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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

You Ain't Nothin' But a Rock Hound

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Here is an excellent activity on rocks! In it, learners explore the world of rocks through the use of video, hands-on activities, and cooperative projects. This outstanding plan is chock full of terrific activities, websites, streamed...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock Cycles, Crayon Cycles

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the rock cycle and the path that rocks go through to rearranged in different ways. They define key vocabulary terms, then in small groups conduct a variety of experiments using crayon shavings as simulated rocks and...
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Activity
NOAA

Wooly Magma

For Students 3rd - 5th Standards
Model the earth's core with a neat activity that uses science as an inquiry and step-by-step procedures. The activity acquires a lot of assistance from the teacher or volunteer helpers. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pet Rocks

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students complete a variety of activities related to the physical characteristics of minerals. They classify and group candy, classify rocks and complete a Pet River Rock worksheet. Students try to guess which rock goes with each...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock Cycle Activity

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
A few of the components of this lesson are not possible to carry out because the rock cycle diagram and challenge handouts are not included. Hopefully, you already have your own rock cycle diagram or worksheet to use as a concept...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students identify and describe rocks that contain records of the earth's history and explain how they were formed. They formulate questions about and identify needs and problems related to objects and events in the environment, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocks and Minerals

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
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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Lesson Plan
NASA

Let's Investigate Mars

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Take your science class on a hypothetical field trip to Mars with an engaging astronomy lesson. After first learning about NASA's Mars rover missions, young scientists plan their own scientific investigations of Earth's nearest neighbor.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identifying Minerals

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students compare and constrast a wide variety of minerals and rocks. They test them for streak, luster, color and other characteristics. They view an exhibit and compare their answers to them.
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Classification

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Explore the scientific method of classification. An interactive activity asks learners to create a classification system for a group of objects and develop a flow chart to communicate their systems. In addition, individuals use a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Habitats

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aquifer Model

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students, after researching and brainstorming about aquifers and locating aquifer maps of Texas, participate in the building of a model of an aquifer complete with a pumping station. They also answer a variety of questions at the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life in a Cup

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders make and maintain a mini terrarium. They keep a daily journal of what happens in their terrarium and record daily observations and measurements.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wonder Underground

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students classify and record objects they find "underground." For this observation lesson, students dig into bins filled with soil and encounter various objects such as bark, twigs, etc. Students classify their findings.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Treasure Hunt

For Teachers K - 4th
Students explore the concept of soil and decomposition. In this soil and decomposition lesson, students investigate bags of soil. Students then learn how  animals and other organisms help in the decomposition process. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Minerals

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars apply rules to compare and rank the hardness and softness of minerals. They perform a scratch test on four unknown mineral samples, read a bar graph that illustrates the comparative hardness and softness of four named...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interdisciplinary Task: Weather

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students design a chart to use to record the weather for five days. They then build an anemometer to record wind speed and discover why they are used for this purpose.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Surface

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students draw and label the 15 major rivers in Texas. They then draw and label another map with the major lakes and reservioirs of Texas. Students use the maps and locate and label the location of the following major Texas cities:...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Surface Water Supplies And The Texas Settlements

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars engage in a lesson that is concerned with the allocation and finding of water resources. The location of different settlement areas is considered as one looks how the water is distributed. They map some of the early...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Suitcase, Parfleche and 'Isaptakay

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore farfeche and how the Nez Perce people use natural materials to derive colors for their artwork. They explore traditional paints and dyes used by the Nez Perce and create their own parfleche 'isaptakay.