+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocks and Minerals

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Review the difference between rocks and minerals using this resource. Learners identify and investigate the physical properties of these objects. They create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast types of rocks. This is a motivating way...
+
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...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Take a Rock Apart!

For Teachers K - 12th
Learners examine a crushed rock and sort the minerals they find in that rock by color and other properties.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocks and Soil

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the physical properties of rocks. They explore the three different types of rocks and are able to compare and contrast their different properties. Students simulate the creation of sedimentary rock, they also...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fieldwork: Horizons Under Ground: Digging Through Wetland Soil

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students study the different soil types and describe the different soils in various environments.  In this soil lesson students walk to a reserve and discuss what they saw. 
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SCRUMPTIOUS SOIL

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Young scholars engage in investigations that lead to the discovery that earth materials consist of rocks, soils, water, and air. They build models of soil profiles, using breakfast cereal and other edible materials. They observe how...
+
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,...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Erosion And the Cycling of Rocks And Minerals

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers investigate the concept of erosion by water in a problem solving activity. In small groups, they are assigned either sand, potting soil or rocks to construct a mountain that will hold up to a sprinkler can of water...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Analysis

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine zip lock bags of clay, silt, and sand to determine its origin. They rotate through stations to compare different soils and perform oil separation and Tullgren funnel tests.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Take a Stab!

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Your geology class practices taking core samples of a potato to examine the stratigraphy. This is a terrific modeling lesson that helps youngsters visualize strata that cannot be seen from the surface of the ground. The directions...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

COMPARE SOILS BY GROWING PLANTS

For Teachers 6th - 8th
The student will identify the difference in the rate of plant growth in three soils that vary in organic matter.1. Obtain three to four flowerpots, different types of soil, a record chart, three to five beans for each pot, and water....
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Museum Adventure WebQuest

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discover the background and properties of minerals. They examine fluorite and record data after testing it. They use the internet to help them discover information about minerals.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Detecting Magnetic Materials in "Martian" Soil

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars simulate some of the Pathfinder experiments by devising methods of collecting and measuring magnetic substances in pseudo-Martian soil. The efficiency of each of the methods used to collect materials is evaluated in this...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Surface Water and Groundwater

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students examine distribution of water and minerals. In this surface and groundwater lesson plan, students conduct an experiment with fresh and salt water making hypothesis and drawing conclusions about minerals. 
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Is Mining

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Student develop a vocabulary of "mining words" and study about exploring and mining for minerals. They break into groups and are assigned an area at the "mine" to do their "exploration" for the valuable "coal". The coal is represented...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing Local, National, International Biomes

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils calculate averages of climate sets of data. In this ecology lesson, students analyze data to determine identity of a biome and collect meteorological data to understand process.  Pupils also compare data sets. 
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Transpiration

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Learners interactively explore the term transpiration. In this science/ecology lesson plan, students discuss what they would do if they were thirsty while conducting research in Brazil. Additionally, learners write descriptive words to...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Global Environmental Change

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine environmental change of land, water, and air, discuss Clear Skies Legislation, and experiment on solid compaction and resultant water filtration.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Porosity And Permeability

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students participate in an exercise/experiment designed to show how environmental pollution can affect the quality of drinking water.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sink or Float?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students analyze the relationship between density, buoyancy, and salinity. In this chemical properties lesson, students read a background activity for the lesson and experiments to the topics. Students discuss the questions and complete...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Pollution

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars study four samples of "rain water". They asked to determine the pH of the samples and then to neutralize them. Students are asked to predict any negative effects which might be associated with water having a low pH and...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Go With the Flow

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students experiment with a simulated river bed and examine how erosion takes place faster with a young, fast-moving river than with a slow, older river.