Curated OER
Rock Cycle: The Story of a Rock
High schoolers examine the rock cycle by watching videos and then use creative storytelling techniques to tell the story of a rock as it undergoes geologic changes.
Curated OER
The Meaning of Rock Art
Learners examine the significance of rock art. They discuss and view examples of historical rock art, and create a design on a rock that tells a story using African and American symbols.
Curated OER
LEAGUE: Into the Desert: Lesson 1
Students discover the human and physical characteristics of desert regions. In this regions lesson, students describe deserts around the world, discuss animals, vegetation, water conservation, and how humans can care for the land.
Curated OER
Would You Like A Desert With That?
Students explore the four different deserts in the United States and their characteristics. They discuss the four different types of deserts in United States and their characteristics, and locate them on a map.
Curated OER
Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
In the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico, some tiny creatures show just how quickly natural selection can turn a mutation into an advantageous adaptation. Watch a video about rock pocket mice, who show that one small change can make all...
Curated OER
Rocks
Learners examine how sedimentary rocks are formed. In this rock instructional activity students research different rock formations and different types of rock.
American Museum of Natural History
Finding Fossils
How does one go about finding fossils? Find out with an informative webpage that looks at the digging process, showcases rocks and common fossils, helpful tips, and a list of archeological do's and don'ts.
Curated OER
Sonoran Desert
In this Sonoran Desert worksheet, students read and analyze a letter that Jeremy wrote to his grandmother and then complete the picture that follows using information about the desert they learned from the letter.
Curated OER
Ecology of The Sonoran Desert Soil Crusts: Biology, Geology
This lesson plan is designed after research done on the ecology of soil lichen in the Tucson Basin area during the summers of 1997 and 1998. Its purpose is to guide students into adopting the problem solving thinking of ecologists. The...
Curated OER
Get Me out of the Desert!
In this desert survival and literature learning exercise, students take a 10 question multiple choice quiz about what they would do to survive in the Namibian desert. This is related to the book The Devil's Breath by David Gilman.
Curated OER
Rock Speaks
Young scholars create primitive forms and caricatures to represent meaningful figures and/or events in their own lives, present their own works to the class, and attempt to interpret the relevant meaning from other students' work.
Curated OER
Desert Dynamics
Fourth graders examine the various types of plants and animals found in the deserts of Utah. In groups, they discover how the plants and animals have adapted to the harsh environment. To end the activity, they compare and contrast the...
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Planet Oit!
Twelfth graders use this game to find minerals given rocks and outcrops in a plausible (but not real) geologic setting. They play without outside encouragement for hours as the world is fun to explore and the scoring system encourages...
Curated OER
Luis' Painted Desert
In this solving math questions worksheet, 1st graders read the short story, "Luis' Painted Desert", and answer 4 short answer questions relating to the story.
Curated OER
How Can I Hide In Namib?
Students examine how various species survive in the Namib Desert. They watch and discuss a PBS video, and in small groups determine which colors are most effective in concealment in rocks, sticks, and sand, and compare the activity with...
Desert Discovery
Leaping Lizards
Here is a fine biology lesson that introduces youngsters to reptiles. They study their feeding habits, their habitats, and the adaptations they must make to survive in their environments. The outstanding lesson includes two excellent...
Curated OER
Insect Collection
Young scholars investigate about various biological aspects of life, while examining desert insect species. They see the diverse range of species that live in the desert, despite the apparent lack of life in the desert. students...
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Mountain Barriers
Students examine geographical change. In this mountain barriers instructional activity, students conduct an experiment to discover how mountains affect surrounding land. Students draw conclusions on how change in land affects plant and...
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Searching for Meteorites
Young scholars examine meteorites and attempt to recover meteorite fragments. In this space lesson students complete a demonstration on the impact of a meteorite using water balloons and make experimental predictions.
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
More Tribal Homelands
Here is a very fun idea that introduces young learners to how geographical location affects cultural development. They are introduced to four areas where Native Americans have lived in the past by reading stories and examining images....
American Museum of Natural History
Layer of Time
Dig through the layers for a better understanding of fossils. Scholars learn that fossils form in layers of sedimentary rock. Pupils arrange virtual layers to show the fossil record of different species. Once the layers are correct, they...
Curated OER
One Grain at a Time
Students investigate deserts. In this geography instructional activity, students create a KWL chart about deserts and research information on deserts by using reference books. Students record the characteristics of deserts and the...
Curated OER
Desert Dynamics
Students investigate the plants and animals found in Utah deserts and how these organisms have adapted to their environment. They brainstorm ways that desert plants are different from or similar to wetland plants.
Curated OER
Life on an Island: Early Settlers Off the Rock-Bound Coast of Maine
Students study the characteristics of life on the Cranberry Isles off the coast of Maine as they were settled. They examine images and maps to determine the location and lifestyle.