Curated OER
For Creative Minds
Students study pictures of plants, animals, and minerals. Students classify the pictures into the three groups. In this rock identification lesson, students complete a rock finding lab experiment by finding, cleaning, identifying, and...
Curated OER
Water Conservation
Open learners' eyes to the challenge of finding safe drinking water – something we often take for granted in our country. The PowerPoint presentation includes images, graphs, diagrams, and even a video to stimulate discussion on how we...
Curated OER
Environment" The Mining Cycle
Students explore the world of mining and explain its importance in daily life. After describing how companies search for mineral deposits, they examine the environmental consequences of mining as well as the positive aspects. The...
Curated OER
Science: What Is the Carbon Cycle?
Students examine the carbon cycle while identifying its sources, sinks, and release agents. Using magazines and newspapers, groups of students design collages illustrating the carbon cycle. Finally, they write responses to several...
Curated OER
Disappearing Sand
Students discover what sand looks like, how sand dunes form and what minerals can be found in sand. They also examine how beach erosion occurs. They explore how to stay safe at the beach.
Curated OER
Pond Ecosystem Field Trip
Students investigate the environment by participating in a class trip. In this pond ecosystem lesson, students define a list of vocabulary terms associated with ponds such as invertebrate and metamorphosis. Students attend a field trip...
Curated OER
BOWEN'S REACTION SERIES
Students research Bowen's Reaction Series and recreate the process in an experiment which details the crystallization sequence of minerals that can be observed in nature.
Curated OER
SCRUMPTIOUS SOIL
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...
Forest Foundation
Waste Not - Want Not
Recycling is the focus in the sixth of a nine-instructional activity series devoted to forest ecosystems. Class members read an article about the responsible use of natural resources and ways to reduce land fill.
Curated OER
What's Under There?
Students determine ways to make "observations" about unknowns, such as the land beneath an ice sheet or the interior of the Earth, using tools other than sight. They build "mystery boxes" and exchange them with other groups to "map"...
Curated OER
Microscope Investigation
Young scholars explore physical science by participating in a science examination. In this microscope tutorial instructional activity, students read the book The Naked Eye and discuss the purpose for using a microscope in the field of...
Curated OER
COMPARE SOILS BY GROWING PLANTS
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....
Curated OER
Regolith Formation
Learners compare and contrast the process of regolith formations. In groups, students define regolith and discover how regolith is formed on the Earth and on the Moon. They participate in experimental activities to simulate regolith.
Curated OER
Investigating Different Rock Types
Students analyze a rock using their eyes and then a hand lens. In this science lesson, students determine and discuss how hard or how easy it was to find and classify the assigned rock. Students record their observations on an index card...
Curated OER
Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources: Mining in B.C.
Students explore energy by categorizing rocks. In this British Columbia geology lesson, students define many different vocabulary terms associated with mining such as sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. Students utilize sample rock...
Curated OER
Exothermic Rehydration of Gypsum
Students observe exothermic reactions in the lab using plaster. In this chemistry instructional activity, students collect data from their experimental set up every five minutes. They explain the different stages in the hardening of...
California Academy of Science
Rock Cycle Roundabout
After a basic introduction to the rock cycle and the three main types of rocks, young geologists can deepen their understanding of how rocks change through a fun learning game. Based on the characteristics and events shared by a reader,...
Curated OER
Properties of Fresh and Sea Water
Students work with three stations to demonstrate the properties of water. They explore water's boiling point, freezing point, and its ability to store heat.
Science Friday
How Boulders Are Born
Want your class to rock? Then try this boulder activity. Pupils learn about a specific boulder field and use edible materials to demonstrate the geological processes that formed this unique feature. Weathering, erosion, and mass wasting...
California Academy of Science
Earthquakes and Tectonic Plates
Here is a comprehensive package in which middle schoolers learn about types of seismic waves, triangulation, and tectonic plate boundaries. Complete vocabulary, colorful maps, and a worksheet are included via links on the webpage. You...
California Academy of Science
Discovering Rainforest Locations
How many rainforests are there, where are they, and do global factors effect their locations? These are great questions that have great answers. Children in grades four through eight use several different maps to determine why...
Curated OER
Rock of Ages
Students are given a classification table and samples from their location. They locate their samples on the classification table using the characteristics used in rock identification.
Curated OER
Weathering and Wind
In this weathering and wind worksheet, students simulate the effects of weathering by wind using 2 canisters, 2 types of sandpaper and 2 sugar cubes. Students swirl the sugar cubes inside the canisters lined with fine and course...
Curated OER
Reopen: A Study of Five Closed Mines
Students analyze data to determine which of the fived closed mines would be beneficial to have reopen. They acquire knowledge of rocks and minerals in the area to give reasons why that mine should open again. Students gain knowledge in...