NOAA
Where There's Smoke, There's ...
A remotely operated vehicle approaching a volcano was engulfed by molten sulfur where the plumes of fluids contained the highest concentrations of aluminum ever recorded. This isn't science fiction or an April fools joke, though it did...
Curated OER
Volcanoes: Sixth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Bring a set of pre-lab, lab, and post-lab lesson plans on volcanoes to your earth science unit. Sixth graders explore the three types of volcanoes found on Earth, plot the specific locations of these volcanoes on a map, and investigate...
Columbus City Schools
Constructive and Destructive Geologic Processes
Show the class the world as they've never seen it before—from way above! Learners try to unravel the mysteries presented by rich satellite imagery, learn to interpret topographic maps, and study erosion by constructing their very own...
Curated OER
2005 Submarine Ring of Fire Expedition: Unexplored
Students compare and contrast submarine volcanoes at convergent and divergent plate boundaries, infer kinds of living organisms that may be found around hydrothermal vents, and describe ways in which scientists may prepare to explore...
Curated OER
Pangaea Puzzle
Students explore plate tectonics and the formations of the Earth's surface and why maps are distorted. In this Earth's surface lesson students complete a lab and answer questions.
Curated OER
Studying Earthquakes in the Classroom
Students simulate p waves (longitudinal) & s waves (transverse) using a slinky and rope, simulate one of the three types of lithospheric boundaries, and investigate plate tectonics at some select Web sites.
Curated OER
A Model of the Sea-floor
Students create a paper model to illustrate sea-floor spreading.
Curated OER
Tic-Tac-Toe for Layers of the Earth
Eighth graders identify the different layers of the earth. In this earth science instructional activity, 8th graders choose a project to do from a given list according to their learning style. They present their finished project in class.
Curated OER
Rock My World
Students conduct a hands-on experiment designed to demonstrate how continents and oceans formed and why the manner of formation is relevant to a study of volcanoes.
Curated OER
Incorporating 3D Visualizations into Your Classroom
Middle schoolers make observations through 3-D visualizations. They explore scientific and geologic processes through the use of 3-D pictures.
Curated OER
Building for the Big One
Students build and test structures that can best withstand earthquakes. They create their structures from playdough, cornstarch, grape-nuts and popsicle sticks and place their structures on a "shake table."
Curated OER
Volcanoes: Fourth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Young geologists begin exploring volcanoes of different structures and states: active, extinct, or dormant. During the lab, they make three models and compare different types of volcanoes, including composite, cinder cone, and shield....
Curated OER
Google Earth Geology Field Trip
Students take a virtual field trip around California using Google Earth. For this geology field trip lesson, students explore landforms and a variety of rocks located in California. Students compare environments where rocks are formed....
Curated OER
Stressed Out!
Have your class engage in lessons on earthquakes. Learners explore the science behind earthquakes using interactive websites and video clips. Then, they review the layers and parts of the Earth before delving into the causes of...
Curated OER
Poetry in Motion
Sixth graders answer questions about "From a Railway Carriage." They discuss different poetical forms. They work together to write a poem about travel.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!
Students study the different types of volcanoes and how they erupt. For this volcano lesson students identify where volcanoes are most prevalent and options for predicting eruptions.
Curated OER
Earthquake Epicenter
Students use chart data to determine the location of the epicenter of an earthquake. This task assesses students' abilities to generalize and infer, organize data, interpret data, and apply mathematical concepts.
Ocean Explorer
Living with the Heat
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...
Curated OER
Use Culinary Concoctions to Illustrate Geological Events
Incorporating food into your science lesson helps learners to visualize and taste the complex concepts of Geology.
Ocean Explorer
The Volcano Factory
The tectonic processes that have resulted in the formation of the Marianas Arc, and the Marianas Trench are explored. Groups of pupils access websites that give them a wealth of information about these formations. Each group must prepare...
Curated OER
What's for Dinner?
View a video presentation comparing chemosynthesis to photosynthesis. Review the findings of the 2004 Ring of Fire Expedition that studied biological communities around the hydrothermal vents of the Mariana Arc. In collaborative groups,...
Curated OER
Give me Food!
Students study the food guide pyramid and use it to create their own eating program.In this health lesson students visit websites to calculate their BMR, activity level and weight then create a nutrition plan
Curated OER
The Making of a Coat
Young scholars read the story A New Coat For Anna and discuss their knowledge on how to make a coat. In this reading and coat making lesson plan, students discuss coat making and listen to a speaker that spins thread to make coats.