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Life of an Island: From Mountain to Atoll
Young scholars research the evolution of a volcanic island from origin to erosion. They determine the relative ages of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands given their position in the archipelago.
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A Hydrothermal Adventure
Students analyze hydrothermal vents. In this hydrothermal vents lesson plan, students discover the effects of hydrothermal vents on tectonic plates. Students make model hydrothermal vents to understand how they form and operate.
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Volcano Live
Students discover the inevitable threat of volcanoes as they identify the ring of fire. In this natural disasters instructional activity, students examine the tectonic plate theory and discuss how magma works it's way to the surface of...
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Moving Continents
In this moving continents activity, students review the different types of plate boundaries, what causes earthquakes, and where volcanoes are formed. This activity has 10 fill in the blank and 9 short answer questions.
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The Layered Earth
Students role play plate tectonics by creating a "plate statue" made up of students. In this earth science lesson, students describe how Earth's movement cause earthquakes and volcanoes. They draw and name the different layers of the Earth.
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Earthquakes: Sixth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Young seismologists learn more about plate tectonics with a set of pre-lab, lab, and post-lab lessons plans on earthquakes. After exploring how waves travel through various materials, sixth graders record their observations and...
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Regents High School Examination: Physical Setting Earth Science 2006
Test your class on earth science with this extensive resource. This test, created by The University of the State of New York Regents, is made up of 50 multiple choice questions and 32 short answer questions that cover the branches of...
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Distribution of Active Volcanoes Exercise
Students collect and plot data, then interpret the results and answer questions about the geologic causes and the human effects of volcanic eruption. They participate in a role-play activity and a virtual field trip, as well.
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Hawaiian Hot Spots
Students describe how plate tectonics contribute to the development of volcanoes. In this earth science instructional activity, students examine the map of Hawaii and explore the physical and biological environment there. They write a...
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Volcano Lesson Plans
Volcano and earthquake lessons can provide a great way to link science instruction to current events.
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The Ocean Floor
Practice reading comprehension by approaching oceanography through 2 pages of informational text. The text compares the ocean floor to the Grand Canyon to gives students perspective, and gives a brief coverage of the earth's crust and...
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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...
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It's Going to Blow Up!
Students discover the major characteristics of volcanoes on the Pacific Ring of Fire. They describe the processes that produce the "Submarine Ring of Fire." students explain the factors that contribute to explosive volcanic eruptions.
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Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!
Young scholars 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.
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The Changing Earth
Students explore the Earth's crust. In this earth science lesson, students participate in 2 activities that demonstrate physical and chemical weathering. Students also play Jeopardy with topics including volcanoes, earthquakes,...
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...
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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.
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Frogs Frogs Frogs
Students view a disk on the continental movement and analyze the given data on fossils, rock types and climate zones. In this geology lesson students draw a diagram of the earths layers, take a quiz complete a PowerPoint presentation.
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Normal (dip-slip) Earthquake!
Students label the fault lines and tectonic plate boundaries on the world map. In this earth science instructional activity, students simulate ocean floor formation using CEENboTs. They explain the causes of earthquakes.
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Are We Falling Apart? Exploding Volcanoes
Students 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.
Science Matters
Fault Formations
The San Andreas Fault moves about two inches a year, approximately the same rate fingernails grow—crazy! The third lesson in the series allows for hands-on exploration of various fault formations. Through the use of a Popsicle stick,...
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Studying Seafloor Spreading on Land
In this seafloor spreading worksheet, students review the processes taking place along the mid-ocean ridges. This worksheet has 3 short answer questions.
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...
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Mastering the Keyboard
Sixth graders view an animated program showing how the continents fit together millions of years ago. In groups, they compare and contrast the distribution of rocks and fossils based on how the continents fit together. After reading a...