Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science: Studies of Earth

For Teachers All
Using a digital camera to document local landscapes as they are today, students will explore how changes in human land use are impacting local environments. Students will also explore some of the social impacts of various land uses in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Four Color Map

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Young scholars explore geometry by completing a color puzzle. In this shape identification lesson, students utilize deductive reasoning to complete a Google SketchUp puzzle with trapezoid, triangles and rectangular shapes. Young...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Central Park Field Trip

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students visit the park to observe signs of spring in the forest and pond environments.  In this field trip lesson, students explore the park for various items
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is the Rock Cycle and Its Processes?

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Geology beginners examine three different rock samples and determine their origin by their characteristics. By making and recording observations, they become familiar with features of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock types....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Endangered Animals

For Teachers K - 12th
Students listen to a teacher led lecture on jaguars, their habitats, and how they became endangered. Using a specified web site, they choose an endangered animal to research. After gathering information, students participate in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing NatureMapping

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students model the NatureMapping program in order to study habitats and biodiversity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Earth: Storehouse of Natural Resources

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Young scholars listen to an explanation of the science of the mining industry and create a geological map of Africa. They discuss the uses of minerals and resources and research a natural mineral resource in their part of the world.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paleogeographic Mapping (o.k. Fossils Are Neat But What Good Are They?)

For Teachers 1st - 7th
Learners examine how evidence from fossils can be used in paleogeographic interpretation. They gain experience in developing multiple hypotheses.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What in the World?

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders plot points of longitude and latitude on a world map. In groups, they create a model of the earth's interior and label the parts,
Worksheet
Curated OER

Hurricane Strength: Spatial Association of Wind Speed and Water Temperature

For Students 6th - 9th
In this hurricane worksheet, students read and analyze satellite images of hurricane Rita. They complete 4 short answer questions about it.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing Biodiversity

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Young scholars investigate biodiversity by creating reports with their classmates.  In this ecosystem lesson, students utilize the Internet to research the different types of life in our environment and different locations around...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

and and Ocean Views of Earth by Remote Sensing

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Young scholars explain how satellites help scientists to see more than with the unaided eye and how Landsat technology works. Students identify vegetation and fire sites in the rainforest and detect erosion along rivers. They are able to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science: Trouble in the Troposphere

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research a NASA Website and record information about an assigned city's tropospheric ozone residual monthly climate. In groups, they graph the information for the past year. They form new groups and compare their city's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping Dinosaurs in Place and Time

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders study the continents that specific dinosaurs lived on. They compare the continent's location and climate when dinosaurs live there with its current location.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth Day-Conservation Walk/Ride

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the relationship between conservation of our resources and the use of other modes of transportation (walking, biking and roller blading). They show respect for their environment by picking up garbage in the area. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science: Down Home Dinosaurs

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
students participate in hands-on activities to discover the different types of fossils. Using teacher-provided materials, they make models of cast and trace fossils. After writing essays describing how traces are formed, students plan a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Radiation Comparison Before and After 9-11

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Using the NASA website, class members try to determine if changes could be detected in cloud cover, temperature, and/or radiation measurements due to the lack of contrails that resulted from the halt in air traffic after the attacks...
Lesson Plan
PHET

Soda Bottle Magnetometer

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Introduce learners to set of complete instructions that describe how to build a magnetometer that works just like the ones professional photographers use to predict auroras. The diagrams are wonderfully descriptive, and the written...
Lesson Plan
PHET

Where to See an Aurora

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Where can you see an aurora in North America? After completing an astronomy activity, scholars can locate the exact coordinates. Pupils plot points of the inner and outer ring of the auroral oval and answer questions based on...
Lesson Plan
1
1
University of Wisconsin

Noting Notable Features for Rain Gardens

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Eight groups in your class are each responsible for a different aspect of surveying the campus for a suitable rain garden location. Features to consider include water flow, topography, sun/shade patterns, land surface, vegetation,...
Lesson Plan
Monroe City Schools

Clouds! Clouds! Clouds!

For Teachers 1st
Here is a beautiful instructional activity on clouds designed for your 1st graders. Learners study three different types of clouds. They construct drawings of cumulus, cirrus, and stratus clouds. The Cloud Book, by Tommie dePaola is...
Unit Plan
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Curated OER

Earthquakes: Third Grade Lesson Plans and Activities

For Teachers 3rd Standards
Introduce third graders to energy waves with a hands-on geology activity, in which they answer questions and compare seismograms in the San Francisco Bay area. After a demonstration that shows how bigger waves indicate a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trends of Snow Cover and Temperature in Alaska

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students gather historical snow cover and temperature data from the MY NASA DATA Web site. They compare this data to data gathered using ground measurements from the ALISON Web site for Shageluk Lake. They graph both sets of data and...
Lesson Plan
1
1
University of Colorado

Are All Asteroids' Surfaces the Same Age?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
There are more than 600,000 asteroids in our solar system. Pupils analyze images of two asteroids in order to determine if they are the same age. They count craters for each asteroid and compare numbers.