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Google Earth Geology Field Trip
Students take a virtual field trip around California using Google Earth. In this geology field trip lesson, students explore landforms and a variety of rocks located in California. Students compare environments where rocks are...
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The History of Life on Earth
Using meters as years, your class works together to map out the geologic time scale on a football field. Plenty of background information is included in this lesson plan as well as several resource links and a student worksheet. Your...
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Geologic Timelines
Middle schoolers create a timeline of geologic events of the Phanerozoic Eon. In this geologic timeline lesson, students view a handout that shows a timeline of the Earth's history. They create their own timeline of the Phanerozoic Eon...
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Fossils Footprints Across Time
Students examine fossils to understand how they are formed and how they give information about geological history. In this fossil lesson, students research and write about fossils and make models of different fossil types.The PDF...
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Happy Birthday, Earth!
Learners visualize the Earth's ecosystem at a specific time period and how Earth has changed over time. They create a detailed journal entry for a specific time period and create a birthday card to Earth.
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Understanding a Geological Map
Students identify different types of maps and observe a geological map. In this geology instructional activity students create a replica map of a geological area that includes a key.
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Geological Maps of the Western Regions
Students study the geological makeup of the West. In this geological maps lesson students creat a map that includes a key and present it to the class.
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A Geological Wonder: Niagara Falls
Students research the geological features of Niagara Falls. In this earth science lesson, students create a poster board proposing a new website for the tourist center. They share their project in class.
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Mesozoic Murals
Students create a mural of one of the Mesozoic Periods. In this geologic timeline instructional activity, students will research the plants and animals that lived in the Mesozoic Era in order to create a mural to scale that represents...
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Earth's History
Sixth graders investigate how fossils are formed. They analyze a photo of the Grand Canyon, and create a fossil cast and mold using plaster of paris and shells.
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A Scale of the Earth
Students create a scale model of the different eras, periods, and epochs of Earth's 4.6 billion year history. In addition to different time periods, other major events will also be added to the model from fabricated radioactive decay...
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The Geologic Time Scale
Students research and explore the earth's past and make comparisons with the earth's present. They map out a timeline that explains how the earth and its organisms have changed over time. Studnets create a scale for their time line, they...
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Bang! You're Alive
Students explore the Big Bang Theory and the Theory of Plate Tectonics. In this history of life lesson, students explain two ways the Theory of Plate Tectonics and the Big Bang are of direct benefits to humans.
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Earth History Part II
Eighth graders hypothesize what caused the break up of continents. In this earth science lesson plan, 8th graders study about the events that took place during Mesozoic and Cenozoic Era. They reconstruct a supercontinent and report their...
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The Gifts of the Nile
Get your class thinking about the geography that shaped the Egyptian landscape and culture. They compare ancient climate zones and geogrpahical fetures, locate evidence of plate tectonics, take and quiz, and write a short essay. The...
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Life Through Time: The Heart of the Phanerozoic
Students gain a deeper understanding of geological time and the evolution of life on Earth. They use iMovie to tell a complex story of a discrete time period with narration and images.
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Crowley's Ridge: An Upland in the Lowlands
Young geographers examine how Crowley's Ridge was formed. This is one Arkansa's six natural geologic divisions. The history of Crowley's Ridge is important in that the first settlers of the state were attracted to this region, and it...
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The Volcano Factory
Collaborative groups work together to report on the volcanic activity leading to island formation and construct models to demonstrate the process. Consider having each group present their project to the rest of the class. There are many...
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GeoSleuth Schoolyard
Middle schoolers discover that geology is something that is all around them. In groups, they participate in an activity in which they collect evidence and make observations. They solve a "murder mystery" in examining the history of a...
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Volcanoes and Urban Planning
Young scholars analyze satellite image data of Volcan Villarica. For this earth science lesson, students identify dangerous areas surrounding the volcano. They propose a new safe location for the town.
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Geologic Time: Relative and Absolute Dating
High schoolers investigate relative and absolute dating; determine the difference between the two dating systems; and apply this knowledge by creating a geologic timetable of their own.
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Bacteria Change Earth's Atmosphere
Tenth graders organize information to explain how photosynthetic bacteria contributed to climatic changes that happened on Earth. Students create a timeline by using a storyboard to tell the story of the change.
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Rock Cycle: The Story of a Rock
Students examine the rock cycle by watching videos and then use creative storytelling techniques to tell the story of a rock as it undergoes geologic changes.
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Wreck Detectives
Junior archaeologists examine types of artifacts from the Bronze Age on the internet. In collaborative groups, they create a story about a ship from this period and then construct a model of the ocean floor after their ship has sunk....