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Making Predictions
Students collect and classify items. For this making predictions lesson, students go outside and collect specimens of plants, insects and minerals. They classify each item and place them in a Venn Diagram. Students compare and contrast...
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Crinoids: Flowers f the Iowa Seas
Students study the rocks and fossils associated with the geologic landscape of Iowa. In this rocks and fossils lesson, students examine fossils that would be found in the Iowa landscape that show evidence of marine invertebrates such as...
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Field Research Project: Comparing the Parent Rock Material of the San Francisco Terranes With Local Soil Types
Young scholars investigate rocks and minerals and take a field trip to sample soils. They analyze rocks and soil, research the geological terrenes of the topology of San Francisco, and produce a lab research report.
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Metamorphic Magic!
Students explore the steps involved in the formation of metamorphic rock as they prepare a cookie receipe. As part of the process, sedimentary rocks are created and changed through heat to a metamorphic cookie.
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Google Earth Geology Field Trip
Students take a virtual field trip around California using Google Earth. In this geology field trip lesson, students explore landforms and a variety of rocks located in California. Students compare environments where rocks are...
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Crystals
Students investigate patterns in solids, the structures of crystals and rocks made up of minerals. In this crystals lesson plan, students review solids, make patterns with Styrofoam balls, make crystals in the lab and observe their...
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Sorting Rocks
Students devise a rock word web and sort rocks by applying the categories they discuss.
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Rocks, Minerals, and Fossils
Fourth graders do 5 different lab stations to explore rocks, minerals, and fossils.
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Shake, Rattle and Roll
Students compare the weathering of different-sized materials. Comparisons are made and data analyzed to reach conclusions about the process of weathering. Applications can be made for the higher grades.
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Rocks in our Backyard
Students examine igneous and sedimentary rocks. They observe and identify geological formations in their community, analyze igneous and sedimentary geological layers using a geological map, and use GPS to locate geological formations.
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I Spy
Second graders play the game I Spy to help identify objects made from rock. They investigate the properties and uses of rocks and go on an I Spy search on the playground. They sort pictures according to living and nonliving objects.
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The Same But Different
In this rock comparison worksheet, students read an information chart about common igneous rocks. Then students answer 7 questions about what they've read.
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Rock Identification Lab
Eighth graders compare and contrast the three different types of rock. For this earth science lesson, 8th graders classify rock samples according to their correct rock type. They design their own data collection table.
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Rock Sorting Activity
Students organize rock samples according to their properties. In this earth science lesson, students predict whether they are igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary. They compare their prediction with the actual type.
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Comparing Local, National, International Biomes
Young scholars calculate averages of climate sets of data. In this ecology lesson, students analyze data to determine identity of a biome and collect meteorological data to understand process. Young scholars also compare data...
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Soil Composition
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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Exploring Meteorite Mysteries: Building Blocks of Planets
Students simulate the formation of chondrites and asteroids. In this astronomy instructional activity, students demonstrate accretion using balloons and static electricity. They compare and contrast their models to the actual process of...
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COMPARE SOILS BY GROWING PLANTS
The student will identify the difference in the rate of plant growth in three soils that vary in organic matter.1. Obtain three to four flowerpots, different types of soil, a record chart, three to five beans for each pot, and water....
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Sorting Rocks
Students develop a rock word web during a large group discussion. Using the categories generated during that discussion, they sort their rock samples accordingly.
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Regolith Formation
Students explain the difference between regolith formation on Earth and the Moon. In this space science lesson, students model the different factors affecting regolith formation on Earth. They identify the different types of weathering.
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From Curiosity Cabinet to Museum Collection
Students study binomial nomenclature and museum-based research. They create a curiosity box, label the objects in their curiosity box , develop a classification scheme for the objects, and create a database of all objects collected by...
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Science: What Happens to Create the Lode?
Students understand how mineral deposits are formed and why they are not evenly dispersed. They create and describe three different precipitates from four solutions simulating mineral ore deposit formation in sedimentary rock.
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Dinosaur I Finding And Dating
Students investigate how long dinosaurs lived on Earth and how that compare to how long man has been on Earth. They discover how scientists excavate fossils.
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Pattern And Design in Nature
Students observe natural objects carefully and note intricate design and structure beyond surface form.