Curated OER
Postcards from California: A Unit on Geography, Social Studies, History and California's Resources
Fourth graders examine patterns that influence population density in the various regions of California. The unit's three lessons utilize graphic organizers for the interpretation and presentation of data.
Curated OER
Landforms And The Oregon Trail
Fourth graders investigate the historical context for the founding of The Oregon Trail. They conduct research to put together the events that led to the geographical route that was taken. The lesson also strengthens geography skills with...
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Where Should We Land?
Students discuss the difference between major landforms as a class. In groups, they rate the landforms based on the needs of the community that wish to settle there. They also discuss the push and pull factors of the colonists that made...
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Current Interactions
Students design an experiment to see how wind, temperature, and salinity work together to influence ocean currents and present it in a report format. They explain to their classmates how experiment findings relate to ocean currents.
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Travelogue of a Planet
Students randomly select a planet, including Earth. They research key features of the planet including mass, volume, density, gravity, temperature, weather, geology, atmosphere, surface features, location from sun, Earth and other...
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Clouds
Students explore the characteristics of clouds, their formation, symbols used in their identification, and the relationship of clouds to weather. The lesson focuses on how they are formed and their classification.
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Cavern Geology: Speleothem Construction
Students discover how underground rock formations grow. They perform various activities based on grade level.
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Polishing the Petoskey
Students select a stone and polish it. Throughout the process they demonstrate an understanding of rocks and fossil formation.
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Please Ex-Planet
Seventh graders create a model of an earth centered solar system and a model of the sun centered solar system. As a class, they discuss why the earlier astronomers believed their model and why it changed when evidence arose that this...
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Polar Caps: Image Processing Tutorial
Students utilize computer image processing techniques to measure the size of Earth's polar ice caps and analyze various phenomena visible on planetary images.
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Oceanography
Fifth graders study the topography of the ocean floor. They determine its ever changing nature as they examine currents and trade winds. They write paragraph describing how the winds might affect land formations after the discussion of...
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Causes and Effects of Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Tenth graders discuss the techniques and tools scientists use to study about the earth, including techniques used to determine geological time scales. They share their personal experiences of earthquakes and volcanoes.
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Weather Whys- Cloud Watching Journal
Students examine how natural processes change the earth by identifying their local water cycle. Individual students complete a cloud journal over a specific period of time. They observe clouds daily and take photographs of the clouds...
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Origin of Coal
Students explore how coal is formed. They then discuss the information and answer any questions that they may have on the formation of coal. Students then answer questions in reference to the coal discussion and reading.
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What Goes On Down Under?
Pupils explore the sources for recharge and discharge of groundwater. They research the connection between surface water and groundwater. Students construct a model of an aquifer and explore recharge and discharge of the aquifer.
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Indiana Ice Investigations
Fourth graders create a model of the formation of Indiana by glaciers. Working in groups with appropriate materials, they create a model documenting how glaciers moved through the land and formed the geological structure and land masses...
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Sunken Millions: 3rd Grade
In this PowerPoint, students participate in a game with a quiz show format in which they answer questions about water. Topics include the water cycle, bodies of water, characteristics of water, and how water relates to weather...
Science Matters
Earthquakes and Volcanoes Post Assessment
The final lesson in the 20-part series is a post assessment covering earthquakes and volcanoes. Twenty-three questions incorporate each of the previous lessons through multiple choice, justified multiple choice, expanded multiple choice,...
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Looking At Water: a Walking Field Trip
Fourth graders observe the effects of water on the soil and record those effect by drawing sketches of water erosion and conservation practices.
Mr. E. Science
Volcanoes
What is the difference between a shield volcano and a cinder cone volcano? How does the flow of lava influence the type of rock that's formed? A presentation on different aspects of volcanoes answers these questions for middle...
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How Volcanoes Grow
Students build models of the three major types of volcanoes and see how a volcano's shape is related to the type of material it erupts. As a class, they observe a demonstration that simulates the nature of two volcanic materials: lava...
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How Volcanoes Grow
Students create models of the three major types of volcanoes and determine how a volcano's shape is related to the type of material erupted. They then observe a demonstration that simulates the nature of two volcanic materials: lava and...
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Swamps, Shrimp, and Tsunamis: A Simulation of Sustainable Development Issues in Coastal Ecuador
Middle schoolers examine the economic benefits, environmental losses and dangers of the shrimp farming industry on the coast of Ecuador. They read a script, role-play people involved in the shrimp business, and write an essay of the pros...
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Effects of Ozone Depletion
Explore the causes of ozone depletion and the effect on plankton, algae, plants, amphibians, and humans. Learn how the Montreal Protocol has possibly helped reverse the decline of the ozone layer. Warning: photos of skin and eye...