Dive into a lesson on the hydrosphere with this Powerpoint presentation. Building on prior knowledge of the water cycle, young scientists learn what happens to water after it falls as precipitation and explore the...

Young scientists roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty in this three-day earth science investigation. Following the scientific method, children monitor the growth of algae in pond water samples in order to determine...

If Earth is modeled by a grapefruit, what planet could be represented by a golf ball? This activity uses everyday and not-so-everyday objects to create a model of the Solar System.

Sink into an interactive learning experience about subduction zones! Junior oceanographers examine the earth-shaking and earth-making effects of subduction in the fourth installment in a 13-part series. Hands-on activities include...

The spot you are standing in right now—how did it look 2,000 years ago, one million years ago, or even four billion years ago? Scholars use a model of Earth throughout history to learn about continental drift, climate change, changes in...

Just how big is Earth's moon? With a hands-on simulation, scholars use Play-Doh to model the sizes of the planets Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and their moons. They make predictions as a class, work together to make their models, and discuss...

How do Earth's changes affect humans? Pupils learn about physical and chemical changes on Earth and how they lead to erosion, earthquakes, and volcanoes. Using the text, they also explore the concepts of electricity and magnetism by...

How do we interact with Earth? Scholars learn about the sun, Earth, moon, forces, gravity, and heat sources by reading a text and performing hands-on demonstrations. They also differentiate between living and non-living things using...

Who needs the daylight to simulate a lunar eclipse? Astronomers model the positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon to explain the necessary conditions for a lunar eclipse. Investigators cut and label a paper plate to represent the Earth and...

Venus is the second brightest object in the night sky after the moon. Here is an interesting lesson that explores three planets — Venus, Earth, and Mars — specifically their surfaces and atmospheres. Through an analysis of their spectra,...

The earth has a giant magnetic field caused by the liquid iron that constantly moves in the outer core. Scholars explore the magnetic fields of four different planets. The strength and alignment of the poles relates to the implications...

It turns out there's a lot more to heading south for the winter for migratory birds! Study the Coriolis Effect with a fun, hands-on teaching tool. Pupils take to the skies as a small red bird bound for the tropics from his frosty home at...

Explore the reason for the seasons! An interactive lesson allows learners to explore the earth's rotation from the viewpoint of four cities at different latitudes. It provides descriptive information at eight points during the orbit...

Why is the weather man wrong so often? Young climatologists discover how chaos rules both weather and climate through a math-based activity. Using an iterative equation, the class examines how small day-to-day weather events total up to...

You've heard of farm to table ... but what about farm in classroom? Junior agriculturalists embark upon a two-week journey into the science of growing things. Based upon the classic terrarium in a two-liter experiment, the activity goes...

Earth's climate changed drastically throughout the history of the planet, so why do scientists blame humans for recent changes? Observe data covering the history of the planet that proves the natural climate change patterns. Then, learn...

How did the 2017 eclipse look in Los Angeles—or Chicago? Experience both views, plus many more, using a lesson from PBS's Space series for middle schoolers. Scholars follow the movements of the sun, moon, and Earth during the most recent...

There are many interactions among living things and their surroundings. By completing a reading, scholars learn about the Earth, the moon, and the sun and how they relate to the solar system. They also investigate the basics of physical...

What better way to understand how an object works than to make one! Learners take what they learned in the previous lessons and construct their own compasses. Using a needle, water, and styrofoam, they build and test compasses and verify...

Young environmentalists learn how to craft a persuasive essay about an environmental issue they consider important. After studying the components of a persuasive essay and examining a student model, writers brainstorm possible topics and...

A somewhat amusing assignment, this instructional activity lists statements that an ancient organism may have made and asks learners to determine what geologic era that each may have lived in. It uses witty word puzzles and...

Giving a clear review of the basic properties of the metals in groups one and two on the periodic table, this slide show would be useful for early learners of chemistry. Your class will learn about the trends down the groups, such...

Rock exploration, so exciting! After reading the book Everybody Needs a Rock, the class makes sandwiches to better understand that the Earth is made in layers. They then use a description of the 3 types of rock to conduct an observation...

Third graders write an essay. In this earth's layers lesson, 3rd graders view a power point presentation on layers of the earth and discuss it. They write a short essay on the layers and their characteristics. They use Microsoft Word to...