Curated OER
Ancient Animals
Young scholars explore ancient rock art in Arkansas. Through discussion, research, and hands on activities, they identify the animals and stylized features of rock art found in Arkansas. Students identify the various habitats of he...
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Petrology in the Gravel Pit
Students are introduced to a wide range of rock types when they examine pebbles and boulders exposed in a gravel pit. Students practice rock description and identification and categorize the rocks sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic.
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Sorting Rocks
Students develop a rock word web during a large group discussion. Using the categories generated during that discussion, they sort their rock samples accordingly.
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How To Grow Red Seaweed
Students explore ocean biology by participating in a plant growing activity. In this seaweed lesson, students identify the importance and uses of seaweed in the ocean and examine different seaweed samples. Students utilize an aquarium,...
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I Am A Rock, I Am An Island: Describing Landforms and Bodies of Water
Students identify common landforms and bodies of water from descriptions of distinguishing features. In this landforms and bodies of water lesson plan, students describe the features they see in the pictures given to them.
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Seeing Ancient Worlds
Students view the images from the Nature Images Photo Gallery and identify various elements of nature. They then group the elements into categories and discuss what these images tell about the worlds of ancient Native Americans.
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Mineral Magic
Students classify rocks and minerals according to their characteristics, after finding the similarities and differences of school supplies and pasta.
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Classification of Matter
Students investigate common household items and classify them into types of matter. In this matter instructional activity, students group given items into categories based on their characteristics. They also complete a concept map about...
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Object Sorting
First graders follow directions when sorting objects. They illustrate how objects are categorized by drawing at least two of the categories that they sorted the objects into. Students work in small groups at completing the task of...
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Ourselves
Students identify the main parts of the human body. They point to various parts of their own body, cut out pictures of humans and animals and sort them into the two categories, discuss the differences between animals and humans, and...
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What is a Fossil?
In this fossils worksheet, students are given a bag of fossils mixed with non- fossils. They are to determine which category each item belongs to and give a reason. They answer questions about how they determine fossils from non-fossils.
CK-12 Foundation
Mineral Identification: Mineral Scratch Test
How can mineralogists tell a diamond in the rough from a chunk of table salt? Science scholars find out through an interactive that demonstrates the characteristics of minerals used for identification purposes. Topics include hardness,...
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Classification
Students 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.
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Different Environments
Students read literature selection, discuss habitat, divide habitats into different categories such as water, soil, and land, list animals that live in each habitat, and describe habitats using descriptive words in vocabulary list.
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Worming Your Way Through the Soil
Students study soil, living and non-living particles in the soil, and learn about composting. In this soil study lesson, students study soil samples and discuss the living and non-living components of the soil. Students classify the...
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Geology Word List
In this science worksheet, students review the vocabulary words for the separate categories related to the concept of geology.
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My Time
Middle schoolers create a timeline of their lives. For this timeline lesson, students discuss relative and absolute time. They use events in their lives to create categories on a timeline. They link this lesson to geologic timelines.
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Sorting and Using Materials
Students practice sorting and classifying objects. In groups, they choose a variety of materials and describe how each one looks and feels. They must agree on how to classify each object and share their groupings with the class. They...
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Living or Nonliving
Third graders brainstorm a list of the characteristics of living and nonliving organisms. Individually, they find four nonliving and living items and the characteristics that make them fit into one of the categories. To end the...
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Amazing Ads
In this science project activity, students name the product and company associated with each famous ad slogan listed. Then they survey the media to locate examples of each technique described in the boxes. Students also create a new...
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Habitats
Students investigate the habitats of living things and the cycle of the food chain. In this scientific inquiry online lesson, students examine the habitats of plants and animals as well as the food chain as they sort pictures of living...
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The Battle of Stones River: The Soldiers' Story
Learners organize items in a "doohickey kit" distributed by the teachers, creating categories using classification schemes. In this classification lesson, students compare systems within groups and write questions that could be answered...
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Minerals
Students explore the world of minerals. They classify minerals into their protective categories. Students analyze minerals with their different colors, textures and components. They bring in an example of a mineral to class to share with...
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Developing a Local Stratigraphy
Students examine rock strata for the distribution, deposition, and age of sedimentary rock. They describe rock types in a variety of outcrops and construct a regional stratigraphy.