National Park Service
Rock Ranking
Junior geologists sort rocks and soil. They separate a sample of river gravel by size, shape, color, and other characteristics. To include Common Core standards, you could have little ones graph the number of particles in each sample.
Curated OER
The Three Rock Groups
Firts graders distinguish between sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. They group the rocks into the appropriate group. This is one of the best-organized plans I've seen! Learners watch a PowerPoint presentation which is embedded...
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Rocks and Soils
Students compare the properties of rocks and relate these properties to their use. They perform a virtual experiment to describe and group rocks on the basis of their characteristics.
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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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Big Rocks, Little Rocks
Students simulate the effects of erosion on rocks. Students smash cookies into smaller pieces to simulate how sandstone is created from larger rocks. Students hypothesize the types of things that could break up rocks and whether sand...
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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.
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Soil Treasure Hunt
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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Rock Your World
Learners define soil, dirt, clay, silt, and sand. They conduct an online scavenger hunt, answer pre-written online questions on a piece of paper, and play the Earth Materials Game after completing the scavenger hunt.
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What is Soil?
Students study living and non-living materials that are found in soil. They study the things required by plants and animals to remain healthy. They design a collage of sand, stones, leaves and other natural items.
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Rocks
Learners 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.
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Earthquake Science Project
Young scholars 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.
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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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Making a Soil Separator
Young scholars investigate botany by creating a soil separating device. In this plant life lesson, students identify the needs of plants and how important the right soil is in the growing process. Young scholars define different soil...
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The Magic School Bus Rocks and Rolls
Students participate in a science experiment to show them the power that water erosion has to sculpt stone. They explore how running water moves earth and creates new landforms.
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Box Cars Math Games
Students grow vegetable sections without soil, using water and pebbles or small rocks. They explain different ways that plants grow and grow vegetable sections using water and small rocks.
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Pebbles Sand and Silt
First graders investigate soil, sand and silt. In this environment lesson, 1st graders discuss how changes occur in the environment and the effects of weather. Students perform their own investigation and record their predictions,...
NASA
Exploring the Moon
Can plants grow on the moon? The second lesson in a five-part series has pupils explore the resources available on the moon to determine if plant life is possible. They use lava rocks as their soil and draw conclusions about the...
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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...
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Under Our Feet
Students investigate the forest ecosystem to learn of the living and non-living elements of the soil. In this ecosystem instructional activity, students examine soil for twigs, moss, fungi, leaves, roots and other matter. Students...
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Shake, Rattle & Roll
Students examine soil. In this science lesson, students examine the layers of soil. Students collect soil from various locations and separate the layers. Students record and chart their findings.
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Erosion
Students examine soil erosion and what causes it. In this soil lesson students complete several experiments on soil erosion and the weathering process.
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The Radish Experiment
First graders grow radishes. For this Science lesson, 1st graders observe the growth of radishes in both the light and dark. Students discuss what plants need to live.
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Unit Lesson Plan Template
First graders listen to the book The Story of Sand and make predictions about an investigation based on soil, sand, and silt. In this sand instructional activity, 1st graders work in groups to discuss their observations about sand and...
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Wonder Underground
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.