National Geographic
Mapping the Americas
Celebrate the geography of the Americas and develop map skills through a series of activities focused on the Western Hemisphere. Learners study everything from earthquakes and volcanoes of the Americas and the relationship...
Curated OER
The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906
Students study the history of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. They read a story, view photos of the disaster, and complete a comprehension worksheet.
Curated OER
Forces of Nature: Ring of Fire
Third graders will research the Ring of Fire and be able to share their findings with their partner. They will also demonstrate volcanic eruptions using a baking soda and vinegar volcano model. Then they will discover how continental...
Columbus City Schools
Earthly Waves
How did scientists discover what lies beneath the earth's surface? Dig a hole? X-ray vision? Guide your class through the types of seismic waves and how these waves helped shed light on Earth's many layers. The included resources provide...
Teach Engineering
Magical Motion
Make solutions to projectile motion problems magically appear using equations. Pupils watch a clip from a Harry Potter movie and find the length of time it takes for a remembrall to fall into Harry's hands. They use a projectile motion...
EngageNY
TASC Transition Curriculum: Workshop 9
Here's a workshop for teachers that rocks the academic world! Using earthquakes as a medium for instruction, educators learn about crosscutting engineering with science. Fun, hands-on, collaborative exercises encourage participants to...
Curated OER
Glaciers and Ice Wedging
Fourth graders observe and identify a variety of weathering and geological activities in the area in which they live. This focuses primarily on what happened during the Ice Age, and how, even today, glaciers are shaping and re-shaping...
Curated OER
Teaching About Plate Tectonics and Faulting Using Foam Models
Young scientists learn about plate tectonics and the three different types of faults (normal, reverse, and strike-slip) using foam models. The activity also covers common types of locations where these faults are found.
Curated OER
Earth Changes
Students investigate the earth's structural layers by participating in hands-on activities. They identify the earth's structure and investigate earthquakes.
Curated OER
Volcanoes: Kindergarten Lesson Plans and Activities
In the pre-lab, kindergarteners mimic the movements of the eruption of a volcano and discover various volcanoes around the United States. Then, pupils sort different types of volcanic rocks in the lab before learning how volcanoes grow...
Curated OER
Earthquake in the Classroom
Learners discover how engineers construct buildings to stand up against earthquakes. They build their own structures out of marshmallows and toothpicks. They test how earthquake-proof their building is with jello.
Carnegie Mellon University
How Power Plants Work 3
Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble! Find out what drives a turbine to generate electricity and whether or not it has an impact on the environment. A discussion and lecture is divided by a hands-on activity in...
Curated OER
Breaking News English: Earthquake in Pakistan
In this earthquake in Pakistan worksheet, students read the article, answer true and false questions, complete synonym matching, complete phrase matching, complete a gap fill, answer short answer questions, answer discussion questions,...
Curated OER
Weathering Rocks
Here is a geology lesson that is sure to get your charges excited. It's all about the process of weathering of rocks. Learners study natural events that can cause rocks to break apart. Some of these events are: ice wedging, plant...
Curated OER
Cruising the Mantle
Students explore the plate boundaries of the earth. Through the use of video, internet and hands-on activities, students examine the types of plate boundaries. They create a model to illustrate the movement and interaction of the...
Carnegie Mellon University
How Power Plants Work 2
In this second of three lessons on power plants, future engineers find out how we generate electricity and how coal-powered plants operate. They work in small groups to make electromagnet generators to light LED bulbs. A set of...
Curated OER
Earthquakes & Volcanoes I: What Causes Them and Where They Are
Students study the properties of volcanoes and earthquakes. In this earthquakes and volcanoes lesson students write a story on what they did during their experiment.
Curated OER
Social Studies: San Francisco Earthquake
Students discover details about the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. For this natural disaster lesson, students visit selected websites to analyze primary sources related to the personal accounts of the earthquake. Students then discuss...
Curated OER
Rock My World
Students conduct a hands-on experiment designed to demonstrate how continents and oceans formed and why the manner of formation is relevant to a study of volcanoes.
Curated OER
Erosion in Different Soils
Fourth graders observe and identify the effects of weathering and geological activities. They take part in an excellent hands-on group activity called "Erosion Race," in which each group tries to simulate erosion of soil in the quickest...
Curated OER
Volcanic Unrest
Students explore the Ring of Fire. In this volcano lesson plan, students discuss active volcanoes in the world and explore viscosity as they participate in a hands-on classroom activity.
Curated OER
Swinging on a String
Students explore how pendulums work and why they are useful in everyday applications. In a hands-on activity, they experiment with string length, pendulum weight and angle of release.
Curated OER
First Aid
Young scholars consider the giving and receiving of aid from political rivals in the aftermath of natural disasters by learning about an earthquake in India and the international relief response it has induced. They read and discuss an...
Curated OER
Earth Changes
Students explore the make-up of the earth and the changes it undergoes in an earthquake. For this earth science lesson, students have two activities as part of a unit. First, to use a Styrofoam ball to model the earth's structure, and...