Your pupils may believe that you and their parents are the oldest things in the universe, but surprise! There are elements of the universe that are even older. Elementary scientists create a class timeline to demonstrate the...

The first remote sensors were people in hot air balloons taking photographs of Earth to make maps. Expose middle school learners to space exploration with the use of remote sensing. Groups explore and make observations of a new...

Scholars gain an insight into the relative size of planets and distance between inner and outer planets with the help of informational text, a data table, and a series of four questions.  

Carbon dioxide is a very important gas; it is present in the air, used in cooking, and supports plant and animal life. Scholars investigate the properties of carbon dioxide with three different activities. They experience a color change,...

Should Pluto be considered a planet or a dwarf planet? Scholars research planets in our solar system to understand their similarities and differences. It also includes memory activities related to the order of the planets. 

The sun isn't just a ball of yellow! Young scientists learn about the features of the sun using a hands-on modeling activity. They build models of the sun using common household items to represent sunspots, solar prominence, and the...

In this Earth Science worksheet, students read about the Greenhouse Effect and the difference between natural and amplified warming. Following, they answer ten short answer questions related to what they read about global climate issues.

What's the difference between a rock and a mineral? And what properties are used to identify minerals? The first installment of a five-part series on earth materials and processes prompts young scientists to identify a set of...

The San Andreas Fault is the largest earthquake-producing fault in California. In the seventh lesson plan in the 20 part series, pupils create maps of California, focusing on the San Andreas Fault system. The comparison of where...

How does radiation affect our daily lives? Answer that question and others with a lesson that discusses radiation and its use in thermal energy transfer through electromagnetic waves. Pupils investigate vaporization and...

Trees are the star of a three-step unit celebrating Arbor Day. Step one takes an in-depth look into the structure of a tree, the process of photosynthesis, and the benefits of the leafy giants. Step two challenges scholars to create a...

Learning about the moon has never tasted delicious! Using the popular Oreo cookie as a model, young scientists carve out the cream filling to represent the different phases of the moon.

Students study the different cycles and Earth's systems.  In this investigative lesson students study the nitrogen and carbon cycles, play a game pertaining to it and also participate in a class activity. 

In this earth and space science worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle given nine terms related to earthquakes, glaciers, the solar system, and sources of energy.

In this earth and space science activity, learners complete a crossword puzzle given 9 clues and a word bank on topics such as sea floor spreading, tectonic plates, faults, lava and the big bang theory.

Learners study the Miller-Urey Experiment including its history and criticism.  In this origins of life lesson students repeat this experiment to see how it works.

Students study the solar system. In this solar system lesson, students create graphic organizers, and participate in class demonstrations illustrating size and distance within the solar system.

For this space science worksheet, learners answer 14 essay questions pertaining to the Earth, moon, and sun and their relationship. Prior knowledge is assumed, or this could be a pre-test.

Students state the physical, chemical or biological processes associated with these environments: Pelagic ocean zone, California coat Cave, Indiana Barrier island beach, North Carolina Sand dune, Dunes National Park, Colorado Wetland and...

Students describes the technique of preparing "GIS-ready" data and shows how to map that data and conduct basic analyses using a geographic information system (GIS).They use latitude and longitude fields to plot the data in a GIS and...

Learn about wastewater and recycled water with a science reading activity. After learners finish a two-page passage about conserving the water supply, they answer six comprehension questions about what they have read.

Three days of erosion exploration await your elementary geologists. Learners begin by examining rivers via Google Earth, then they model water flow in sand, and finally, they identify resulting landforms. This lesson is written...

The water cycle is one of earth's most easily observable processes, but demonstrating each step within classroom walls can be a challenge. Through a series of videos and quick demonstrations, cover each aspect of the hydrologic cycle in...

Earth's magnetic poles switch positions about every 200,000—300,000 years. In the activity, groups create a planet with a magnetic field. Once made, they use a magnetometer to determine the orientation of the planet's magnetic field....