Curated OER
Great Glaciers!
Seventh graders study the earths surface and how changes happen to it. In this glacier lesson students complete a lab activity to see how glaciers form.
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Human Footprint
Students study facts about humans and how they are impacting the Earth. In this investigative lesson students help map peoples footprints over the Earth's surface and evaluate these factors.
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Looking into Surface Albedo
Pupils demonstrate how the color of materials on Earth affect the amount of solar energy that is absorbed. For this solar energy lesson students complete a lab to explore how the color of materials on the Earth's surface impacts warming.
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Learn to Build a Rocket in 5 Days or Your Money Back
Young scholars discover the entire process that goes into designing a rocket for any customer. They study important factors such as supplies, ethics, deadlines and budgets. Also, students explore about the Engineering process, and...
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Geologic Time Scale
Students recreate and comprehend the geologic time scale. They discuss how long humans have been around on Earth. Students are shown the geologic time scale and its different parts. They work in groups to recreate the time scale.
University of Arizona
The Exotic Vacation
Students explain the concepts and vocabulary of Earth's rotation. They plan imaginary vacations based on the seasons in different locations. This is a very creative lesson plan, which students enjoy.
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What Happened to the Chesapeake Bay Filtering System?
In this environmental science lesson, students write a short story about what it's like to help at an oyster garden. They formulate 2 hypotheses on the disappearance of oysters in Chesapeake Bay.
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Bringing the Solar System Down to Earth
Students develop a scaled down model of the solar system. In small groups, they calculate the scaled-down diameters of the planets and the sun, the scaled-down distance of the planets from the sun, complete two charts, and create a...
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Volcano Lesson Plan
Students describe the properties of volcanoes, and explain why volcanoes are important to the environment.
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Meteorologist for the Day
Fourth graders examine the symbols used on weather maps. They analyze a newspaper weather forecast and identify and discuss the various symbols used on the map. Next, they prepare a weather map for their own city using the symbols...
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Environmental Health Hazards and Children
Students are introduced to the environmental hazards their community is facing. In groups, they develop a list of the ways humans have changed the Earth and how these changes have lead to environmental hazards. They record their...
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Polar Energy
Students define and read an article on polar energy. In this polar energy lesson, students answer questions about the article. Students participate in activities related to isotopes, half-life and radiocarbon. Students make global...
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Illuminating Climate Change: Connecting Lighting and Global Warming
Students analyze energy usage and connect energy usage to fossil fuel consumption. In this global warming and pollution lesson, students what fuels are used to generate electricity and how much CO2 each fuel produces, then graph the...
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Planting Seeds Around the World
First graders discuss the book The Lorax and research what living things need. In this environmental instructional activity, 1st graders investigate how humans affect the growth of plants. Students conduct an experiment with sunflowers.
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How Microbes Help Ecosystems
Sixth graders observe different microorganisms under the microscope. In this biology lesson plan, 6th graders draw and describe the samples they see. They study the root nodules of plants and explain how the plants benefit from those...
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Destructive Impact of Environment on Artifacts
Students recognize that artifacts are destroyed over time. In this environmental factors on artifacts lesson, students experiment and observe through the microscope to find the environmental impact on artifacts. Students make a list of...
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Hazardous Waste Events Chain
Students identify sources of hazardous wastes and their effects on the ecosystem. In this hazardous waste lesson plan, students are given a hazardous waste card and walk around to locate other links in their hazardous waste events chain....
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Daily Weather Calendar
Third graders use the internet to record the daily weather conditions. Using symbols, they take the information they gathered and create an easy to read chart. They share their charts with the class to end the activity.
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Earth History Part II
Eighth graders hypothesize what caused the break up of continents. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders study about the events that took place during Mesozoic and Cenozoic Era. They reconstruct a supercontinent and report their...
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Arbor Day Across the United States
Students perform research about hardiness zones used to guide planting. They read a hardiness zone color-key map and create their own color-key maps to show when different states celebrate Arbor Day.
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Environment: John Muir Day
Students observe John Muir Day by visiting Websites containing fact sheets, excepted writings, as well as songs, pictures, and educational sources. They use April 21 as a day to reflect on Muir's accomplishment and environmental legacy....
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Life Cycle of the Plant - The Pumpkin
First graders access prior knowledge about pumpkins and read the story Pumpkin, Pumpkin. They will sequence the life cycle of the pumpkin through the use of picture cards and then sing a song about the life cycle of the pumpkin and plant...
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Water Cycle Stories
Students explore the water cycle and associated phase changes. They predict what happens to the mass of an ice cube in a Ziploc bag, discuss and act out phase changes and diagram the water cycle.
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Learning from Light: The Big Bang
Learners explore what astronomers are able to examine our galaxy and universe by examining light. They explore in this sub-unit the formation of the universe, commonly called "The Big Bang," and it follows studying from the Light: The...