Curated OER
Earthquakes
Sixth graders explain that earthquakes are sudden motions along breaks in the crust called faults. They list the major geologic events including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and mountain building, which are the result of crustal plate...
Curated OER
Earthquakes
Sixth graders explore reasons for earthquakes. They discuss and describe the types of faults. Using the internet, 6th graders research a specific location of a former earthquake. They describe the damage, magnitude, the epicenter,...
Curated OER
Exploring Rocks
Students recognize differences in the size, shape, texture, and color of different rocks. In this rocks lesson plan, students also learn and repeat back how a volcano erupts and make one out of a toilet paper tube.
Curated OER
Going to Extremes
Students compare and contrast Archaea with bacteria and other organisms. In this ocean activity students complete diagrams.
Curated OER
Which Boundary Am I?
Sixth graders find 12 statements which describe the characteristics of the three boundary types, arranged in random order. Their task is to read each statement, and then CUT and PASTE it to the the appropriate boundary icon.
Curated OER
It Looks Like Champagne
Students determine some practical implications of the discovery of liquid carbon dioxide in deep-ocean ecosystems. They interpret phase diagrams and explain the meaning of "critical point" and "triple point."
Curated OER
Plates on the Move
Students explore how Africa appears to be tearing apart from Asia and tha the other continents are moving and oceans are changing size.
Curated OER
The Science Behind Tsunamis
Natural disasters can be teachable moments that create more scientifically literate citizens.
Curated OER
Using Rocks and Ores Worksheet
In this chemistry instructional activity, learners answer 15 short answer questions about rocks and ores. They explore write balanced chemical reactions from word equations given.
US Geological Survey
Usgs: The Interior of the Earth
This site provides a detailed discussion of the Earth's interior. Facts about the crust, mantle, and core are given along with diagrams of each. Also presents a table that lists the thickness and types of rock found in each part of the...
Curated OER
Merriam Webster: Visual Dictionary Online: Section of the Earth's Crust
Labeled diagram of a section of the Earth's crust.
Other
University of Delaware: Plate Tectonics
This site is a very simple overview of plate tectonics. It includes a map of all the major plates and a diagram of the layers of the earth.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Geo Blocks 3 D Interactive 3 D Geologic Blocks
This interactive tutorial on visualizing geologic features contains animated block diagrams that show how the surface expressions of dipping layers, folds, igneous intrusions, and faults are related to subsurface structure and cross...
University of California
Tectonic Plates
Get an overview of all the tectonic plates that make up the earth's crust. The colorful contrasting and labeled plate boundaries make this an excellent resource.