Scholars collect data from heating sand and water before forming testable hypotheses about why sand heats up faster. Afterward, they develop and run experiments to test their hypotheses.

In this Tyson Lagoon wetland learning exercise, students record their observations during a field trip to a constructed wetland area. They make observations at 6 stations, trace the water flow through the ecosystem and examine the soil...

Third graders classify rocks. In this rocks and minerals lesson, 3rd graders observe, make inferences and conclusions about rocks, minerals, soil and fossils.

Students design and create a compost pile in order to study the Nitrogen Cycle. They then use the scientific method to determine if plants grow better when they add organic matter from their compost pile to the plant's soil.

Students identify and interpret plant growth as well as gain graphing skills and other important knowledge related to potting plants. They take a regular milk jug and cut off the top, leaving the handle and the rest intact. Then,...

Middle schoolers examine the importance of details in evidence gathering, as well as the relationship between chemistry, physics and biology.  In this forensics instructional activity students divide into groups and look at...

Students explore the differences between specific soil characteristics. They participate in an experiment in which they discover soil texture. They write their observations in a journal.

Fourth graders explore plant life by completing an Internet activity. In this botany lesson, 4th graders identify the types of plants that grow locally and the different soils they utilize to survive. Students read assigned text about...

Students discuss the differences in the types of garbage. They use these differences to separate a sample of garbage. Partners then investigate the characteristics of landfills by searching on the Internet and by creating your own...

In this erosion deposition worksheet, students fill in 36 blanks to complete sentences about the formation of soil, the forces of erosion, physical and chemical weathering, sediments and soil deposition.

Students examine types of aquifers and make a model landfill. For this water usage lesson, students determine the difference between confined and unconfined aquifers. They build a model landfill, observe it for two weeks, and analyze...

Fourth graders examine the animals who live in rice paddies and create a chart.  In this rice instructional activity, 4th graders link the types of animals living in each ecosystem with a bar graph. Students use colored...

Second graders observe car pooling patterns and the important role car pools play in reducing air pollution. They explain how they get to school and graph the types of transportation that is used. Students make a list of the different...

Fifth graders explore the causes of earthquakes and the various types of fault lines through a variety of hands-on demonstrations using prepared cakes. They record their observations in their science journals.

Students discover soil characteristics and how it is formed on Earth and the Moon by examining local samples to a lunar simulant. They replicate the effects of wind erosion by scraping dry bread with sandpaper. Students use rocks and...

Students collect rocks, identify them, classify them, investigate their properties, and more. In this rocks lesson plan, students also experiment with soil and erosion and weather.

Learners examine the concepts of porosity and permeability. They conduct experiments to determine the porosity and permeability of gravel, sand, and clay. After performing the experiments they collect and graph data, comparing the...

High schoolers determine the most appropriate site for a car wash, based on each site's soil characteristics (chemical, physical) and topographic features. They perform an experiment to determine the changes to three different soil types...

In this bellwork worksheet, students answer questions about chemical and mechanical weathering, particle size, and the soil profile at the start of class.

Students will work cooperatively. In this environmental lesson plan, students will start by discussing an article and its questions prior to receiving a handout. There are two versions of the handout depending if your students are AP or...

Learners study the environment and interactions of living organisms. They identify abiotic and biotic factors and create a foldable and vocabulary cards. They create a poster illustrating soil and watch a video to study symbiosis.

Students investigate how permeable different materials are. In this physics lesson, students determine what affects permeability and how permeability relates to oil production.

Fourth graders improvise music and dance to express their analysis of types of rocks. They discuss the three classes of rocks, list describing words, and create a short musical piece and dance to symbolize the rock they are dancing.

Students recognize the presence of organic matter in soils from their immediate area and recognize which soil sample contains the highest concentration of organic matter.