Curated OER
Capillary Action and Adhesion
Students perform classroom experiments to observe adhesion. They perform a second experiment using sand, salt, water, and a heat lamp to observe the principle of capillary action. They also experiment with adhesion in plants.
Curated OER
How High Does the Atmosphere Go?
Students explain how relatively thin the atmosphere is, compared to the size of the planet, and determine the relative extent of the four major atmospheric layers.
Curated OER
Volcanoes Crossword Puzzle
In this Volcanoes Crossword Puzzle worksheet, students solve a crossword puzzle by answering 13 questions related to volcanoes. An example question includes, "the outer layer of the earth."
Curated OER
What's in the Air?
In this air activity, students will choose the correct definition for atmosphere, troposphere, stratosphere, and pollutant. Then students will complete a concept map showing what components make up air. This activity has 4 multiple...
Curated OER
Earthquake Crossword Puzzle
In this earthquake crossword puzzle, students complete a crossword using 13 clues about earthquake facts and plate tectonics.
Curated OER
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
In this earthquakes and volcanoes worksheet, students will review how volcanoes are formed and where they are found. Students will describe earthquakes and their magnitudes. Students will use a table to answer questions about tsunamis....
Curated OER
"Potato Mountain": Reading/Understanding Topographic Maps
Middle schoolers investigate how to read topographic maps. In this map reading lesson plan students complete a topographic map activity.
Curated OER
Moving Continents
In this moving continents worksheet, students review the different types of plate boundaries, what causes earthquakes, and where volcanoes are formed. This worksheet has 10 fill in the blank and 9 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Areology-The Study of Mars
Students examine core samples from Mars and discover what they can use it to tell the history of Mars. In this core sample instructional activity students create and analyze their own core samples then eat them at the end.
Curated OER
Ecosystems Beneath the Surface
Sixth graders create a KWL chart about microorganisms. In this biology lesson, 6th graders create and label a diagram on a microbial mat. They investigate the processes involved in the carbon, oxygen and sulfur cycles.
Curated OER
How Are Rocks Formed?
Students identify types of rocks. In this geology lesson, students view animated graphics to identify how sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks are formed. Students take a rock quiz to show how different rocks are formed.
Curated OER
Changes Inside Planets
Students relate meteorites to the mantle and crust of asteroids. In this planetary lesson students complete experiments to model the separation of light.
Curated OER
The Volcano Factory
Students examine the process of tectonic plates and why the Mariana Arc is active with volcanoes. They create a model of the Mariana Arc out of clay.
Curated OER
Types of Rock
In this rocks worksheet, students compare and contrast the 3 types of rocks: sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. Students complete 1 graphic organizer.
Curated OER
Getting to the Core of Climate Change
Students investigate climate changes by graphing and analyzing ice core data from Greenland and Antarctica. They create, explain and report the pattern of data on a graph of ice core data. In addition they find relationships between the...
Curated OER
Pet Rocks
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...
Curated OER
A Bit of Engineering
Students discuss the drilling process. In this engineering lesson plan, students get into small groups and drill their own core samples in a sandwich using a plastic tubing, a jumbo straw, a slim straw and a offee stirrer predicting...
Curated OER
Design an Island
Students explore islands. They create a two- or three-dimensional map of an island. They explain how the topography of an area influences the location of water sources, ecosystems, and human settlements. Lesson includes adaptations for...
Curated OER
Solar System Crossword 2
In this solar system instructional activity, students fill in a crossword that gives them clues about the solar system. Students solve 41 clues for the crossword.
Curated OER
Exploring for Petroleum - Modeling an Oil Reserve
Students experiment with locating oil reserves. In this conservation lesson, students use a cardboard box to create sand, rocks, and an oil reserve (water balloon). They use a probe to dig around in the box to find the oil reserve and...
Curated OER
Going...going...gone? Tropical Rainforests-How They Work, What They Do for Us, What's Being Done to Them...
Sixth graders explore the Tropical Rainforest and come to understand what it is and how it affects the ecosystem. In this rainforests lesson, 6th graders write about the Tropical Rainforest, imagine they are in the Tropical Rainforest,...
Curated OER
Soil Erosion
Students examine how erosion is affected by the composition of the soil and the slope of the land. They look at plant roots, rocks and land slope as experimental factors. They complete the associated worksheets before discussing their...
Curated OER
Earthquakes
Students inspect the causes and effects of earthquakes and examine how seismic waves travel. In this earthquake lesson, students determine where earthquakes happen and why, before determining how to build an earthquake resistant...
Curated OER
Dinosaur Traces
Students identify and interpret the type of evidence found at a typical dinosaur dig and mimic a paleontologist by taking crayon rubbings of simulated bone impressions. After the rubbings are taken, the students reconstruct the complete...