Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spaced Out

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the transit of Venus and the information that this minieclipse provides about the distance between the Earth and the sun. They create their own astronomical units.
Lesson Plan
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Discovering Planet X

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the movements of the planet Pluto. Students participate in a hands-on activity to record data similar to the movements of the planet Pluto. Students compare their data to that found on a website.
Lesson Plan
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Understanding the Roots

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars investigate the parts of a flower. For this earth science lesson, students read the book The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds and identify various plant parts. Young scholars construct a model of a flowering plant from...
Lesson Plan
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Are You Ready to Shake

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars examine earthquakes and tsunamis. In this Earth science lesson plan, students investigate the causes and hazards associated with earthquakes and tsunamis.
Lesson Plan
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How Does Your Magma Grow?

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students identify the three types of plate boundaries and the Earth's tectonic plates system. They examine how the Galapagos Islands were formed and hydrothermal vents.
Lesson Plan
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2005 Submarine Ring of Fire Expedition: What's for Dinner?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students compare and contrast photosynthesis and chemosynthesis as sources of primary production for biological communities, and describe sources of primary production observed in biological communities associated with volcanoes of the...
Lesson Plan
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Exploring the Dynamic Nature of the Sun

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students compare and contrast images of the sun taken at different times and viewed at different scales. They record their observations in a journal and create a graphic organizer to help analyze their observations.
Lesson Plan
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Solar System Slide Show

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students work in small groups to research a planet in our Solar System in order to compare it to Earth. They examine the planet's size, atmosphere, rotation and revolution periods, temperature, and other attributes. They collect...
Lesson Plan
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The Achaean

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study the characteristics of the Achaean era. In this Achaean era lesson, 4th graders examine the clock of eras and compare the characteristics of different eras. They determine that the rocks associated with this era can...
Lesson Plan
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Australia: Aboriginal Religion

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Pupils compare and contrast Christianity and the religion of the Aborigines in Australia.  In this Aboriginal religion instructional activity, students discuss the creation story of the Aborigines and discuss the "dreamtime." ...
Lesson Plan
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Soil Structure

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders examine how different soils are made up of varying proportions of clay, silt, and sand. They compare soil samples, conduct Internet research, and create a model to demonstrate the relative sizes of grains of clay, sand, and...
Lesson Plan
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Treasures in Jeopardy

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students compare and contrast deep sea coral reefs to shallow water reefs.  In this coral reef lesson students develop a poster that could be used to educate the public about the importance of coral reefs. 
Lesson Plan
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Energy Efficiency Ambassadors

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare two products that provide the same function but require different amounts of energy.   In this energy efficiency lesson plan students research and demonstrate energy efficiency in action and how it applies to...
Lesson Plan
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Controlling the Flow of the Colorado River: A Study of Dams

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students research and map the Colorado River and its dams and predict the effects of a dam on an area. They suggest reasons a dam would be built and compare the Colorado River system with other major river systems within the US and...
Lesson Plan
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Dinosaurs 2: What Were Dinosaurs Like?

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students compare and contrast dinosaurs to animals that are alive today through basic research.
Lesson Plan
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Extinction

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students peruse illustrations of living things and extinct life forms, which they compare and categorize as living or extinct.
Lesson Plan
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Dinosaur Prints

For Teachers K - 1st
Students examine dinosaur footprints and compare them to the shape of elephant footprints and to the size of their own footprints.
Lesson Plan
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Locating Vent Fields Using CTD Data

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students describe the way hydrothermal vents work. Students work on locating vent regions through remote collection of data about water temperature and density. Comparing density and temperatures graphs, students search for indicators...
Lesson Plan
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Gravity

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore gravitational force. Through experimentation, students observe the acceleration of objects when they fall. They examine air resistance, and how the human body is attracted to the earth. Students discover the...
Lesson Plan
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The Science of Glaciers

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students identify the contents of a glacier like those found in Patagonia. They construct a mini glacier model in class. Students compare and contrast the classroom model with Patagonian glaciers. They label specific parts of the...
Lesson Plan
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Exploration Yesterday and Today

For Teachers K - 4th
Students compare and contrast the voyages of early explorers with the space explorations of the present day. After reading the biographies of Benjamin Banneker and Timothy Livengood, students create a Venn Diagram comparing and...
Lesson Plan
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Deep Ocean Currents

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars observe the interactions of different temperatures of water using colored ice and a thermometer and then compare the results with global ocean current solar heating. They identify where floating ice would be found in the...
Worksheet
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The Rock Cycle

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
In this rock cycle worksheet, students will review the characteristics of the three rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Students will also compare and contrast rocks and minerals. This worksheet has 16 fill in the...
Lesson Plan
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To Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students study pictures of space vehicles and make their own space vehicle. In this space vehicle lesson, students study pictures of the vehicles and compare and contrast the pictures. Students classify the space crafts and then create...