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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Carbon Cycle

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine the carbon cycle, periodic table, and photosynthesis and respiration. They analyze the periodic table and how it is organized, then complete the "Elementary, Dear Watson" worksheet. Students then examine a carbon...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Erosion

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders study what erosion is, what causes it, and ways to slow its progress. They complete an experiment that depicts soil moving down a slope as water is poured on it to show how moving water erodes land. Next, they observe...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Erosion

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students discover the meaning of the word erosion and discuss effects of rocks and sticks upon the soil. They then work in small groups to construct a model of erosion to make observations and then write them in their science journals.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Pollution

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate how humans pollute the water supply with a number of different contaminates. While working in small groups they examine screening, sedimentation, filtration, and chemical treatments as methods of water treatment.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Potato Mountain": Reading/Understanding Topographic Maps

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate how to read topographic maps.  In this map reading lesson plan students complete a topographic map activity. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Microbes and Climate

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Learners examine how microbes play a role in the climate system.  In this climate lesson students complete an activity, create a PowerPoint presentation and present it to the class. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Agents of Erosion

For Teachers 4th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Pollution

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders observe and record what happens when household products are added to a tank of water to depict water pollution. They brainstorm ideas of how to clean the contaminate out of the water before watching demonstrations of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Nitrogen Cycle

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate the nitrogen cycle and examine the concepts of decomposition and nitrification. Students participate in a class discussion about the creation of waste and ammonia compounds, then using nitrogen cycle cut-outs...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars develop a recycling plan. In this environmental lesson, students develop a recycling plan for their school. Young scholars write an outline of the plan to present to their class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Our Watershed System

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study watersheds and examine how they are composed.  In this watershed system lesson students explain how water enters a watershed and the concept of stream order. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Model of the Rock Cycle

For Teachers 7th - 9th
For this rock cycle worksheet, students use different colored crayons to represent different types of rocks. They follow step by step procedures to model the rock cycle with the crayons. Students draw the rock cycle, show weathering,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gettysburg Rocks Recycle to Win

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders use a geologic cross section to study the rock cycle of the Gettysburg battlefield. In this rock cycle lesson, 8th graders connect the rock cycle and continental rifting.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aquifer Model

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students, after researching and brainstorming about aquifers and locating aquifer maps of Texas, participate in the building of a model of an aquifer complete with a pumping station. They also answer a variety of questions at the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Water Cycle--Using Inspiration Software

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders describe and label the water cycle, and list how water changes from one form to another; students use Inspiration Software to label a blank water cycle diagram.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Volcanic Activity in the U.S.

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students locate and map ten volcanoes in United States, create chart comparing volcanoes by last eruption, type of volcano, location, and interesting fact, and create Powerpoint slide show describing basic information about volcanoes and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Parts of an Ecosystem

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study the Great Salt lake and the ecosystem that encompasses it. They study the relationship between an individual of a species, a population of that species, a community that includes that population, and the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Take the Pulse of Your Classroom

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students discuss seismic waves. In this science lesson, students investigate the acceleration of the floor in the classroom similar to a seismograph. Students observe a three-component seismogram from an earthquake and determine what it...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water, Water Everywhere, Even Underground

For Teachers 5th - 8th
The "Engage" section of a wetlands lesson plan asks young ecologists to examine a wetlands poster. You can easily find one online and display it using a projector. Pupils immerse a piece of sandstone and a piece of granite in water to...
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Lesson Plan
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Science 4 Inquiry

Edible Plate Tectonics

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Many people think they can't observe plate tectonics, but thanks to GPS, we know that Australia moves at a rate of 2.7 inches per year, North America at 1 inches per year, and the Pacific plate at more than 3 inches per year! Scholars...
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Lesson Plan
Ocean Explorer

Living with the Heat

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young oceanographers study the Submarine Ring of Fire, which is a series of deep-water volcanic vents that come up from the ocean floor. Learners take a close look at the unique ecosystems that are associated with these areas, how these...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's Down There?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Investigate the coral reefs around Mokolai Island, Hawaii by researching and writing about improving the reef ecosystem.  Students map threats to the ecosystem and use the list of key words to assist in their descriptions
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moh's Hardness Test

For Teachers 4th
Young geologists utilize Moh's hardness scale to help them correctly sort and classify different types of rocks. This instructional activity has everything you need, including an excellent example of the Mohs' Hardness Test, to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Motion in the Ocean

For Teachers 9th - 12th
How does the formation of currents and waves in the ocean happen? High schoolers will learn about the primary causes for ocean currents and waves by calculating a wave's amplitude and nautical mile speed. Then they will complete a...