Lesson Plan
Wild BC

The Greenhouse Effect: Warming the Earth Experiment

For Teachers 6th - 8th
First in a two-part lesson on the greenhouse effect, this lesson involves a classroom demonstration of the phenomenon, and a lab group experiment with color and absorption. Although there are easier ways to demonstrate the greenhouse...
Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

The Amazing Adventures of Carbon: How Carbon Cycles through the Earth

For Students 5th - 8th Standards
Here's a stat for your pupils: 18 percent of the human body is carbon! Part 10 in the series of 12 takes pairs on an adventure through the carbon cycle. After a class reading about carbon, pairs read and choose their own adventure...
Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

The Water Cycle

For Teachers 2nd - 8th Standards
Observe the water cycle from the comfort of your classroom with this excellent earth science experiment. Working collaboratively, young scientists first create terrariums complete with hills, plants, lakes, and an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Volcanoes And Atmospheres

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers identify the volcano as the primary source of atmospheric gases, to explain the formation of ozone, and to recognize the dangers of volcanic gases through the use of technology in the classroom.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biosphere Socratic Questions

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the origin of life on Earth and its evolution through geologic time by participating in a whole class discussion. They respond to prompts that lead them to conclusions about the interactions among the biosphere and the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Resources for Teaching about Biogeochemical Cycles

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Learners 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. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes you Hot?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners manipulate different variables in a model and make inferences about the temperature on Earth.  In this heat lesson students calculate the blackbody radiation of an object at a certain temperature. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

As the Sun Burns

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the types of light the sun gives the Earth. They describe the electro-magnetic spectrum and how to protect themselves from different types of light. They identify the layers of the atmosphere as well.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hands-On Weather Data Collecting

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders use Internet sites to complete a study of weather and atmosphere. They compare weather data from cities around the world. They use thermometers, the Beaufort wind scale, and simple weather symbols to measure weather around...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crashed On the Moon

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students compare/contrast the environments of our moon and earth, and examine examples of how these differences would affect their daily activities on our moon. They develop lists of emergency supplies to bring if their spaceship crashed...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing about the climate

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Young scholars research the contributing factors to the Earth's paleoclimate. They determine the relevant climate data and use it to construct a science argument. In the process, they access data, capture images of the data plots, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Savage Planet in the News

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students research volcanoes, storms, atmospheric conditions, etc., find information and collect facts, create a simulation of a science news broadcast, watch a video clip of an avalanche, and create an artistic rendering of one naturally...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pangaea Puzzle

For Teachers 5th - 11th
Students explore plate tectonics and the formations of the Earth's surface and why maps are distorted.  In this Earth's surface lesson students complete a lab and answer questions. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Pollution Disrupts Our Natural Environment

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students conduct experiments to illustrate global warming. In this air pollution lesson, students first examine how a layer of greenhouse gasses might impact the earth's atmospheric temperature, then evaluate how the layer of gasses...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Meet Meteorology

For Teachers 4th
Students explore meteorology, discuss Earth's atmosphere, create drawings of the water cycle, create meteorology journals, and role play forecasters. Nine lessons on one page; includes unit test.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Environment: Battling for Oxygen

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students construct an interactive ozone depletion model using gumdrops and toothpicks. After analyzing the data obtained from the model, they record it on butcher paper and complete worksheets about oxygen.
Worksheet
Curated OER

The International Space Station-Follow that Graph!

For Students 8th - 11th
In this altitude change of the International Space Station worksheet, students observe a graph of the change in altitude of the space station over time due to the Earth's drag. Students solve 3 problems using the data in the graph.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

When Dinosaurs Ruled

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research about plants and animals during Triassic period. In this earth science lesson, students draw pictures of their chosen plants and plants for the bulletin board. They present their project in class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Radiation Budget

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the radiation budget and the launching of the Budget Satellite. They role-play as designers of the satellite and construct one with a power source, instruments, and sensors. they explain how their satellite functions...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Solar System Multiple Choice Activity

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this solar system activity, students complete a ten question multiple choice page pertaining to the solar system. Prior knowledge is assumed.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sun's Impact On Earth's Temperature

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students view NASA images and movies of Venus, Earth, and Mars to deduce weather patterns and manipulate computer models to test competing hypotheses. They manipulate computer models to investigate the influence of solar distance and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Time and Earth History Socratic Questions

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Students develop a sense of geologic ("deep") time and the ways in which Earth scientists construct the geologic time scale. They study he major events that shaped Earth, including the origin and evolution of its lithosphere, atmosphere,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Images of Our Changing Earth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils identify and explain that remote sensing can detect changes on the Earth's surface that occur over time, and name at least three: urbanization, deforestation, and succession. They select a global change issue to investigate and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth System Science: Hydrosphere

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students identify the major Earth systems, and describe at least ten major uses of water on planet earth. They research major sources of earth's water, and describe general aspects of the hydrosphere.