Lesson Plan
University of California

Energy and Biomass Pyramids

For Teachers 6th - 10th Standards
Young scientists play tag as they act out the food pyramid in the ocean ecosystem. Energy circles pass from the smaller prey to the predators and at the end of the activity, a data chart and analysis questions allow pupils to apply their...
Interactive
1
1
NOAA

Subduction Zones

For Students 6th - 12th
Sink into an interactive learning experience about subduction zones! Junior oceanographers examine the earth-shaking and earth-making effects of subduction in the fourth installment in a 13-part series. Hands-on activities include...
PPT
Mr. E. Science

Climate and Climate Change

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
What factors make up climate? How does longitude and latitude affect climate? What is causing Earth's climate to change? These questions are the topic of a presentation that explains characteristics of climate and climate change.
Interactive
PBS

NASA's Eyes on the 2017 Eclipse

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
How did the 2017 eclipse look in Los Angeles—or Chicago? Experience both views, plus many more, using a lesson from PBS's Space series for middle schoolers. Scholars follow the movements of the sun, moon, and Earth during the most recent...
Unit Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Water/Ways: The Poetry of Science

For Teachers 1st - 12th Standards
Water is the source of life. It appears in poetry in both peaceful and torrential descriptions; it appears in earth science in its liquid, gaseous, and solid states. Combine these interpretations of our planet's most precious and...
Unit Plan
Arbor Day Foundation

Trees are Terrific...Inside and Out!

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
Trees are the star of a three-step unit celebrating Arbor Day. Step one takes an in-depth look into the structure of a tree, the process of photosynthesis, and the benefits of the leafy giants. Step two challenges scholars to create a...
Interactive3:50
Scholastic

Study Jams! A Day on Earth

For Students 4th - 8th Standards
It's good thing that it isn't up to RJ to spin the earth on its axis; he can't even keep a basketball spinning! In this video animation, he and viewers learn about Earth's movements in space. One thing to consider before you use this...
Worksheet
Port Jefferson School District

Climate Patterns

For Students 6th - 9th
Young climatologists explore the factors that contribute to a region's climate in this two-part earth science activity. To begin, learners are provided with a map of an imaginary planet and are asked to label global wind and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Search for El Nino

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders complete an El Nino scavenger hunt. For this earth science lesson, 6th graders describe the conditions that create El Nino and compare it to normal condition. They discuss how this phenomenon affects marine ecosystem.
Lesson Plan
Journey Through the Universe

Voyage of Discovery

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Did you know that Pluto is smaller than the United States of America? It is difficult to conceptualize the size of planets and the distance between them, and the lesson plan addresses those exact issues. After a discussion, pupils create...
Unit Plan
2
2
Curated OER

Sustainability and Extinction

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Galapagos Penguins are the only penguins on earth that live north of the equator (in the wild). In this last lesson plan a discussion on how the Galapagos islands developed their populations and diversity sparks the introduction. Two...
PPT
Mr. E. Science

Plate Tectonics

For Students 6th - 8th
Get a detailed look at plate tectonics with a 14-slide presentation that highlights the Earth's layers, continental drift, seafloor spreading, the theory of plate tectonics, and boundary types. Each slide provides thorough...
Lesson Plan
1
1
University of Colorado

Is There Life on Earth?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
To find life on another planet, scientists look for gases (atmosphere), water, and temperatures that are not extreme. In this activity, groups of pupils become "Titan-ians," scientists who want to explore Earth for possible life forms....
Unit Plan
University of Southern Indiana

Manifest Density

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
There's a lot content packed into the four lessons of this physical science unit on density. From salad dressing to the water cycle and hot air balloons, these lessons engage students in hands-on activities that explore real-world...
Worksheet
Texas State Energy Conservation Office

Investigation: Automotive Emissions and the Greenhouse Effect

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
It is recommended that you conduct this fabulous experiment as a whole-class demonstration. Collect air samples from the environment, human exhalation, and car exhaust, then compare them for carbon dioxide content using bromthymol blue...
PPT
Port Jefferson School District

Water and Climate

For Teachers 5th - 9th Standards
Dive into a lesson on the hydrosphere with this Powerpoint presentation. Building on prior knowledge of the water cycle, young scientists learn what happens to water after it falls as precipitation and explore the...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Potential and Kinetic Energy

For Teachers 6th Standards
Everything has potential energy; learning to use it is the key to understanding all types of energy. Scholars learn the difference between kinetic and potential energy. They then apply the concept to drawing examples of both types...
Unit Plan
1
1
Curated OER

Hazards: Sixth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore the damage associated with an earthquake by designing a structure that can withstand earthquake intensities on a shaker board. They then view tips for preparing for an earthquake, and what...
Lesson Plan
Stanford University

Solstice and Equinox Season Model

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
How can December 21 be the shortest day of the year when all days are 24 hours long? Pupils see how to build a model showing the differences between winter and summer solstices and equinoxes. Using this model, classes can then discuss...
Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

An Energy Mix: Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
What did the windmill say about renewable energy? I'm a BIG fan! Lesson three in the series of 12 has classes discuss potential and kinetic energy and then, in pairs, they complete a web quest over the different types of energy...
Lesson Plan
1
1
NOAA

The Biggest Plates on Earth

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
The deepest part of the ocean is the Marianas trench where two tectonic plates meet. Scholars explore plate tectonics and their boundary types by completing hands-on activities throughout the lesson. Specific areas, such as the Galapagos...
Lesson Plan
1
1
Curated OER

Exploring Seasonal Shadows and Sunlight

For Teachers 5th - 8th
What can shadows tell us about the changing season? Over several months, astronomy learners record length and position of an outdoor object's shadow, such as a flagpole. They apply the data to a growing hypothesis and note the...
Lab Resource
Colorado State University

Can it Really Rain Fish and Frogs?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
You've heard of it raining cats and dogs ... but what about fish and frogs? It turns out, one scenario is much more likely than the other! Intrepid weather investigators examine the curious behavior of waterspouts using a leaf blower,...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Science Crossword Puzzles: Scientific Instruments

For Students 5th - 9th
Use this crossword puzzle to test your learners' knowledge of scientific instruments. The majority of the instruments included on this puzzle are related to earth science, so that would be the ideal setting in which to use this resource....

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