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Erosion
Fifth graders study what erosion is, what causes it, and ways to slow its progress. They complete an experiment that depicts soil moving down a slope as water is poured on it to show how moving water erodes land. Next, they observe...
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Earth System Science
Students explore the Earth and its ability to support life. They discuss the geosphere and the water cycle and complete the Water Wonders activity. After completing the activity, they respond in their journals and reflect upon the...
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Landforms in a Tub
Fifth graders use common household items to build landforms and simulate weathering and erosion.
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Weathering and Erosion: Some Ways the Hydrosphere Affects the Geosphere
Learners explain the causes of erosion, describe the effects of erosion, and devise a method of preventing erosion. They model the before-and-after-effects of erosion.
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A Rocky Situation
Second graders conduct experiments with rocks to observe weathering. They read books, examine websites and watch a video to examine how rocks break down into soil.
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How I Use Water
Beginning with a brief anticipatory set on how water is commonly used, this presentation evolves into a well planned lesson on the water cycle. Students will discuss vocabulary, label the parts of the water cycle, locate where water is...
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Space Science: A Scoop of Moon Dirt
Students discover soil characteristics and how it is formed on Earth and the Moon by examining local samples to a lunar simulant. They replicate the effects of wind erosion by scraping dry bread with sandpaper. Students use rocks and...
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Rocks and Minerals
Students are able to describe earth processes (e.g., rusting, weathering, erosion) that have affected selected physical features in students, neighborhoods. They are able to identify various earth structures (e.g., mountains, faults,...
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Erosion
Fifth graders study the effects of running water on erosion. They examine how the soil on the playground is affected by erosion and determine how the placement of trees and shrubs changes the path of erosion. In their science journals,...
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Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion
Fourth graders describe the difference between minerals (composed of the same substance throughout) and rocks (composed of two or more minerals). They recognize that there are three classes of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
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Global Change- Earth as Home
Students create their own environment. In this environmental protection lesson, students pretend they are the owners of a tropical island. They create jobs for the citizens and develop the island as a model environment.
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Wave Erosion Lesson
Fourth graders examine the effects of waves as they erode coastal land. They discover how the power of water can change the appearance of land formations.
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Rocks and Minerals
First graders examine different types of rocks and minerals. They create models of the rocks and minerals they find interesting. They discuss and explain three ways in which the earth changes.
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The Physical Environment
Fourth graders use damp sand, a baking pan, and water to simulate erosion. For this erosion lesson plan, 4th graders participate in a simulation to show what moving water does to land.
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Hold on Tight!
Students explore the close connection between plant roots and the soil in which they grow. They investigate the roots of plants, make models of plant roots using pipe cleaners, and examine photos and images to explore the connection...
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LOSING GROUND
Students will observe wind erosion and how crop residue prevents erosion.Point out the three kinds of fields to the students. Do as much or as little instruction as needed to explain the pan with crop residue. Conservation tillage...
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Creeping
Young scholars observe, measure, and graph a model of slow down slope movement representing soil creep. This task assesses students' abilities to collect, record, and organize data, set up graph axes, plot data points, draw line graphs,...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Non-Point Source Pollution
Investigate the different types of pollution that storm drain runoff carries into oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams with this class demonstration. Using an aquarium and an assortment of everyday items that contaminants like motor oil,...
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Class Conservation Corps (CCC)
Students investigate how the loss of soil, a valuable natural resource, affects their lives through loss of productive land to grow food, loss of coastal land mass, and poor water quality from runoff. They design a project to keep soil...
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Sediment Tubes
Young scholars observe how different density soils and rocks behave in wind and in water. They make predictions and careful observations as they explore sediment transport and sediment rates in streams and rivers.
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Ecological Impact of Wood Extraction
Students explore their local environment by conducting a class experiment. For this deforestation lesson, students discuss the effects of wood harvesting on forests around the world and research environment related vocabulary terms....
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Playing in mud puddles
Pupils examine the effects of rainfall on different surfaces and discuss water pollution. They review the water cycle and the uses of water in daily lifestyles. Students discuss the effects of soil run off in streams and rivers.
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Weathering Landforms
Stduents create and color plaster landforms, and describe how weathering and erosion change the Earth's surface.
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Hold on Tight!
Students explore the relationship between plant roots and the soil in which they grow. They examine photos of uprooted trees and desert areas and
conduct experiments designed to highlight this mutual relationship between roots and soil....