NASA
Erosion and Landslides
A professional-quality PowerPoint, which includes links to footage of actual landslides in action, opens this moving activity. Viewers learn what conditions lead to erosion and land giving way. They simulate landslides with a variety of...
Discovery Education
School of Rock
Why do rocks break down over time? Learners explore this concept by simulating physical and chemical weathering of different types of rocks. They use an abrasive to demonstrate physical weathering and acid to demonstrate chemical...
Curated OER
Erosion: Slip Sliding Away
Fourth graders investigate the causes of erosion. Through several demonstrations including one using sugar cubes and warm water, they observe the effects of erosion. In groups, 4th graders conduct similar experiments and record their...
Science 4 Inquiry
An Investigative Look at Florida's Sinkholes
In May of 1981, the Winter Park Sinkhole in Florida first appeared and is now referred to as Lake Rose. Scholars learn about the causes of sinkholes through an inquiry project. Then, they analyze recent data and draw conclusions to...
Curated OER
Erosion
Students examine soil erosion and what causes it. In this soil lesson students complete several experiments on soil erosion and the weathering process.
Curated OER
When Disaster Strikes! Rocks, Minerals, Erosion and Weather
Students pretend the area they live in is subject to wind, waves and rain. In groups, they pretend they are a groups of meteorologists or geologists and are to report on the weather and damage that could occur there. Each group develops...
Curated OER
Weathering Landforms
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of ways the Earth's surface can change. As a class, they are introduced to the concepts of erosion and weathering and discover how wind and water cause changes to the surface of the Earth. To end the...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Showing the Difference between Erosion and Weathering
Learners explore the concepts of weathering and erosion. After viewing pictures of both erosion and weathering, young scholars work in pairs to conduct an experiment with sugar cubes, water, sand, and a straw. They write their...
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...
Curated OER
Forces of Change
Second graders discuss various ways in which landforms change over time. They, in groups, research and create a reference book about landform change including tsunamis, earthquakes, weathering, erosion and volcanic eruptions.
Curated OER
Rock Cycle Project
In this rock cycle worksheet, students design a project to describe the life of a metamorphic rock. They can write the project as a diary, a comic strip, a comic book or a children's book.
K-State Research and Extensions
The Crusty Earth
Geology rocks — literally! A geology chapter offers eleven activities at four different levels. Scholars enjoy completing hands-on experiments before applying critical thinking skills following a share, process, generalize, apply, and...
Curated OER
Making & Breaking : The Rock Cycle
Students examine the rock cycle and how rocks can change over time. In this geotechnical engineering instructional activity students draw a diagram of the rock cycle.
Curated OER
Virtual Field Trip
Fifth graders are introduced to the concepts of weathering and erosion. In groups, they rotate between different stations to discover how each process effects different landforms. To end the lesson plan, they discuss each change in the...
Curated OER
Plop! Plop! Fizz! Fizz!
Fourth graders study physical and chemical weathering. They explain how the processes of weathering and erosion change and move materials that become soil. They create a K-W-L chart to show what they know and list what else they would...
Curated OER
Finding Wind Direction
Students identify the wind direction. In this weather lesson plan, students use a weather vane to find the wind direction. Students complete a worksheet.
Curated OER
Environment: Erosion Boxes
Fourth graders discover how the processes of erosion and weathering alter the physical characteristics of the environment. In a student log,they record the various types of erosion and list ways to prevent it. Using clear, plastic...
Curated OER
Project Jukebox
Students analyze an interview with the Climate Change Project Jukebox in order to help them undertand how to use a concept map. In this writing and climate change lesson, pairs of students log onto the Internet site for Climate Change...
Kenan Fellows
Sustainability: Learning for a Lifetime – The Importance of Water
Water is essential for life—and understanding the importance of clean drinking water is essential in understanding sustainability! Show your environmental science class the basics of water testing and treatment through a week-long...
Kenan Fellows
Sustainability: Learning for a Lifetime – Soil
Do great gardeners really have green thumbs—or just really great soil? Environmental scholars discover what makes Earth's soil and soil quality so important through research and experimentation. Learners also develop an understanding of...
Curated OER
Using the Internet
In this using the internet learning exercise, students search several websites to review information about the heart, human senses, the solar system, and planets. Students also read information about the rock cycle and answer provided...
Curated OER
Boston Harbor Cruise: A Shoreline Survey
The learners take a harbor cruise, photograph, and draw shore line features attending to evidence of human impact/consequences, and its cost on marine/land animal habitats vegetation, weather patterns, signs of erosion, and the water...
Curated OER
Twister Season Springs into Action
Students discover how weather conditions can give rise to severe storms and tornadoes. They study the different types of severe weather, how they can track conditions in their own neighborhood, and how to prepare for the worst.
Curated OER
Rocks and Their Properties: Day 5
Students demonstrate their knowledge of rock formation processes in varied ways by sharing their cooperative research projects with the class. They generate well-framed questions in response to each presentation.