Curated OER
The Sun's habitable Zone
Students explore the average surface temperature of planets. They use the Planet Temperature Calculator to find the average temperature. Students explore how the distance from the sun affects the Earth's average surface temperature. They...
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Structure of the Earth
Sixth graders define atmosphere and hydrosphere, explore through experimentation how the atmosphere was formed, and describe the layers of the Earth's atmosphere and their distances.
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Tracking Current "Earth" Events
Eighth graders utilize Internet research skills, and practice their communication skills by presenting their research to the clas. They actively consider the types of hazards for humans associated with Natural Disaters and ways that...
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The Water Cycle and Global Warming
Students study the flow of water in the environment. In this water cycle lesson students evaluate the consequences of changes in the water cycle using data.
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Energy and the Environment: What Can We Do?
Students consider the impacts of global warming and brainstorm ways to help decrease their contribution to the problem. In this climate change lesson, students are exposed to facts concerning global warming and think of ways to...
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What are the Challenges?
Pupils discuss energy. In this energy challenges instructional activity, students read about greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change. Comprehension questions from the reading are provided.
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Historical Geography Scavenger Hunt
High schoolers are told that Geography is the science that deals with the differentiation of the surface of the earth due to the influence of things like population, vegetation, geology, and land use. They explore the Geography Basics...
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Mapping Population Changes In The United States
Students create a choropleth map to illustrate the population growth rate of the United States. They explore how to construct a choropleth map, and discuss the impact of population changes for the future.
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Population Change in Vermont, 1990-2000
Students improve their mapping skills and knowledge about population distribution and change in Vermont at the county level. They are divided into groups of two or four. Each group is given two county base maps and the population...
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Seasons
Learners investigate the reason for seasons on Earth during three activities. They construct a model of the Earth and Sun to identify patterns in the changes of the angle of light on the Earth's surface. Then they conduct a heat...
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The Effects of Meteor Impacts
Students investigate meteor impacts on the Earth's surface by using different size balls and charting their impacts, given their diameter and mass.
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You've Been Weathered!
This weathering instructional activity reviews the two types of weathering, chemical and mechanical. Included is a game that assesses if students know examples of chemical and mechanical weathering and how they each affect the earth's...
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Identifying Metamorphic Rocks
In this earth science activity, 7th graders classify rock samples according to chart provided and physical properties of the rocks. They answer 2 analysis questions and formulate a conclusion.
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Sea Surface Temperature Trends of the Gulf Stream
Students use authentic satellite data to produce plots and graphs of sea surface temperature as they explore the seasonal changes of the Gulf Stream.
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The Mountain Blows its Top
Middle schoolers replicate a volcanic eruption. In this volcanoes activity, students follow the provided procedures to show and describe how the inflation of a bulge led to the eruption of Mount St. Helens.
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Change Agents
Third graders experiment with three erosive change agents. They do an observation log, which they present to the class through a song, poem or skit.
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Urban Changes
Students explore how landscapes undergo constant changes with urban development. They plan and build their own "city" by including features that have minimal resource demands to sustain the city itself.
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Erosion: Changing the Face of Earth
Fourth graders explore how the landscape of the planet can be changed by different elements of wind, water, ice and chemicals through hands-on activities. They examine pictures of areas around town and discuss anything they think is out...
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How Can We Locate Specific Places On Earth?
Second graders discover how to use longitude and latitude to locate specific sites on Earth. They compare old and new ways of locating specific places, and discover how latitude and longitude coordinates are used to locate places on Earth.
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Earth's Energy Balance Performance Standard
Students examine how Earth-Sun relationships affect Earth's energy balance and the pattern of world temperatures. Students study a Surface Temperature Regions map and write a paragraph describing the temperature pattern from the Equator...
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Weather and Climate
It's hot today, but is that the weather or the climate? This colorful presentation isolates both concepts to allow for better understanding by covering the positioning of the planet, making comparisons of land versus water, and looking...
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Effects of Weathering
Here's a great geology instructional activity for 3rd graders on weathering and erosion of soil. After a class discussion on how nature can "move a mountain," learners take a look at how a modern phenoma called acid rain can also cause...
K12 Reader
World Climates
Why is weather different around the world? Learn about world climates with a reading comprehension passage. Kids read a short passage before answering five comprehension questions based on context clues.
Colorado State University
What Is a "Model"?
Model the transfer of energy during a typical 24-hour period. Young scholars use a game-like approach to learning the patterns of heat transfer through the day and night. Groups of four exchange different tokens as the energy...