Unit Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Water/Ways: The Poetry of Science

For Teachers 1st - 12th Standards
Water is the source of life. It appears in poetry in both peaceful and torrential descriptions; it appears in earth science in its liquid, gaseous, and solid states. Combine these interpretations of our planet's most precious and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Reading Comprehension Worksheet: Planet Earth

For Students 4th - 6th
After reading five short paragraphs about planet earth, students must answer 4 comprehension questions about the topic. This worksheet provides great practice for state testing in language arts. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Watershed Protection

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars explore environmental care by participating in an Earth science activity. In this clean water lesson, students discuss what a watershed is, how they become polluted, and how it affects the overall quality of drinking...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Floating Plates on the Earth

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders construct a concept map about Plate Tectonics. They include types of movement, names and effects of boundaries. They research plate tectonics, describe and name 3 types. They analyze the effect on the earth's surface of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Layers of the Earth

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Young scholars identify the layers of the Earth and complete activities for the topic. In this Earth layers instructional activity, students chart their ideas about the Earth's layers and view a PowerPoint for the topic. Young scholars...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Earth Day Crossword Puzzle

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this crossword puzzle about Earth Day worksheet, students read the descriptive sentences, use the word bank, and complete the puzzle. Students write 12 words.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Earth Acrostic Poem

For Students 2nd - 4th
In this Earth worksheet, students write an acrostic poem for the planet Earth. Students write a phrase starting with each letter of the word Earth to describe it.
Lesson Plan
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Where in the World? Biomes of the Earth

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students research a biome.  In this biomes of the Earth lesson plan, students discuss what they already know about ecology and view pictures of different biomes.  Students work in groups to research a different biome. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning About Animal Shelters for Earth Day

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students explore habitats. in this ecology and animal habitat lesson, students listen to the book A House is a House for Me by Mary Ann Hoberman. Students discuss the basic needs of animals and go on a nature walk to observe animal...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

From the Mouths of Space Scientists: An Introduction to Space and Weather

For Teachers 4th - 8th
After researching the Greenland Space Science Symposium, curious thinkers create a PowerPoint or video presentation. They use the information they gathered to construct their presentation.
Worksheet
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Planet Earth Word Search

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this searching for the words about the planet Earth worksheet, students use the word bank to find words written from left to right, right to left, and diagonally. Students find 14 words.
Lesson Plan
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Circle of Life

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Here is a well-designed science instructional activity that shows learners that everything that organisms do in ecosystems, including running, breathing, burrowing, growing, requires energy. After a thorough discussion of their own...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Earth Day

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this crossword puzzle worksheet, students identify the words that relate to Earth Day by reading the 14 clues. Students complete the crossword puzzle with the clues.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Earth Day Crossword

For Students 4th - 5th
In this crossword puzzle activity, students read the 25 clues about Earth Day. Students then complete the crossword puzzle about Earth Day.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Closer look at Oil and Energy Consumption

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Upper graders analyze basic concepts about the consumption, importation and exportation of the worlds oil production. They create several graphs to organize the data and draw conclusions about the overall use of oil in the world.
Lesson Plan
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Characteristics of Energy

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore Earth science by completing energy worksheets in class. In this energy forms lesson, students identify and define a list of energy vocabulary terms and a K-W-L chart. Students view a matter video clip in class and...
Lesson Plan
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Utah Weather

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore Earth science by researching weather patterns on the Internet. In this Utah climate lesson, 4th graders discuss why each climate on our planet is exposed to different weather settings and how they are measured....
Worksheet
Curated OER

Ecosystem (Set 2)

For Students 4th - 6th
In this word search learning exercise, learners locate the words relating to ecosystem science within the flower shaped crossword puzzle. Students find 18 words.
Lesson Plan
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Keep In Touch: Communications and Satellites

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore communications by reading assigned space science text. For this satellite lesson, 4th graders identify the concept of orbiting and examine gravitational pull by viewing diagrams. Students are assessed based on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Water Cycle

For Teachers 4th - 5th
In this science worksheet, young scholars learn about the water cycle by reading 4 information paragraphs about evaporation, condensation, precipitation and infiltration/ collection. After each paragraph, students draw a picture of that...
Lesson Plan
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Observing and Sketching the Lunar Surface

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students explore space science by conducting an illustration activity. In this lunar lesson plan, students discuss what the moon is and the role it plays for our environment on Earth. Students view images of the moon and utilize chalk to...
Lesson Plan
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Illustrate the Constellations

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore space science by participating in a star identification activity. In this astronomy lesson, students identify different star patterns and discuss the movement of stars across the sky as the seasons change. Students...
Lesson Plan
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The Planets in Our Solar System

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students gain knowledge about earth and space science by studying the nine planets in the solar system as well as their key characteristics. In this solar system instructional activity, students identify the nine planets. Students work...
Worksheet
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Bank On It! Magnetism

For Students 4th - 5th
In this science and language arts worksheet, students complete a cloze article. They read a short piece about magnetism and fill in 15 missing words. Word choices are included in a word bank.