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Curated OER
How Does Flowing Water Shape a Planet's Surface?
Students investigate how flowing water influence landforms. In this earth science lesson, students observe water behavior as it flows from the stream table at various inclinations. They discuss whether water shaped Mars landforms or not.
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Build a Model Watershed
Collaborative earth science groups create a working model of a watershed. Once it has been developed, you come along and introduce a change in land use, impacting the quality of water throughout their watershed. Model making is an...
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Water, Water Everywhere
Students study the location of Earth's water and study the water cycle using a terrarium. In this water study lesson, students study a model globe for the Earth and find Alaska. Students locate the bodies of water and study an overhead...
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Wet Water, Dry Land
Young scholars observe and examine relationship between landforms and bodies of water, recognizing differences between them. Students then define island, peninsula, isthmus, archipelago, lake, bay, straight, system of lakes, and identify...
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I Am A Rock, I Am An Island: Describing Landforms and Bodies of Water
Students identify common landforms and bodies of water from descriptions of distinguishing features. In this landforms and bodies of water lesson plan, students describe the features they see in the pictures given to them.
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Life on the Surface of the Earth
Young scholars discover that life occurs on or near the surface of the Earth in land, air, and water. They read the literature selection, 'Whose Forest Is It?'
and discuss with students that there are examples of of many living...
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Physical Changes and the Water Cycle- Three
Third graders take note of the changes in the water level in a cup of water that is left out. Using a model of the water that depicts a lake and landscape that is being heated by a heat lamp, the students observe precipitation, and...
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Sandscapes to Landscapes
Students explore landscapes and create their own in a creative project.
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The Physical Environment
Fourth graders use damp sand, a baking pan, and water to simulate erosion. In this erosion lesson plan, 4th graders participate in a simulation to show what moving water does to land.
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Exploring Rocks
Students recognize differences in the size, shape, texture, and color of different rocks. For this rocks lesson plan, students also learn and repeat back how a volcano erupts and make one out of a toilet paper tube.
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Our Water Resources
Students build a model aquifer to study groundwater zones and water table formation. Students use the models to measure the movement of polluted groundwater.
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Looking At Water: a Walking Field Trip
Fourth graders observe the effects of water on the soil and record those effect by drawing sketches of water erosion and conservation practices.
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Wave Math
Students identify the different factors affecting the size and shape of ocean waves. In this math lesson, students calculate wave speed and wavelength given a mathematical formula.
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Sediment Sleuths
Are you looking for a good, solid instructional activity on sedimentary rocks? This one, produced by the Illinois State Museum, is just such a instructional activity. Middle schoolers identify common rocks and minerals by analyzing...
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Mud Splat Craters
Students simulate crater formation using mud. For this earth science lesson, students identify the features of a crater. They explain how the force of impact affect the crater's appearance.
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Factors That Shaped Indiana
Fourth graders construct a model of Indiana which displays the effects of the glacial period on the state's physical structure. Students work in groups to plan and execute their model based on an established rubric.
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How do living and non-living structures affect coral reef habitats?
Students create model coral reefs showing surface area and including examples of communities. In this coral reef lesson, students research and explore the functions or benefits from a coral reef. Students design a benthic...
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Weather, Sea Level Rise and Climate Change Course
Students explain the impact of glacial melting to global climate change. In this environmental science lesson, students design an experiment to investigate the effect of salinity change to melting glaciers. They share their results to...
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Polygons, Pingos, and Themokarst! Oh MY!
Learners complete activities to learn about the common land features in Alaska. In this land study lesson, students study an overhead for permafrost features. Learners define ice wedge polygons, thermokarst, and pingos. Students also...
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Postcards from California: A Unit on Geography, Social Studies, History and California's Resources
Fourth graders examine patterns that influence population density in the various regions of California. The unit's three lessons utilize graphic organizers for the interpretation and presentation of data.
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Watershed Island
Students make a clay model and a geographic map of a watershed. They talk about the differences between the two representations and the potential human threats to watersheds.
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A Walk Around the School: Mapping Places Near and Far
After reading Pat Hutchins’ Rosie’s Walk, have your young cartographers create a map of Rosie’s walk. Then lead them on a walk around the school. When you return class members sequence the walk by making a list of how the class got from...
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Landform Dictionary
Third graders use a word processing program to create a working dictionary, including definitions and pictures, of physical land forms used in the study of different regions of the world.