kelvin Climb
It's time to get those creative juices flowing! This second lesson in a series of five continues allowing pupils to design their own planets. It the same format as the first, but, this time, allows learners to alter greenhouse gases to...