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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aerology- The Study of Mars

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students investigate various aspects of the planet Mars. They examine a core sample that is simulated to make observations. Then compare the known sample with one that is unknown and differentiate between the two. Students hypothesize...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Inferences

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use their knowledge about fossils to arrange fossil pictures in sequence from oldest to youngest. They explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments and discover...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Take a Stab!

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Your geology class practices taking core samples of a potato to examine the stratigraphy. This is a terrific modeling lesson that helps youngsters visualize strata that cannot be seen from the surface of the ground. The directions...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Magic School Bus Rocks and Rolls

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students participate in a science experiment to show them the power that water erosion has to sculpt stone. They explore how running water moves earth and creates new landforms.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Filtration Challenge

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students create an all-natural water filtration system. For this lesson on natural water filtration, students build upon prior knowledge to build a filtration unit made of plants, soils, sand, pebbles and rocks that can purify...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Composition

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students examine soil. In this soil composition lesson students participate in soil sedimentation and filtration activities. The students discuss what non-living and living things are in soil and why it is so important.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Changing Earth

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students observe and analyze weathering. In this earth science activity, students demonstrate physical and chemical weathering in two experiments, then write questions for a class Jeopardy game.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Changing Earth

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Learners explore the Earth's crust. In this earth science lesson, students participate in 2 activities that demonstrate physical and chemical weathering. Learners also play Jeopardy with topics including volcanoes, earthquakes,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Excavating the Past

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Young scholars discover how palaeontologists conduct a dig for fossils and how they interpret the age of the fossils. In small groups, they prepare a "dig site" consisting of bones, rocks and soil layered in a cardboard box. They switch...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stratigraphy and Cross-Dating

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Pupils interpret archaeological strata using the law of superposition. They apply cross-dating to determine the age of other artifacts.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tree Rings As Records of the Past

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Students discover how trees preserve a record of times in the past.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sedimentary Structures- An Adventure in Painting and Collage

For Teachers K - 6th
Students identify and interpret concepts about how the Earth was formed and convey some of these ideas in a painting. Students experiment with different types of paints and paint applicators to achieve a variety of visual textures....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Creates a Cave

For Teachers K - 3rd
Learners study the role of water in limestone cave formation and create a cave on karst-like grid on paper.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who Was Here First? Relative Dating

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students read about and complete question activities for the topic of relative dating. In this relative dating lesson, students read information for the topic and then complete two activities to further their understanding of geologic...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Incorporating 3D Visualizations into Your Classroom

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students make observations through 3-D visualizations. They explore scientific and geologic processes through the use of 3-D pictures.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Take Me to the River! Using the Black River for Earth Science Review

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders use maps to identify landscape regions and drainage patterns producing the Black River. They create PowerPoint presentations pertaining to the Black River watershed, its geologic history and highlighting safe rafting...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Deep Sea Vents

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students study the vent and non vent deep sea and see the differences in habitats.  In this investigative lesson students complete a worksheet and work in groups.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Under Our Feet

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students investigate the forest ecosystem to learn of the living and non-living elements of the soil. In this ecosystem instructional activity, students examine soil for twigs, moss, fungi, leaves, roots and other matter.   Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Digging into the Past

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students discover how fossils are found and how they help scientists reconstruct the past. They examine how they shed light on what kinds of animals and plants lived over the years, when they lived, and under what environmental conditions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trees and Erosion

For Teachers 1st - 7th
Students examine the connection between trees and erosion. For this erosion lesson students experiment with the effects of rain on a hillside. Students investigate the number of trees and the amount of erosion.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Correlation And Strata: Findasaurus

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students use fossils to correlate and locate the correct strata, and determine where in those strata dinosaurs might be found. They see it is now possible to see how dinosaur fossils can be traced from one place to another.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Relative Dating - Telling Time Using Fossils

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students use fossil range charts to explain relative dating. They graph for ammonites, marine organisms that went extinct at the same time as dinosaurs.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kentucky Coal, Reclamation and Subsidence

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students read and discuss the information that they read on the "Kentucky Coal, Reclamation and Subsidence." They then answer questions in reference to the reading. Some questions that students answer are: What is reclamation?, Name...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Impact Craters

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine images of Moon craters and speculate about what caused them. They create craters using sand weighted balls. Students measure crater sizes and draw ejection patterns to see what effect size, weight, and velocity have on...