Curated OER
Biogeography
Third graders listen to a teacher led lecture about species living in different parts of the world. They study how the species spread to different parts of the world and examine the concept of dispersal. As a class, 3rd graders...
It's About Time
The Changing Geography of Your Community
Lead your class in exploring their local communities as well as the general environment. As they determine continental distributions by investigating minerals, rocks, and fossils located in their local region, pupils construct a...
Curated OER
Pangaea Puzzle: Exploring the Tectonic Forces That Shape the Earth
Sixth graders follow in the footsteps of early scientists as they put the pieces of Pangaea back together and discovered the forces that create the variety of landforms and sea-floor features of our Earth.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
How We Can Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Students evaluate the school's recycling and waste management practices. After analyzing current methods, teams develop a new recycling plan, and create a slideshow presentation. They present their proposals to the principal for...
Curated OER
The Distance Between Us and Them: Sea Floor Spreading in the Atlantic Ocean
Students examine how geologists determine rates of sea floor spreading between two tectonic plates. They apply mathematical concepts such as the calculation and use of velocities and conversion from one set of units to another.
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
Investigation 4 - Dinosaurs Tracks
Fourth graders make inferences and interpretations from sets of dinosaur tracks. They describe Utah fossils and how they were formed. Partners trade their sketches of tracks and try to guess which dinosaur it belonged to.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Recycling the Seafloor
Young scholars classify earth's layers and plates using Ocean Seismicity data. In this plate tectonics lesson, students outline where the plate boundaries are on the world map. They then compare these predicted boundaries with USGS map...
Yale University
Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: The Great Continental Drift Mystery
A unit on plate tectonics designed for middle school students, this page must be read carefully to find the activities to be done in the class, but it provides a wealth of background for the teacher as well.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Expeditions to the Sea Floor: Plate Tectonics
Interactive site provides information on the Breakup of Pangea, plate boundaries, plate movements as well as a quiz.