Curated OER
The Chemosynthetic Cafe
Students study photosynthesis and chemosynthesis. In this chemosynthetic lesson students explain the processes of these and define terms.
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Plate Tectonics
Students watch a video about plate tectonics. in this Earth Science lesson, students watch a video clip from Bill Nye about Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics. They make a slight crack in a hard boiled egg and manipulate the egg to...
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The Science of Tsunamis: Seeking Understanding in the Wake of Tragedy
Learners use Internet research, articles, discussion and models to explore the dynamics of a tsunami. They focus on the 2004 Asian Tsunami and create posters illustrating their understanding of this phenomenon.
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Where is Everyone Going?
Young scholars conduct an experiment. In this emergency response lesson, students watch videos about hurricanes and discuss the difference between natural disasters and man-made disasters. Young scholars perform a hurricane...
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Keeping Our Pets Safe In An Emergency
Students fill out worksheets that teach them how to prepare for emergency situations and how to enable animal safety in emergency situations. In this emergency lesson plan, students talk about different kinds of emergencies and how they...
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The Oceanographic Yo-Yo
Students examine how oceanographers use chemical and physical parameters of seawater to locate hydrothermal vents. In this ocean lesson plan students complete an activity and worksheets.
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Agents of Erosion
Fourth graders explore the agents of erosion. They observe rocks that are rough and unweathered and record observations. They investigate rocks rubbed with sandpaper and ones that are not and the effects that the sandpaper has on the...
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Extreme Weather!
Students create a web page explaining a specfic type of extreme weather and identify recent examples of the weather occurance. They form small groups to research the weather type and build an HTML word document to share with classmates...
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Rock Cycle
Third graders identify various types of landforms of the United States. They discuss earth movements that produce geologic structures and landforms and define cycle as it relates to rocks and soil. They demonstrate the processes forming...
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Extreme Weather!
Students develop an awareness of basic meteorology and related earth science topics. They reinforce geographical knowledge and build analytical and communications skills through class presentations. Students research exciting weather...
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Population and Population Density
Students read and interpret graphs. In this population instructional activity, students explore population and population density as they read several data graphs and respond to questions.
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Plate Tectonics & Land Forms
Fourth graders discuss the different interactions of plates and the ways mountains are created. In this plate tectonics lesson students complete an activity in groups.
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Our Ever Changing Earth
First graders study ways in which the earth changes due to erosion and weathering in this series of lessons.
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Geology Rocks
Middle schoolers discuss information relating to Illinois geology. They examine top mineral resources in Illinois to find detailed information about geodes and where they can be found. Students complete geode lab to explore external...
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Eyewitness Accounts
Students use eyewitness accounts to gather and evaluate information about the events of the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens. They play the following roles: reporter(s), eyewitnesses, and scientists who are investigating the...
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The Geology of a Snicker’s Bar: Tectonic Plates
Pupils explore the layers of the Earth using a Snicker's bar. In this science instructional activity, students identify the parts of the Snicker's bar and identify which layer of the Earth the parts of the candy bar would represent....
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The Rain Forest of Costa Rica
Fifth graders examine and discuss the topography, climate, natural resources and artwork of Costa Rica. They develop a diagram of the layers of the rain forest, and design a tourist brochure or advertisement promoting Costa Rica's...
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Slush Rush
Young scholars navigate software to help students understand the benefits of computer models. In this computer models lesson, young scholars use computer inquiry tools to record simulated events and how they affect objects such as...
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Geological Features: How Weathering & Erosion Help Create Landforms
Students explore how the Earth's surface changes resulting in geological features and landforms. They perform a read-a-loud on Thomas
Locker's Mountain Dance, complete a KWL chart, and create a
landform using plaster of paris.
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Building a Better Sentence
Sentence construction is both a science and an art. This bare bones lesson ties an analysis of earth's geology to sentence formation. Although referenced as a major part of the activity, there are no links to the technology or resources...
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The 50 States and its Holidays
Though the format of this ELL lesson plan is confusing (the standards listed are for plate tectonics, yet the objectives are for American geography and holidays), a teacher could glean some ideas from the main idea. Here, pupils complete...
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My Own Private Idaho; Using Social Studies to Explore Idaho
Students engage in several activities to explore Idaho and Social Studies themes. Using an variety of media, students become familiar with Idaho's geography and geology.
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Using a Concept Definition Map
Students define "natural disaster" by offering examples and charting them to discover what a concept definition map is. Then students create their own maps using the word "city".
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Hydrothermal Vent Challenge
Young scholars discover common features of hydrothermal vent fluids. They use this knowledge to locate possible undiscovered hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor.