Curated OER
Fossils
Fourth graders act as paleontologists and attempt to figure out the environment where various fossils would have existed. They explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
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Let's Go! Virtual Yellowstone Tour
Students research the geologic wonders of Yellowstone National Park. They locate the main geologic features of Yellowstone on a map of the park. Students write a description of the geologic features to be included on the map for a...
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The Mystery Box
Students design a mystery box to hold an object related to the timeline of life studies. In this timeline of life lesson, student play a game with fossils and other remnants of past times and guess the era it comes from.
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Gold Mine
Students investigate gold. In this gold panning lesson, students demonstrate the process of mining through an experiment using two boxes of sand. Students design a safe way to mine gold.
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Gold Mine
Students view and discuss a demonstration of how gold is mined and panned. They design and create a tunnel that has reinforcements to withstand collapse.
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How Old Is Mike?
Students examine the absolute dating of fossils, they use a list of names and ages to determine the difference between relative age and absolute age. They explore the relative age and absolute age of people and of fossils.
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Layers Of The Earth
Students examine the layers of the earth and the basic composition and thickness of each. Using construction paper, each student models the layers of the earth.
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Go With the Flow
Students experiment with a simulated river bed and examine how erosion takes place faster with a young, fast-moving river than with a slow, older river.
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Life's Big Questions: Where Did Life Come From?
Students explore the life forms that live in the hot springs of Yellowstone. They examine how microscopic creatures can survive in these extreme conditions. Students perform experiments to observe growth samples and demonstrate how a...
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Secrets in a Grain of Sand
Students working in small groups examine beach sand to discover signs of erosion, weathering, ocean currents and waves. They present their findings to the class.
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Pattern And Design in Nature
Students observe natural objects carefully and note intricate design and structure beyond surface form.
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Dinosaur I Finding And Dating
Students investigate how long dinosaurs lived on Earth and how that compare to how long man has been on Earth. They discover how scientists excavate fossils.