Students research volcanoes. For this volcanoes unit, students examine components of a volcano, how it is created, what causes it to erupt, and the results of an eruption. There are a series of 6 lessons included in this unit. Students...

Students explore how volcanoes are formed, list the parts and characteristics of volcanoes, state the differences in various types of lava, and analyze the volume of ejecta from a volcano.

Scholars imagine themselves as citizens of Pompeii in 79 AD. First they are assigned a job (or place in society like a child or slave). Then they record their daily activities for the weeks leading up to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in...

Students view images and interactive activities on the Internet about volcanoes. In this plate tectonics activity, students use the Internet to view PDF images and HTML Interactive activities while writing observations in their journals....

Give our ocean voyagers the "Hydrothermal Vent Challenge!" It is a worksheet that guides them through an exploration of hydrothermal vents and the chemical reactions that occur when lava meets seawater. Using a collection of websites,...

Students define what a volcano is. They discover where and why volcanoes occur. They study effects of volcanoes on the Earth system.

Students study volcanoes. In this volcanoes lesson, students read several volcano paragraphs and study the pictures or diagrams. Students then make an erupting volcano, complete website research about volcanoes, and answer several...

Heat things up in your earth science class with this collaborative instructional activity on volcanoes. After first being introduced to the different types of volcanoes and how they are formed, young geologists work in small...

Students evaluate the impact of volcanic ash on the surroundin environment. Through discussion, videos and activities, they identify the various ways in which volcanic ash can be more detrimental than volcanic magma and lava.

Students research and demonstrate volcanic activity. In this volcanism lesson, students research the types of volcanoes and define related terms using the Internet. They demonstrate volcanic activity with water, corn syrup, and flour.

Sixth graders research various types of volcanoes. They explore the various emissions that come from them. Offer some explanation why some erupt by "quietly" puring lava, while others blast out chunks of rock and clouds of ash and gases.

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...

Ever heard of a stygofauna or a stygobite? How about an anchialine cave? Set your young biologists on a quest to find information about organisms that live in and have adapted to life in caves located near the water. Class members then...

Young scholars explore how aerosols are used in science to indicate volcanic activity and how biomass burning affects global aerosol activity. Students access data and import into MS Excel using graphical data to make inferences and draw...

The tectonic processes that have resulted in the formation of the Marianas Arc, and the Marianas Trench are explored. Groups of pupils access websites that give them a wealth of information about these formations. Each group must prepare...

Students study techniques for conducting a local environmental assessment in an ecologically sensitive area. Identification of native plants and methodologies for sampling is taught in the classroom and then reinforced in the field. The...

Students investigate the concepts related to volcanoes and focus upon Mt. St. Helens. They define the difference between an active and dormant volcano. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used in order...

A project-based learning plan focuses on landscapes in the community. After identifying problems, such as dead trees or misplaced automatic sprinklers, learners design solutions, contact local organizations to fix the problems, and do...

Pupils interpret maps and graph data related to volcanic ash. Then they analyze the importance of wind speed and the dangers of the ash to both life, air temperature, and technology. 

Learners identify three types of volcano: cinder cone, composite, and shield.

Students explore their existing concepts of caves and match them with a working definition to use during the unit. They name the two types of rock formations in which most American caves occur, and define "show cave" and "wild cave."

Students conduct Internet research on Mexican volcanoes. They explore various websites, complete a website worksheet, answer questions in Spanish, and create a timeline of a volcano's eruptions.

High schoolers discuss metabolism. In this metabolism lesson, students evaluate evidence form a research report and discuss the basis for hypothetical metabolic adaptations to low-oxygen environments in the anchialine caves.

Sixth graders explore the concept of density as a relationship of an object's mass to its volume. Densities of a variety of objects are compared and used to identify an unknown object.