Curated OER
Rock On! Featuring the Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic Trio!
Get your classroom rocking with this four-lesson earth science unit. Through a series of shared reading activities and hands-on investigations, young geologists learn about the three types of rocks and the unique properties of each.
BBC
Walking with Dinosaurs
Breath new life into your class's study of dinosaurs with this extensive collection of materials. Offering everything from a printable T-rex mask, word searches, and connect-the-dots activities to informational handouts, hands-on...
Curated OER
Let's Take a Rock Apart!
Learners examine a crushed rock and sort the minerals they find in that rock by color and other properties.
Curated OER
Rock Star Centers
Students complete a Rock Star Journal while studying the properties of their rock. They choose their own rock star, and then they are going to learn everything they can about their rock star.
Curated OER
Earthquake Science Project
Students simulate the Earth's plates moving like an earthquake by using newspaper and soil. In this earthquake lesson plan, students push and pull the newspaper together that has soil on top and observe what happens.
Curated OER
Rocks
Young scholars use their five senses to experience different types of rocks. In groups, they compare and contrast the information they collected. They observe rocks in their local community and describe their uses to the class.
Curated OER
Starfish Project: Ceramics
After exploring the wonders of ocean life found in tidal pools, explore ocean life through ceramic art. Kids use texturing and the pinch-and-pull technique to create starfish, just like the ones found at the seashore. Suggested...
Curated OER
How We Use Rocks: Part 1
Students are introduced to rocks and their physical properties. We use rock and mineral products everyday. In fact, each person in the United States uses an average of 10 tons of rock and mineral products every year.
Alabama Learning Exchange
A Rockin' Investigation
Young scientists identify the rock cycle. For this earth science activity, students participate in web-based research to understand how sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks form. As a follow-up, they collect various rocks and...
August House
The Archer and the Sun
Reinforce reading comprehension with a instructional activity about The Archer and the Sun, a Chinese folktale. Kids learn some background information about Chinese culture before reading the story, and answer literacy questions as they...
Curated OER
This Mine of Mine
Young scholars explore natural resources by conducting a geology experiment in class. In this mineral mining lesson, students discuss the types of geological material that can be found when mining and the uses for these resources such as...
Curated OER
Investigating Erosion in an Outdoor Classroom
First graders observe the effects of erosion. They work in groups to simulate erosion in a streambed, participate in class discussion, read books about fossils and rocks and then go on a fossil hunt.
Curated OER
Volcanoes: First Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Introduce young geologists to types of volcanoes during the pre-lab. First graders explore how different liquids flow with an experiment on viscosity to simulate how different types of lava flow. Next, they learn about the parts of a...
ARKive
Penguin Diversity – Mask Making
Penguins are very diverse and well-adapted birds; they live on islands, in warm and cold climates. Little ones examine penguin diversity and discuss the highly functional adaptive traits that have helped them survive in some of the...
Curated OER
Making Rocks
Students use their imaginations in order to journey to the center of the earth to find different types of minerals. They create minerals using playdough and create scientific drawings of them. Finally, students create a map to locate the...
Curated OER
Screening River Rocks
First graders explore river rocks. Searching with screens and containers, 1st graders identify the different kinds and sizes of rocks. They separate rocks into containers according to pebbles, gravel and sand. Students write about their...
Curated OER
Mitten Mania
Youngsters listen to the classic Jan Brett book, The Mitten, then gain strength in utilizing listening skills, developing vocabulary, practicing sequencing events, and expressing themselves through movement and art projects. This rich...
Curated OER
Classification
Young scholars gather and classify samples of a given item (rocks, fossils, seeds, etc.) They discuss various ways of classifying and that there are many different ways that are acceptable.
Curated OER
Moon Landing
Learners research about the July 20, 1969, moon landing. They demonstrate their knowledge of the first moon landing by creating peek-a-boo rocket books. Also they can make their own moon rocks with an easy-to-make dough.
Curated OER
What's Below the Earth's Surface?
Students identify the geological layers of the Earth. They graphically depict each layer's characteristics. Students label and develop a color key for their exhibit. They create a down-to-Earth 3-D display with Erasable Markers.
Curated OER
Raindrops Keep Falling on my Art
Kids may be a little resistant to this rainy day idea, but it could produce some amazing art. They paint a watercolor picture of anything they like. When they are done, they take their paintings outside and let the rain work its magic!...
Curated OER
Back to the Past
Students label fossil imprints. In this Geology lesson plan, students view fossil imprints of several items. Students explain what a fossil is.
Curated OER
John Muir: Long Ago and Now
Students explore nature objects brought indoors such as rocks, seeds, leaves and shells to identify where the objects came from. They hear stories about John Muir's life and make booklets about nature areas they enjoy.