American Museum of Natural History
What Do You Know About Earth?
Time to rock and roll! Young scientists test their knowledge about rocks found on Earth and what they tell scientists. A 10-question quiz focuses on the different types of rocks, how they are formed, and what they are made of.
Science Matters
Earth Shaking Events
The world's largest measured earthquake happened in 1960 in Chile, reaching a terrifying 9.5 magnitude on the Richter Scale. The second lesson in the 20-part series introduces earthquakes and fault lines. Scholars map where previous...
Consortium for Ocean Leadership
Nannofossils Reveal Seafloor Spreading Truth
Spread the word about seafloor spreading! Junior geologists prove Albert Wegener right in an activity that combines data analysis and deep ocean exploration. Learners analyze and graph fossil sample data taken from sites along the...
University of New Orleans
Rock Cycle and Rocks Lab
Science rocks! Explore three types of rocks and the rock cycle with an igneous rocks experiment. Pupils discuss textures, composition, and learn how melts are formed from the Earth's crust. They weigh materials using a scientific scale...
Curated OER
Structure of the Earth
Sixth graders investigate earthquakes and volcanoes. They demonstrate fault lines with a folded piece of paper, conduct an erosion experiment, and construct a volcano using clay, baking soda and vinegar.
Curated OER
Drifting Continents
Students, through teacher-led demonstration, explore the idea of continental drift. They complete a worksheet involving the calculation of continental drift over time.
Curated OER
Name That Volcano
Students research volcanoes. In this volcanoes lesson, students visit websites with worksheets about the terms for volcanoes and volcanic eruptions in the world. Students complete the work online and play a game for volcano names.
Curated OER
Under My Feet
Fifth graders investigate the layers of the Earth, origin of tectonic plates and what happens when plates collide. They watch a video and use clay to demonstrate the different types of plate movement.
Curated OER
Early Explorers
Fifth graders study early explorers. For this World history lesson, 5th graders draw an outline of a map labeling each part, build geographical features out of dough, and paint each of the land and water features.
Curated OER
Earthquakes: Third Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Introduce third graders to energy waves with a hands-on geology activity, in which they answer questions and compare seismograms in the San Francisco Bay area. After a demonstration that shows how bigger waves indicate a high-intensity...
NOAA
Subduction Zones
Sink into an interactive learning experience about subduction zones! Junior oceanographers examine the earth-shaking and earth-making effects of subduction in the fourth installment in a 13-part series. Hands-on activities include...
Discovery Education
STEM Camp—Urban Infrastructure
Build a bridge to learning in a STEM-aligned unit about urban infrastructure. Young engineers explore the many aspects of civil planning and design in a five-day unit. Content includes the challenging aspects of balancing building with...
Centers for Ocean Sciences
Ocean and Great Lakes Literacy: Principle 7
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take your class on an underwater adventure. The final installment in a seven-part series involving salt and freshwater bodies takes junior oceanographers below the surface in...
PBS
Earth’s Ever-Changing Surface
The Grand Canyon formed between five and six million years ago, but is it still changing? Scholars explore 10 sites in the United States, including the Grand Canyon, to better understand the geoscience processes that formed these...
American Museum of Natural History
Earthquakes Tremors From Below
Earthquakes are really no one's fault. A thorough lesson explains the different types of earthquakes how they happen. Learners interact with the online lesson to simulate earthquakes and examine their results. The lesson is appropriate...
Curated OER
Hawaiian Hot Spots
Students describe how plate tectonics contribute to the development of volcanoes. In this earth science lesson, students examine the map of Hawaii and explore the physical and biological environment there. They write a story about an...
Curated OER
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Students explore plate tectonics, earthquake faults, and the types of volcanoes.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonic - Volcanoes (1)
Students learn the different shapes of Volcanoes and discuss why volcanoes only have a few shapes.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Students simulate the three types of plate boundaries using robots. In this earth science lesson plan, students explain how earthquakes and volcanoes are formed. They collect real-world earthquake data and plot them on the map.
Curated OER
What's Crackin' Under New Zealand
Students construct a model of the Earth using clay and oranges. In this earth science lesson, students explain the causes of earthquakes and volcanic activity. They write their findings in their science journal.
Curated OER
Earthquakes- An Introduction
Sixth graders investigate the concepts related to creating an understanding of how earthquakes occur. They participate in a variety of activities that are tied to each other and focus upon the principle of plate tectonics. Then students...
Curated OER
Volcanoes
Third graders study the concept of plate tectonics. In the process they embark in research and construction of a volcano. They complete a web quest while assessing how to research, give oral reports, and create a product.
Curated OER
Making Waves: A Study of Earthquakes and Tsunami
Young scholars examine plate tectonics and the causative effect of earthquakes. In this tectonics lesson students differentiate between the types of energy waves that cause earthquakes and tsunamis and how waves travel at different...
Curated OER
Volcano Poster Project
In this volcano worksheet, students choose a volcano from a given list to do research on using the computer lab. Students gather information about the volcano and answer 20 questions. They create a poster with graphics and text about...