Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Fuels: Facing the Issues

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore energy by researching fuel usage on Earth. In this fossil fuel lesson, students define fossil fuels, the energy created by burning them, and the impact on the environment when using them. Students conduct pollution...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Magnetometer

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Physical or earth science pupils prepare a magnetometer by inducing magnetism into a pair of straight pins. As the pins hang from a thread, they can be used to detect the magnetic field or poles of a magnet. They could also be used as a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar History

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Using the sun's light as a source of energy is not a new concept. Give your environmental studies, engineering, or physical science class this list of how humans have used solar energy throughout history. Assign groups a certain time...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Scientific Notation myTestBook.com

For Students 7th - 8th
In this scientific notation instructional activity, students solve equations containing numbers in standard notation and scientific notation.  They add, subtract, multiply, and divide problems with scientific notation.  This...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Be a Vishnu Avatar

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students write a story about a problem on earth. They imagine themselves as one of Vishnu's avatars or create another avatar for Vishnu who can solve the problem.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plotting A Hurricane Using latitude and Longitude

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore map and plotting skills by tracing the movement s of hurricanes through the Earth's systems. a hurricane map is developed from daily media reports.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding Topographic Maps

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Underclassmen create a cone-shaped landform and then draw a contour map for it. Then they examine a quadrangle (which was easily located with an online search), and relate it to what they experienced. The accompanying worksheet is...
Activity
Curated OER

Edible Rock Activity

For Students 6th - 12th
Who knew Snickers® could be used to teach science? Give your budding earth scientists a chance to explore the Law of Superposition, in addition to a well-earned snack.
Unit Plan
Yale University

Discovering Persephone

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Here is a resource that introduces learners to how the stories from Greek mythology explain the workings of natural phenomena, movements of the seasons, and how the conflicts of the gods mimic our own daily difficulties. Learners...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plotting a Hurricane Using Latitude and Longitude

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners define and use "absolute location," latitude, and longitude. They locate on a map or globe the Earth's poles, circles, tropics, and beginning points of measurements for latitude and longitude.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Environmental Studies: The Power of Wind

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Investigate the prospect of wind as a renewable resource. Second and third graders make a pinwheel, answer critical thinking questions, and then attempt to use wind power to wind string. I would be more apt to use this lesson in a 1st or...
PPT
Curated OER

The Work of Waves and Wind

For Teachers 7th - 12th
This is not revolutionary, but it is informative. Earth science viewers in grades 7-12 get carried away with wave and wind erosion. They view diagrams of how waves impact ocean shorelines. They see examples of the different types of sand...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Celebration of Trees

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders listen to various, grade appropriate stories about trees. They create their own construction paper trees and discuss the importance of trees to the ecosystem and the importance of taking care of them. Finally, 2nd graders...
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Energy: A Day in My Life

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
If only we could harness the energy of fifth graders, our energy problems would be over! The class discusses where different forms of energy come from and how we use them. They complete a chart of the activities that they do daily...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

This Life Stinks

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Chemosynthetic communities of cold seep areas are considered in this instructional activity. Working in collaborative groups, marine biology or oceanography learners research and prepare a report about oxidation-reduction reactions...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Midsummer Night's Dream

For Teachers 12th
You might not be able to put a girdle around the earth in forty minutes but you can generate interest in A Midsummer’s Night Dream in that length of time. As an introduction to Shakespeare’s comedy, pairs of students assume the roles of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock River Watershed

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discover what a watershed is and which one they live in. Using the internet, they research why watersheds are important to an ecosystem and how to keep them from getting polluted. They use a map to locate various items within a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Four Elements

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Young, native Spanish speakers learn about the four elements: earth, fire, air, and water. As a group, discuss the different senses you might use with each element. This is a teacher-centered lesson, but consider having individual...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Galapagos - Discover the Diversity

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Pretend you are exploring a newly discovered species of fish in the Galapagos. Your budding marine biologists access FishBase Database's list of marine/brackish fishes and choose one to research. The link through this website does not...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Soil Porosity, Moisture Content, pH, and Density

For Students 9th - 12th
This lab activity does not have to be done with AP environmental scientists. It can also be done with middle to high school earth scientists. The procedures aren't complex. Learners determine the density of dry and wet sand in order to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geology Rocks

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss information relating to Illinois geology. They examine top mineral resources in Illinois to find detailed information about geodes and where they can be found. Students complete geode lab to explore external structure of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Groundwater as Part of the Water Cycle

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Make sure to read through the activity procedures thoroughly before teaching this lesson plan because the materials list is incomplete. Also, the mentioned worksheets and booklet are not available. However, there is no need to discard...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paper Plate Sunflowers

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
A great way to recall the parts of a flower is to make one. Little learners create sunflowers out of paint and paper plates. They also discuss and label the various parts of their flowers. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

All Shook Up

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students calculate the amount of displacement after an earthquake.  In this seismic event lesson students research the Internet, and fill out a CORS data sheet.