California Academy of Science
Measuring Earthquakes
After a brief discussion on earthquakes, make a makeshift seismograph to record the shaking of the table that it sits upon. While the background information will be useful to you as a teacher, the seismograph does not seem like it would...
Curated OER
Are We Falling Apart? Exploding Volcanoes
Learners explore how volcanoes are formed, list the parts and characteristics of volcanoes, state the differences in various types of lava, and analyze the volume of ejecta from a volcano.
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Natural Hazards
Students evaluate the hazards of naturally occurring events. After watching a video concerning safety hazards, students work in groups to discuss the safety issues involved in taking a trip to a mountainous region. Recommendations are...
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Causes and Effects of Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Tenth graders discuss the techniques and tools scientists use to study about the earth, including techniques used to determine geological time scales. They share their personal experiences of earthquakes and volcanoes.
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Earthquakes and Seismic Waves
Students investigate the Richter scale and seismology in a teacher-led lab in which they are introduced to the concept of seismic waves and epicenter location. They further investigate the inner workings of a seismograph and practice...
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Making Craters
Students study craters and identify the different things that characterize craters. In this crater lesson students create a model of an impact crater.
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What's The Difference?
Students identify geologic features that are associated with volcanoes. In this volcanic exploration instructional activity students compare and contrast convergent and divergent volcanoes and are able to explain why some erupt more...
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Island formation
Students explain what an island is, and distinguish islands from similar landforms. They compare and contrast the different ways in which islands are formed.
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The Physical Geography of South Asia
Learners describe the physical forces that formed and shaped the Himalaya, then discuss the physical geography of Mount Everest and how it influences the routes climbers take to the summit.
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How Volcanoes Grow
Learners study volcanoes including rock fragments, ash, aerosols and gases. In this volcano instructional activity students divide into groups and build models of the three major types of volcanoes.
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Earthquakes
Students observe the melting of ice. In this phase change lesson, students observe ice as it melts. They discuss the process and create a Venn diagram comparing water and ice.
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Plotting Earthquakes
High schoolers, after plotting earthquake locations on the map, should correctly; identify the pattern of earthquake locations and identify the ring of fire.
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Introduction to Geology Quiz Worksheet
In this earth science fill-in-the-blank worksheet pupils complete 8 questions about an geology. They see a picture of a rock and a volcano on the page. They check their work with the word bank at the bottom of the page.
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Natural Disasters
Middle schoolers work together in groups to travel throughout the room to different stations. They practice making different natural disasters at each station. They also examine fault lines and the supercontinent Pangaea.
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Volcanoes
Students explore the formation of volcanoes. In this earth science lesson, students build their own volcanoes in the lab using different materials. They identify the different types of volcanoes.
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Going to Extremes
Students compare and contrast Archaea with bacteria and other organisms. In this ocean lesson students complete diagrams.
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This Life Stinks!
High schoolers explore the process of chemosynthesis and contrast this process with photosynthesis. They consider the relevance of chemosynthesis to biological communities in the vicinity of cold seeps.
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This Old Tubeworm
High schoolers explain the process and significance of chemosynthesis. They develop their own graphic based on data of a biological community. They estimate the age of a given species as well.
Curated OER
World's Most Dynamic Force
Students explore the Earth's forces. They review an assessment task and its accompanying rubric. They classify ten items as long-term or short-term interactions of the Earth's components and rank the destructive impact of the forces. ...
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A Moving Experience
Students visit Time Machine's San Francisco Earthquake Era. They understand how the Earth's layers interact to cause changes in the Earth's surface. They review information about earthquakes and Earth's layers.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigation of Newtonian Forces on Plate Tectonics
An investigation for students to understand plate tectonics by using models to see how motion and forces act on the plates. Students can use these models to see the connection between Newtonian Laws to Earth materials. Lesson plan...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Earthquakes Living Lab: The Theory of Plate Tectonics
Working in pairs, students think like engineers and connect what they understand about the theory of plate tectonics to the design of structures for earthquake-resistance.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Dynamic Earth Interactives: Plate Tectonics
The resource explores the Earth. There are tutorials on plate tectonics, plates and boundaries, and the Earth's structure. There is also an introduction and an interactive activity to test the students on skills taught.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Ring of Fire 1: What Volcanoes Tell Us About Plate Tectonics
The Ring of Fire is a region of volcanic and earthquake activity that surrounds the Pacific Ocean. In this project you can explore the connection between plate tectonics and volcanic activity by mapping historical data.