Curated OER
From Ground to Water
Students explore groundwater and issues relating to groundwater. They discus the problems involving groundwater. Students write a newspaper story addressing groundwater problems. They create a comic strip addressing groundwater...
Curated OER
Classification of Materials
Students classify photographs into a two-way classification system. They practice with pictures of people who are young and old, male and female, then they use pictures of animals to create their own two-way classification system.
Curated OER
Life in a Cup
Third graders make and maintain a mini terrarium. They keep a daily journal of what happens in their terrarium and record daily observations and measurements.
Curated OER
TE Activity: A Merry-Go-Round for Dirty Air
Students observe a simulation of a cyclone to examine a method of pollutant recovery in cleaning industrial air pollution. They examine how engineers develop technology to reduce air pollution and determine percentages for technology...
Curated OER
The Formation of Soil
Middle schoolers identify the different components that make up soil. For this earth science lesson, students create a pamphlet for next year's class. They analyze how erosion and weathering shape the Earth.
Curated OER
Making Tracks
Students participate in groups to show how two legged and four legged dinosaurs walked. Using fossilized footprints, they identify the two and four legged dinosaurs shown. They use the internet to determine what happen by a specific...
Curated OER
Changes Inside Planets
High schoolers investigate the concept of planetary differentiation. They complete an experiment to simulate it using gelatin and food. The lesson includes vocabulary to increase reading comprehension skills as part of the inquiry. The...
Curated OER
Social Studies: The Fremont People
Students examine the culture of the Fremont people prior to creating their own copies of their pottery. With teacher-supplied clay, students follow instruction sheets to make their own replicas based on the Fremont pottery designs.
Curated OER
Antarctica Vocabulary Quiz
In this Antarctica vocabulary activity, students match vocabulary words about Antarctica with definitions, 15 words total. Worksheet contains a link to additional activities. Labeled as a quiz, but may be used for practice or review.
Curated OER
Indiana Ice Investigations
Fourth graders create a model of the formation of Indiana by glaciers. Working in groups with appropriate materials, they create a model documenting how glaciers moved through the land and formed the geological structure and land masses...
Curated OER
It’s Your Trash!
Students identify the different sections of a landfill. In this ecology instructional activity, students brainstorm ways that they can help in proper trash disposal. They write a reflection journal about their thoughts on the subject.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Observing,comparing and Classifying Rocks
An activity where students in teams observe and classify different types of rocks.
Utah Education Network
Uen: The Great Rock Sort
Describe and sort rocks by their physical properties.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Rock Cycle Diagram
Describes the three different types of rocks and provides a diagram showing where they fit into the rock cycle.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Rocks
For this classroom guided inquiry lesson, students will become geologists. They will investigate rocks and the properties we can use to describe them. Students will observe, record, and reflect on their findings. They will record their...
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Rock Chart [Pdf]
A rock chart the describes the texture, appearance, characteristics, type, and where each is formed.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Metamorphic Rock Facts: Types
Presents facts about metamorphic rocks and describes the different types.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Types of Landforms
Describes different landform types and their features. includes many good quality photographs.
US Geological Survey
Usgs: Schoolyard Geology
The purpose of this lesson plan is to provide teachers with some activities they can do on school grounds. Activities include mapping, describing sedimentary rocks, and solving a mystery.
The Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute: How Sedimentary Rock Is Formed
The Franklin Institute describes the way sedimentary rock is formed, with links to descriptions of several types of sedimentary rocks.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Guide to Mechanical Weathering and Its Major Types
Describes the different types of mechanical weathering and how each of them breaks down rocks.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Weathering and Erosion
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how solid rock is worn down through weathering.
Other
Western Oregon University: Earth System Science: Geologic Time [Pdf]
An 81-page slideshow that looks at the principles of geology with respect to relative dating, at different concepts describing geological processes, at absolute age and radiometric dating, at the eons and eras in the geologic time scale,...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: An Investigation Into Geologic Mapping: Quarry Park
In this geology field lab, students will map an area around Quarry 12 and Quarry 13 in Quarry Park. Using a field notebook, students will take field observations to later produce a basic geologic map, topographic map, and a...