Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Students simulate the three types of plate boundaries using robots. In this earth science instructional activity, students explain how earthquakes and volcanoes are formed. They collect real-world earthquake data and plot them on the map.
Science Matters
Up and Down Fault Blocks
The Sierra Mountains in Nevada and the Tetons in Wyoming originally formed as fault block mountains. In order to visualize these fault blocks, pupils use construction paper to create layers of earth. They cut the paper models and form...
Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi
Find the Most Spectacular Volcanoes in the World!
Heat things up in your earth science class with this collaborative lesson on volcanoes. After first being introduced to the different types of volcanoes and how they are formed, young geologists work in small groups to...
Curated OER
Heat Up the Floating Plates
Eighth graders research the connection between the convection currents within the mantle of the earth and the moving of Earth's plates. A connection to lessons at previous grade levels on the rock cycle and important background...
Curated OER
Convection Currents
Students explain and understand the circulation of air in the atmosphere. They identify that energy can be carried from one place to another by heat flow or by waves, including water, light and sound waves, or by moving objects. ...
Curated OER
Volcanic Violence
Students complete activities to study volcanic activities. In this volcanic activities lesson plan, students read an article about violent volcanoes. Students complete discuss questions and volcano projects for the lesson plan. students...
Curated OER
Explosive Ideas!
Students explore the layers of the Earth and the dynamic changes that they cause on Earth's surface. Volcanoes and earthquakes become the focus of the lesson as the Oregon State quarter and its Crater Lake images are linked to the topic.
Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi
Earthquakes
What causes earthquakes? What are the effects and impacts of earthquakes? How are earthquakes measured? If there was an earthquake on Mars, would it still be considered an earthquake? Class members will find the answers to these and...
Science Matters
Spaghetti Fault Model
Does increasing the pressure between two moving plates provide a stabilizing force or create more destruction? The hands-on lesson encourages exploration of strike-split fault models. The sixth lesson in a 20-part series asks...
Curated OER
Structure of the Earth
Eighth graders examine the forces that are constantly acting on the Earth. They describe the theory of tectonic plates and demonstrate the two kinds of earthquake waves. They also examine the role of volcanoes in the structure of the...
Curated OER
Dead Sea Investigation: Middle East and African Connections
Students demonstrate comprehension of the physical characteristics of the Dead Sea region and its connection to the Red Sea and the African Great Rift Valley. They are given students the opportunity to understand the role of plate...
Curated OER
Where in the World Is That Volcano?
Identify the Earth's major volcanoes with an earth science lesson. Elementary and middle schoolers locate major volcanoes on a world map. Then, in groups, they research how the volcano affects the region in which it is located.
Curated OER
The Changing Earth
Students explore the Earth's crust. In this earth science lesson plan, students participate in 2 activities that demonstrate physical and chemical weathering. Students also play Jeopardy with topics including volcanoes, earthquakes,...
Curated OER
Islands, Reefs, and a Hotspot
Students describe eight stages in the formation of islands in the Hawaiian archipelago. They examine the movement of tectonic plates in the Hawaiian archipelago region, and describe how plate movement produced the Hawaiian archipelago.
Curated OER
Tic-Tac-Toe for Layers of the Earth
Eighth graders identify the different layers of the earth. In this earth science 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
Life of An Island
Learners identify the steps in the life cycle of an island. They label islands in the correct stage of their life cycle and illustrate the process themselves. They also review the concept of plate tectonics.
Mr. E. Science
Volcanoes
What is the difference between a shield volcano and a cinder cone volcano? How does the flow of lava influence the type of rock that's formed? A presentation on different aspects of volcanoes answers these questions for middle...
Curated OER
Reduced Fare
High schoolers discover the relationship between tectonic plate boundaries and the communities of life that thrive at such boundaries. For this biology lesson, students find that methane from oxidized carbon in sediments provides...
Curated OER
Waves Lesson Plan
Students demonstrate an understanding of tsunamis and possible causes. In this investigative lesson students view a video and explore earthquakes and movement of tectonic plates.
Curated OER
Earthquake Science Project
Students simulate the Earth's plates moving like an earthquake by using newspaper and soil. In this earthquake lesson plan, students push and pull the newspaper together that has soil on top and observe what happens.
Curated OER
8th GRade SCience End of the Year Flip Video Review
Middle schoolers explore video taping. In this science review lesson, students create a video of an assigned science unit as a peer study tool.
Curated OER
Volcanoes: First Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Introduce young geologists to types of volcanoes during the pre-lab. First graders explore how different liquids flow with an experiment on viscosity to simulate how different types of lava flow. Next, they learn...
Curated OER
Earthquakes: First Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
First graders explore how earthquakes release energy in a set of hands-on activities. During the pre-lab, they discover how energy from an earthquake releases waves through the earth using a water-filled cup and...
Curated OER
Hazards: First Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Examine the environmental hazards associated with volcanoes with a three-part science lesson. In the pre-lab, first graders learn that gas, landslides, ash, and lava are all hazards that come from volcanoes. They then explore...